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Push-in pex attachment

Last Post 21 Jul 2010 08:35 PM by BadgerBoilerMN. 6 Replies.

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hausfxr

New Member

Posts:53

18 Jul 2010 07:33 PM
Does anyone have experience with using push-in type pex pipe clamps for attaching to foam board like Viegra's 15302 as opposed to using a stapler? I am doing a relatively small installation (900 s.f.) in my basement slab with 3" of foam, and I want know if spending the extra money to buy a staple gun and staples ($220 + $24/300 pack) is worth any extra effort to save $120 by using the Viegra connectors ($34/pack x three = $102). This may not seem like much, but if one is just as good as the other, why not save the money. I'll be doing the instalation by myself and the engineer insists that the rebar goes in the middle of the slab, so it will go in after the pex. Are there any other alternatives (besides the using the dimple type plastic boards that cost considerably more)? P.S. I'm sure this topic has been covered before, so if anyone can send me a link to a previous thread, that would be appreciated.

Blueridgecompany.com User is Offline

Advanced Member

Posts:656

18 Jul 2010 07:58 PM
We sell a staple RHT Foam staple that you can push in by hand, with tennis shoe or rubber mallet. You will need one about every 16 inches or less. A 2 inch DOW board is best for insulation and application. http://www.blueridgecompany.com/radiant/hydronic/501/rht-foam-stapler-and-staples Good luck, Dan

Dan <br>BlueRidgeCompany.com

jbaron

Basic Member

Posts:122

18 Jul 2010 11:15 PM
Why are you not attaching the Pex to the rebar with ties rather than stapling it to the floor? Jeff

hausfxr

New Member

Posts:53

19 Jul 2010 02:08 AM
Jeff, It would be fine with me to attach it to the rebar, but the mechanical engineer specified that the pex go on the bottom of the slab -- farthest down so that the heat conducts radially more evenly to prevent heat striping. The rebar is 24" o.c. e.w. and the pex is 12" o.c. After reading post here on Greenbuildingtalk.com, I concluded the rebar should go toward the bottom of the slab, but the engineer said that is a common layman’s misperception of how a slab might be stressed, and that the rebar should go in the middle to account for the likely potential of both negative and positive moment forces. In this case, the pex would have to either be pulled under the already placed rebar, or it would have to go in first, necessitating pinning it until it could be tied to the rebar. If you can tell me how this is easily done, I'd very much appreciate it.

NRT.Rob

Veteran Member

Posts:1741

19 Jul 2010 08:40 AM
using a foam stapler is easier, if that means anything to you. otherwise any foam staple can be pushed in by hand. wear a glove to avoid a blister. Nothing special about the RHT staples.

Rockport Mechanical<br>RockportMechanical.com

Blueridgecompany.com User is Offline

Advanced Member

Posts:656

19 Jul 2010 12:32 PM
Tying to re-bar works fine, 24 CO is a bit of a spread for the pipe, might tighten re bar to 18 oc, re bar is cheep. then your pipe can be held in middle of slab.. Use a bag tie tool. ether way will work fine. 12 inch pattern will prevent striping, you will never notice unless you run your delivered H20 hotter than 110 degrees or so. the whole slab will warm. RHT pex staples have a paper binder that holds them in form, Easy to remove one by one if you chose pushing in by hand. Makes a little easier, other than that nothing special. Dan

Dan <br>BlueRidgeCompany.com

BadgerBoilerMN User is Offline

Veteran Member

Posts:2010

21 Jul 2010 08:35 PM
esger; Your engineer is correct - and has your priorities in the correct order. Re-bar has NO value at the bottom of the slab, whereas most will never know if the tube is on the bottom or two inches below the finished floor. Much is made of striping but little of it occurs or matters when on rare occasion, it can be detected. Careful what you read on the internet.

MA<br>www.badgerboilerservice.com