Not sure if this belongs here or in the solar section but i know some of you have experience with this so here goes. I'm building a small 20 by 28 foot three story house with 6 inch sips for the top two floors and a partially back filled Superior walls first floor/daylight basement. The superior walls sit on a 16 inch or =/- bed of 78m gravel and i am planning on poring a 4 inch slab with pex as the floor on the first floor and either staple up or gypcreted pex on the 2nd and third floor. My Superior walls are now up and to proceed i must complete my pour witch brings me to my question. We are planning on domestic solar hw and radiant. Would it make sense for such a small house to size up my solar to supliment my radiant. If so, should i now excavate some gravel, say one foot and place foam and sand and a pex "shunt" to have a hi mass storage under the slab. I dont have much room for a large water tank and thought that a 14' by 24' by 12" bed of sand might help. I know it is much smaller than typical but i cannot undermine my superior walls by making it any larger. I have learned so much from this forum over the past year or so and i am open to all sugestions. I have read "radiant Floor Heating" By Dodge Woodson which was somewhat helpful and "Solar Water Heating" by Bob Ramlow from MOTHER EARTH NEWS that help a ton. My peoject is near Charlotte NC. Joe lstiburek"s SIP book lists Charlotte as 3341 heating degree days and 1582 cooling. house will also have heat pump. Thanks ahead of time for any advice or help. Michael
|