Radiant Heat Manifold and Remodel
My remodel requires me to move the radiant heat manifold from one area to another area about 4 feet away. I was talking to the contractor about this, and he suggested to just collapse the manifold into the floor since we have all the settings on the manifold wide open anyways.
It certainly seems like an easier thing to do instead of moving it 4 feet to area. But I don't know if it affects the operation of the radiant heat system.
Does the manifold provide directional flow?
It seems logical to me, but I wanted to find out if anyone knows if this can/should be done.
The manifold picture is located here
http://www.yurtle.com/remodel/Week%2012%20-%20Dec%2010,%202007/slides/DS...
Thanks
- Jimmy
Would you mind explaining exactly what the situation is that requires you to move the manifold? There may be a design aspect that has been overlooked, which would enable you to do what you need with little modifications.
You might want to check with a radiant expert, but I think you may need access to the manifolds to bleed the system after it's had air in it (after a boiler repair or a tube repair for instance). After a non-radiant savvy contractor cut a tube and repaired it in our floor without bleeding the system, our radiant didn't work at all until the radiant guy came and got the air out of the system for which, if I remember correctly, he needed to access the manifolds.
Our house has 3 radiant manifolds and I have no idea whether the three systems connect, in which case you might be able to bleed the system from any manifold, or if they are separate, in which case you really do need access to each manifold.
The remodel which was done to our house (before we moved in, I promise) put a corridor through the closet where the radiant manifold was located. To accommodate the manifold the corridor steps up about 6" over the manifold for about 4 feet and then steps down again. This apparently pointless "hump" has mystified visitors for years. (we tell them that's where the bodies are buried.)
-ajm
We ended up moving it. After the concrete was opened up, it didn't look to difficult to move it a few feet.
Here are a couple of pictures
http://www.yurtle.com/remodel/Week%2016%20-%20Jan%207th,%202008/index.html
Could I request you to re-post those pictures? They could be enormously valuable in guiding other Eichler owners who are puzzling over their radiant heat manifolds. Many thanks.
