Project Highlights
- Building developer The Gallina Companies insisted on Uponor radiant floor heating for their two new apartment buildings in Sun Prairie, Wis.
- Craig Enzenroth, vice president of C.G. Gallina Corp., wanted radiant because it was by far the most economical and cost-effective heating system available
- Radiant delivered on comfort and efficiency, saving Gallina more than $10,000 annually on heating costs
Background
Building developer The Gallina Companies insisted on radiant heat for their two new apartment buildings in Sun Prairie, Wis. According to Craig Enzenroth, vice president of C.G. Gallina Corp., radiant heating systems were much easier and quicker to install, and required less maintenance after the installation was complete.
Once the decision was made to go with radiant, the next question was, “Who do we go with?” After consulting with the heating subcontractor, Capitol Mechanical, Enzenroth was convinced to go with Uponor.
“Capitol Mechanical had positive experiences with Uponor and recommended them highly,” says Enzenroth. According to Jamie Wagner, project manager at Capitol Mechanical, radiant floor heating is their preferred method of installation.
“We prefer to install radiant floor heating over baseboard or other types of heat,” says Wagner. “Baseboard systems tend to get beat up by the carpet layers when the carpet is installed.”
Once installation was complete and the residents were moved in, the radiant floor heating was put to the test.
“The residents really like the heat source,” says Enzenroth. “When their feet are warm, they feel warm all over.”
Enzenroth was also very pleased with the reliability and consistency of the Uponor system, stating they have had no call backs regarding the tubing or the installation. But, the greatest benefit Enzenroth has experienced is the energy savings.
“With a traditional forced-air heating system, the energy cost is typically around $40 to 50 per unit,” he says. “But with the radiant system, we are only spending approximately $11 on heating per unit.”
With each building housing 30 units, ranging in size from 580 to 1146 square feet, the cost savings for just one of the buildings adds up to over $10,000 per year.
Capitol Mechanical installed Uponor radiant floor heating in 291 units.
Benefits
Efficient
With a traditional forced-air heating system, the energy cost for Gallina was typically $40 to $50 per unit. With radiant, the cost plummeted to $11 per unit, which in turn saved the company more than $10,000 annually per building.
Comfortable
Durable
Convenient
Project Data
Size of Structure:
28,000 square feet (total)
Type of Construction:
Wood frame
Installation Method:
Lightweight concrete over pour
Tubing Type:
1/2" hePEX™ plus
Number of Loops per Unit:
2 loops at 300 feet each
Tubing Spacing:
12" on center
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