Geothermal Heating System – In Slab Heating and Cooling

A Geothermal heating system using inslab piping is a very popular geothermal heating combination if a new building design or construction is at hand. Geothermal heating can be utilised with a screed in existing buildings. Retrofit inslab heating can become invasive due to the slight rise in floor height and the impact this has on fixtures and fittings.

Geothermal Heating Inslab – how it works

Inslab geothermal heating systems operate by circulating warm water through specialised piping in the slab to distribute the heat.

Installation is very simple and takes place as soon as the reinforcing mesh is down (usually the day before the concrete pour). It is versatile because it doesn’t interfere with furnishings and fixtures. In addition, it offers a quiet system that is unobtrusive. There are a large number of buildings with this type of floor construction. It includes a significant percentage both commercial buildings and residences.

Heat loss from the edge and underside of a heated slab on grade can be substantial, especially in areas with high water tables or where the slab rests on ground. Edge and under slab insulation are essential in reducing these losses and must be taken into consideration by the building designer or renovator.

Not only are geothermal heating systems used in concrete slab construction but also geothermal cooling is being introduced to concrete ceilings in multi-level commercial buildings. There are some additional controls required to reduce the risk of condensation inside. Where the climate is not conducive to inslab cooling we can put the geothermal heating in the slab and use an air handling unit for the cooling.

Geothermal heating advantages

The advantages of using a geothermal heating system include:

Please visit our other pages showing other indoor heat transfer options or contact us using our online enquiry page . Please also use our geothermal size calculator if you’d like an investment estimate.