Airborne dust with floor heating vs classic radiator heating

[vmr]

Hi,

This is my first post in the forum so first of all I'd like to say hi for everyone.

I'm planning to build a new shop, and I'm trying to figure out the best heating option for it. The building (codename Garage) will be built from scratch and I can affect the design to best fit a larger woodworking area and small metalworking shop. As one of the numerous design decisions I need to select the most suitable heating for it.

By default, I have considered a water circulated floor heating (where pipes are cast inside floating concrete top screed) as best option as it has the benefit of not taking any space from wall areas, nor requiring to leave air circulation space between the wall and worktop areas for instance and distributing the heat evenly. (picture the classic example of cooler/warmer air circulating through radiators and room versus one big slab providing even heat distribution from floor up)

Now, I wonder if the latter attribute can be more problematic in a woodworking shop where generally there is a lot of fine dust settling down on the floor, which will be further stirred up by the foot traffic. One would imagine that floor heating would cause more of the fine dust to get airborne compared to the classic radiator solution.

This is the theoretical side of things but I'm not sure how much of practical difference exists. I would like to hear if anyone has any practical experience working in a floor heated shop and if there has been any practical difference compared to a "cold floor" shop?

Regards,

Veli-Matti

[rmac]

One would imagine that floor heating would cause more of the fine dust to get airborne compared to the classic radiator solution.

This one (a.k.a. I) would imagine that there is absolutely no difference with respect to stirring up dust. Your energy would be better spent thinking about collecting the dust at the source rather than trying to get it to stay in place once it's fallen on the floor.

This is even more true if you're thinking about having your woodworking equipment and your metalworking tools in the same space. Fine dust mixed with the oil that naturally covers a properly maintained lathe or milling machine will create an icky, sticky mess that you won't want to deal with. If you can, put your metalworking equipment in a separate room.

-- Russ

PS: "Garage" is a poor code name for your new building. The word brings to mind images of vehicles being stored indoors, competing with tools for valuable space. This idea is best suppressed from the outset.

[jsiard]

Welcome,

I have radiant floor heat in my shop and I love it, there is a gentile continuous heat like other radiant heat systems without the obstructions. No spikes in heat and/or flying dust like forced hot air systems. As previously stated good collection at the source is paramount in any case, I lack an air cleaner so post sanding operations require me to let the dust settle for a few hours before I can do a final cleaning prior to finishing. I plan on investing in a dust extractor and air cleaner in the next few months to solve that issue.

Good luck!

[vmr]

thanks for replies.

codename Garage is for the better half, to find the utility aspect to justify the whole building. Plan is that cars would be parked outside, in carport in front part of the building more of a one man's Leisure Centre, with woodworking area and separate smaller room for metalworking/fireworking area. Welding, forge and other spark-inducing stuff needs obviously a separate room for that.

yes, obviously a good dust collection system is imperative. I plan to have a Bill Pentz style cyclone with a 1-micron air filter and 120mm ducting to do the main dust extraction but there are number of tools that you can't avoid making a mess with which you need to broom (or vacuum) away afterwards. Take angle grinder with a rasp disc as an example and try to catch that mess with any dust collector system.

Just thinking that the floor heating could end up sending a lot more of the fine dust right off back in the air carried by some microscopic thermals rising from the relatively warm floor instead of settling down on a cool floor. Maybe it sounds nit-grit (or plain nonsense) but I guess any sailplane or glider pilot can understand my trail of thought!

Rgds,

v-m

[Vic]

Don't worry about the dust rising with the warm air. Yes, warm air rises, but in a room that will have a small convection flow due a small delta of heat from the floor to the ceiling resulting from stack effect, the force will not be strong enough to also carry dust with it. Another thing to think about is if you plan on keeping the room at a specific temperature range. If you plan to let the room cool, a hydronic system will have a very slow recovery rate compare to something like a ductless heat pump or a traditional ducted system and will ultimately cost more in energy.

[vmr]

I presume you're right, the effect is probably negligible so I conclude to go ahead with floor heating as originally planned. The building will be rather stable temperature-wise, It'll be supplied by combined heat source (air to water heat pump, wood stove, solar collectors all connected to a >500 litre accumulator tank) instead of occasional heating only.

Rgds,

v-m

[Vic]

Sounds like you already have all the components for the heating system? I'd love to see photos of the system as you get them put together. Is your solar system flat plate or vacuum tube?