Photo by Briar Wu
AIRFLOOR is a hybrid radiant/forced air system that leverages the advantages of a forced air system; rapid response times, and provides both heating and cooling yet delivers the thermal comfort and efficiency advantages of a radiant system. In lieu of using heated water lines like a traditional radiant floor system, AIRFLOOR uses conditioned air from conventional mechanical equipment.
Simple sheet metal stamped bowls resembling mini-igloos, 12 inches square with openings on each side are hooked together over the entire subfloor of a home, and then covered with a thin layer of light weight self-leveling concrete. This creates a hollow concrete floor providing both radiant and forced air heating and cooling, with the ability to locate registers anywhere in the floor without conflict or coordination. Although the concrete floor is pressurized with air, the entire floor acts like a giant duct, so air is delivered to the registers at a low velocity. The noise of blowing air is almost eliminated entirely.
Photo via www.airfloor.com
Some of the major advantages of AIRFLOOR include:
- Minimizes floor assembly and thickness
- Can be used with any finished floor material (wood, carpet, stone, etc…)
- No need to coordinate duct runs with other systems like structure, lighting and plumbing
- Cost effective
- Any type of in-wall, floor or ceiling register can be used
- Registers can be placed anywhere within AIRFLOOR
- The system is easily zoned
- Similar response times to a traditional forced air system while also providing radiant properties
- An almost silent, and a low velocity system
Photo by Briar Wu
Here is a video explaining how Airfloor gets put to use in a house, courtesy of Greg French: