Why You Don't Need Hydronic Heating for a Warm Slab
Who needs hydronic heating in a slab when you can just insulate it correctly? It might sound like we're being cheeky, but when it comes to creating a truly comfortable and energy-efficient home, the ground is the first thing we should think about. While most people focus on insulating walls and roofs for a home's thermal performance, the slab is a critical, often-overlooked surface you have direct, continual contact with every day. An uninsulated slab allows the cold ground temperatures to radiate directly into your living space, making your floors feel cold and creating a constant source of discomfort. You're essentially living on a massive thermal bridge, constantly losing heat to the earth beneath your feet. This isn't just about high energy bills; it's about making your home genuinely comfortable by ensuring the very surface you walk on remains warm and inviting, regardless of the season.
Hydronic Heating: A Band-Aid Solution
The reality is that many people install hydronic heating in their slab to combat this issue. It seems like a logical choice—add heat, problem solved. But this approach is like trying to fill a leaky bucket with a firehose. A significant amount of that expensive energy just goes into the ground instead of into your home. A properly insulated slab, on the other hand, acts like a thermal battery. Once it's warmed up by passive solar gains from the sun, it will hold that heat and slowly release it, keeping your floors comfortable for much longer.
The fact is, as much as 80% of the total slab heat loss occurs at the perimeter and edges, not through the centre. This is because the edges are directly exposed to the cooler ground and outdoor air, creating a significant thermal bridge where heat can easily escape. This is why insulating the slab edges is so highly effective.
A New Way to Insulate Your Slab
We've faced this challenge on countless projects, and the solution to insulating the vertical face has been a tricky one. We've tried everything from cladding over XPS foam to creating custom flashings to cover the ugly blue insulation. We knew there had to be a better way that was both high-performing and aesthetically pleasing.
Our solution was to merge the idea of insulating the slab edge with a blockwork external wall, similar to how we construct a subfloor. This method allows us to completely break the thermal bridge while creating a durable and visually appealing exterior finish.
But what about movement? We can't forget that concrete moves. To allow the slab to move independently of the insulation, we added a compressive foam between the slab and the insulation. We also strategically placed saw cuts to create control joints, giving the slab the best chance of a long and healthy life! This meticulous attention to detail is what sets us apart and allows us to build homes that are truly healthier, optimised, and more comfortable. We build homes that just feel better. Our team is a leader in this space, building high performance homes Melbourne and is a Certified Passive House builder Melbourne. We have been involved in many Passive House projects Melbourne and have a deep understanding of what is needed in Melbourne Passive House construction and creating low energy homes Melbourne that are also healthy homes Melbourne and have been described as some of the most comfortable in the country. Our focus on these details is what makes us true Passive House specialists Melbourne. We know that a Passive Home builder Melbourne needs to think outside the box to deliver a truly high-performing home that just feels better.