High Thermal Mass Flooring

By adding foam and flooring you will block the sun from contacting the thermal mass.

High thermal mass flooring. To determine the best location for thermal mass you need to know if your greatest energy consumption is the result of summer cooling or winter heating. A dense and dark material would work better. Jami makes a good point passive solar and termal mass does not work if you don t get enough sun to actually get a heat gain. Thermal mass keeping your home comfortable.

The thickness of thermal mass walls is often estimated to 4 5 inches 10cm 13 cm. Objects that have thermal mass have inherent qualities for both heating and cooling. Lower thermal mass floors usually consist of only a few layers of a lighter or less dense material such as wood floors on beams and joists and are often found. Where to locate thermal mass.

What distinguishes thermal mass is its ability to store a lot of heat energy with only a modest changes in its own temperature. Thermal mass rules for floors and walls. See for more details. Thermal mass is a concept in building design that describes how the mass of the building provides inertia against internal temperature fluctuations.

In other words it has a high volumeteric heat capacity. Sunterra energyblock is high thermal mass building construction. A typical home built with concrete floors and energyblock exterior walls can store over 50 000 btu s of heat within just 1 fahrenheit interior temperature change. Thermal mass is another vital and complimentary component of passive solar design.

Polished concrete tile and stone floors typically have a very high thermal mass and are backed by a thick concrete slab which only adds to the ratio. Most of the heat energy in thermal mass floors and walls is stored in the first 15cm it doesn t get very far due to medium r values. Mass is the key to thermal mass. Suspended concrete upper floors in two storey construction may be used effectively as thermal mass.

Thermal mass floors can be slightly thicker but never more than 8 inches 20 cm. Locate thermal mass in areas that receive direct sunlight or radiant heat from heaters. For commercial buildings this thermal storage capacity is typically much greater. A material that has thermal mass is one that has the capacity to absorb store and release the sun s heat energy its density and levels of conductivity help to keep the internal temperature of a building stable.

Thermal mass walls and floor slab. This is typically achieved through its ability to absorb unwanted heat during the day and then release it at night with the help of ventilation from cool night air. High mass construction is typically not recommended in humid climates with a small diurnal range. High mass floors are very solid.