Radiant heat--stranded wire grid sandwich between two layers drywall

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Truefire

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Chris
Attempting to ascertain what the name of the heating system is called (or was called) which is found in the early 70 homes and perhaps late 60 homes, whereby a wire grid is created between two layers of sheetrock on the ceiling? The system consisted of #12AWG stranded wires which received applied voltage. The first layer of sheetrock is fastened to the ceiling joists. Then followed by a grid of insulated, stranded wires which are then fastened creating a grid of the sorts. Then the second layer of sheetrock is fastened, sandwiching said grid in between the two layers. A resistance heating grid which created radiant heat. That's about all I know about the system.

I do know that it was a highly faved heating system by many of the yesteryear.

Anyone know more about this heating system? What was the applied voltage(s) and what about the other types of components used for the system? What year was the system birthed and when was it phased out?
 

Henry W

Henry
Corporate Member
We have such a system installed in our 1965 home. We have not used it, ever. The former (original) owner had a forced air gas heat furnace and AC installed, likely in the mid to late 80's

I just call it electrical strip heat. Ours is 220V, can't tell you the amperage.

Henry
 

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Dennis
Staff member
Corporate Member
I believe the system was generically called ceiling cable heat. Not very efficient compared to today's high SEER heat pumps, but in the day when A/C was a luxury and all you needed in the summertime was an attic fan, it worked quite well. The wire used was akin to nichrome wire used in stove elements, toasters, and strip heat coils.
 

pcooper

Phillip Cooper
Corporate Member
My home came equipped with such a heating system, fortunately the previous owner disconnected it all and put in a 'normal' system. It also has a ceiling exhaust fan in the hallway for those hot summer days. After reading some of the information provided by Joe, I wonder how it ever worked as designed as my house had literally no insulation to speak of. It has a lot more now. There are other things I need to do to make it more efficient. Another house built about the same time as mine burned to the ground because someone was still using the ceiling heat. I pulled the wire from that system so it can't accidentally be activated, just don't trust it.
 

Jeff

New User
Jeff
Ceiling radiant heat was used in the 1960s but it wasn't very efficient electricity or heating wise. You may have a warm head while standing in a room but your feet could be chilly while your e-meter spins off of the wall outside! :eek:

I don't think that they were a fire hazard inherently, but the method certainly had its pros and cons.

http://www.eweb.org/saveenergy/home/ceilingheat

http://tomstek.us/electric-cable-ceiling-heat-pros-cons/

Here's some 21st century technology available today for ceiling or floor radiant heat.

http://www.calorique.com/pro-series-heating/ceiling-heat-2/?gclid=CIb2tObF8dECFUU9gQodRqcAFA
 

Truefire

New User
Chris
Cool, so it seems like it was definitely a system used quite a bit during the 60s leading right up into mid 70s. That was the detail I was looking for. Perhaps I should have added more information to the mix but didn't think it was necessary.

My reason for asking was to gain the years the system was used. I've run into some instances in some of the older homes, when installing recessed can lighting for clients, where I've cut many of those cables with my 'can lighting holesaw'. It's a nuisance because it ends up disrupting the overall professionalism of the installation by disrupting the cleanliness of the hole when the holesaw strikes one of those hidden wires sandwiched between the layers. What's even more frustrating is some of the homes have it and some do not.

Thus, I was trying to determine when the system was used the most. Thanks for all the input.
 

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Dennis
Staff member
Corporate Member
My dad and his brother were residential builders in the late 50s & 60s. Some of the first 'all electric' homes that were certified with the 'Gold Medallion' in CLT were built by them. It was a promotion by DPCo to compete with oil and gas furnaces at the time. I don't remember them doing it much past the mid 60s, so I would say the practice dates from about 1956 tp 1966 at the latest. Things change slowly in the building industry. You have to remember that this was about the time drywall became the norm instead of plaster, although I do remember them doing ceiling cable heat on some plastered homes.
 
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