Should You Install a Heating Floor?
If an ice surface is in operation for more than 7 months of the year a heating floor is generally required. The purpose of the heating floor is to eliminate the buildup of an ice lens below the cooling floor, which can cause the floor to heave and buckle.
A high quality insulation must be installed beneath the cooling floor, which will minimize the amount of heat loss from the soil below. It is considered good practice to install a double layer of 2" high density Styrofoam as well as a vapour barrier beneath the cooling floor (Total of 4" of insulation). In most installations the insulation will slow the formation of ice but will not eliminate it unless you have approximately 11" of insulation. The cost of 11" of insulation is prohibitive so it is more practical to install a heating floor.
Even if you are not planning on operating your facility more than 7 months of the year, installing a heating floor in the beginning is prudent incase you change your mind later. The cost of heating floor is typically from 7% to 15% of the refrigeration installation.
The result of a heaved floor can have disastrous consequences. An ice rink operating year round at 150 F without a heating floor will attract moisture from great distances much as a cold window in a humid house will. This steady accumulation of moisture has the potential of forming an ice lens 22' thick below the ice surface.
The first obvious result of a heaved floor is an ice surface, which is out of level. There have been many ice surfaces over the years, which have been more than 10" out of level as a result of frost heaves. The only way to level the playing surface is with the application of more ice on the low spots. The result is an inconsistent surface temperature over the entire plane and an ice plant that is operating overtime to accommodate the thick spots.
Of greater consequence is the structural damage that takes place. The cement floor can buckle and crack as a result of the heaves. Doors and gates can become impossible to open and glass can fall out of their supports, causing bodily harm to the players and spectators. In some instances, the whole building can shift and sustain damage.
On many facilities with severe heaving problems the only recourse is to totally remove the damaged floor and excavate the frozen material. The costs can be tremendous. For this reason we always recommend a heating floor on all new installations.
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