ᐅ Experiences with hydronic ceiling heating?

I am planning to convert a barn and want to heat the apartment (about 100 m² (1,076 sq ft)) using a hydronic ceiling heating system.
Does anyone have experience with ceiling heating?
My research mostly led to applications in industrial buildings, and there seems to be little experience with ceiling heating in private residential construction.
For energy generation, I plan to use an air-source heat pump.

Thanks in advance for sharing your experiences.

To my knowledge, the same physical laws apply for both private and commercial buildings. Since warm air rises in both cases, I am not so sure how effective a ceiling heating system is. Besides, there are probably reasons why few or no one uses this kind of system. What would be your reasons for installing a ceiling heating system?

Many office buildings are heated this way, although it is primarily a byproduct of the chilled ceiling system used in summer. The main operating principle is radiant heat. I have been working for 20 years in an office heated like this and have no negative experiences with ceiling heating.

A heat pump is suitable because the flow temperature should be low. As a rule of thumb, the flow temperature should not exceed body temperature; otherwise, it can make your head feel too warm. For example, there are suspended drywall ceiling systems that are activated for heating. Whether the heating capacity fits your building needs to be calculated. If you choose such a system, I would also consider the option of cooling in summer. You might possibly need a dew point sensor for safety.

In new buildings, this system is used less often because the screed needs to be installed anyway, which makes underfloor heating relatively easy to integrate.

Hello,

I have been a passive reader for a long time, but I can share my experiences with ceiling heating systems, so this is my first post.

We have been living for 3 years in a 40-year-old terraced house with a ceiling heating system. Ours is gas heated. The flow temperature is 35°C (95°F).
Advantages:
- Heat distribution: nicely even, similar to underfloor heating. Pleasant indoor climate. I once read that ceiling heating works well up to a room height of 3 meters (10 feet). In our case, with 2.5 meters (8 feet), it works very well.
- Choice of flooring is unrestricted
- Carpets, lots of furniture, etc. are not an issue. The ceiling is usually free.

Disadvantages:
- Installing lighting fixtures becomes a challenge. After extensive renovation, we still have not dared to drill holes. The temporary lights are still hanging :-( The cables are also hard to locate even when the heating is on full during winter. Infrared thermometers also do not provide enough certainty.
- Cold feet, similar to conventional radiators.

Conclusion:
When renovating without wanting to replace the screed, a ceiling heating system is definitely worth considering. However, the issue with lighting (and curtain rods, etc.) must be carefully planned from the start.

The very first result for "making ceiling heating visible":

Can I drill a hole (for a curtain rod or light fixture) into the ceiling without damaging the heating pipes of the ceiling heating system?
Yes, there are special thermal films that make the heating pipes embedded in the plaster visible. A digital locator device also works.

Daredevil attempts are fine and all, but I didn’t want to live forever with bare bulb fixtures either.

Our neighbors have been doing it for six years now... But perhaps that is one of the reasons why it has not been able to establish itself in the residential sector.