How Floor Heat Can Actually Heat Those Hard-to-Heat Rooms

August 9th, 2010

Some rooms are just harder to heat than others. You’ve probably noticed that while some rooms – such as your kitchen – remain toasty, others always seem chilly. Believe it or not, this is not just naturally supposed to happen. It happens because specific rooms have certain challenges which can make them hard to heat. Luckily, in most cases, electric floor heat can help:

1) Basements. Basements are hard to heat because in most cases they are created from concrete slabs placed right on the cold ground. They often have less insulation than the rest of the home and the fact that they are underground does not help. Installing electric warm floors under the basement flooring can help by turning your entire basement floor into a surface area. An electric floor heating system can also help combat the dampness that is an issue with many basements.

2) Sunrooms. Sunrooms are hard to heat because they consist largely of windows and when it gets cold outside, the window surfaces get cold, too, creating a coolness in the room. Electric radiant floor heat can help by transforming the floor into a warm surface and by radiating heat to you and to the other objects in your sunroom, making you feel warmer, even if the air temperature remains the same.

3) Rooms with large windows. The problem with large windows is the same problem you get with a sunroom – lots of window surfaces means lots of cold surfaces when the temperatures dip. For the same reasons that energy efficient floor heating systems work in sunrooms, floor heat also works in rooms with large windows.

4) Bathrooms. Ouch – those cold floors in the bathroom are a harsh dose of reality on a chilly morning. Most bathrooms are tiled with ceramics or other surfaces that are easy to clean but which tend to trap the cold. Floor heating is a great solution for the bathroom because you can turn on your heating first thing in the morning, before entering your bathroom. This means that you can avoid cold bathroom floors forever.

5) Large rooms. Large rooms are hard to heat with traditional methods because most traditional methods use one small device. A radiator, baseboard heater, floor heating mats or vent just cannot compete with the size of a larger room. However, a floor heating system works beautifully with any type of room because it is placed under the entire floor surface, ensuring that no cold spots appear. Floor heating systems, by their very design, are created to be customized for every room. There is no room too big or too small for a heated floor.

6) Drafty rooms and rooms with cold spots. Cold spots and drafts are created by uneven heating systems or systems that push hot air upwards, creating cold spaces near the floor. Heated floors, on the other hand, provide an even heat and therefore ensure that your entire home stays warm and toasty.

SunTouch UnderFloor Heat Mats

July 1st, 2009

SunTouch UnderFloor is a safe and efficient radiant electric floor heating system retrofitting an existing cold floor with heat without disturbing the existing floor covering. UnderFloor is for interior applications only and is intended only for installation under an existing wood subfloor (accessed from underneath via crawl space, basement, or garage ceiling) in residential and light commercial installations. Insulation is ESSENTIAL after mats are installed into joist spaces. We recommend SunTouch UnderFloor Mats be installed in all areas where floor warming is desired; the floor is only warm directly over an installed mat. If UnderFloor is being installed to heat the space, first perform a heat loss calculation to determine the amount of BTUs required to heat the space.


Details for this size:
  • 16″ wide for use with 16″ OC joists = 14-1/2″ space between joist sides
  • 4 feet Long
  • 120 VAC
  • Amps = 0.4
  • Dual Wire Heating element made of Oxygen free copper, Individually insulated and grounded end-to-end
  • UL Listed for safety with Zero EMF
  • 34 BTUs/SF/Hr = 10 Watts per Sq Ft
  • 10 Foot Armored & Fully Grounded 3-wire power lead color coded to NEC specs

The Suntouch floor heat mats are unique design is composed of a proprietary dual element heating cable, a foil radiator surface and an armored power lead for connection to the Thermostat Control. Refer to the Installation Manual for helpful design guidelines.

Floor Heating Insulation – An Eco-Friendly Idea

April 30th, 2009

Energy conservation is in the forefront of the news and a concern of most concerned citizens looking for eco-friendly ways to reduce energy consumption. The Earth has only a finite amount of nonrenewable energy, thus it is imperative that we conserve energy in every way available so that our natural resources are not wasted and are still around for future generations. Even the simplest can conserve energy in your home.

When constructing a new home or remodeling existing flooring, you should consider installing underfloor heating insulation. Make your home a greener, more earth friendly home by installing floor heating insulation to save energy.

Installing floor heating insulation below your heated floor system prevents the heat from escaping below the flooring and, instead, permits the heat to radiate the room by reflecting the heat back into the room. Because heat is attracted to cold, unwanted heat loss will happen through the sub-floor. Underfloor heating insulation reduces energy by reducing heat loss, acting as a thermal barrier that is very efficient in containing heat inside a room. Underfloor heating insulation improves the efficiency of your floor heating system by aiding it to warm up quicker and by reducing heat loss. This in turn allows the highest advantages of your under floor heating system, a reduction in your heating bills and a comfortable, cozy room to enjoy all through the winter.

Using floor heating insulation allays floor surfaces from loosing heat to the cold surfaces below. Installing good underfloor heating insulation below your heated floors will prevent the transfer of heat from the floor heating elements to the subfloor beneath. Employing the application of underfloor insulation decreases the time it takes for the floor heating system to heat the floor and room thereby saving energy and heating costs.

During new construction it is uncomplicated to add in and install thicker underfloor heating insulation. However, when altering flooring with a floor heating system, you can still install floor heating insulation as it is manufactured in different thicknesses and from an assortment of different materials. One material used in the manufacturing of underfloor heating insulation is cork. Cork is an earth friendly, renewable resource that functions quite good when used for insulation.

This is not an item to be overlooked when building new or remodeling. Floor heating insulation may seem like a pricey addition, but the money and energy you save over time more than pays for the installation and material expenses. The money you save and the benefits to the environment by reducing energy consumption are two vital facts that make using floor heating insulation a thumbs-up proposition.

Underfloor heating insulation insures greater energy efficiency, deters heat loss and makes a home more inhabitable in the cold of winter. Not only will your home be warm and cozy, but also your heating costs will be considerably reduced. Floor heating insulation is a fantastic way of participating in a greener lifestyle by providing energy efficiency and energy conservation.

Radiant Heating Afforability

April 23rd, 2009

The days of walking into a kitchen or bathroom in bare feet and freezing in the act is over thanks to tube, cable and mat floor heating type. New homes and reworked homes are using floor heating type to cut the cold and make any tile or stone floor comfortably warm to walk on. The mat floor and the wire or cable type are both non hazardous and can be implemented by the homeowner, but most people resort to the professional to get a floor heating method built. A pro job will cost more to incorporate. The tube or cable method does cost more to incorporate, but it can cover more space especially in confined space. The mat method is convenient to install, a 35 sq. ft area costs around five hundred and twenty five dollars not including work, but is most ofthe time used for larger spaces. Once incorporated the monthly floor heating cost is the same for each.

There are companies that can assist the do it yourselfer develop a radiant floor heating method. They supply all the information in an build out video, as well as a radiant floor build out manual. These companies advertise a complete package that part of mounting hardware, plumbing and electrical plans and thermostats and tubing. The homeowner gives the labor, which is usually a two person project but may require a third person for a few hours. These radiant floor heating packages are backed for thirty years. The only upkeep related with a radiant floor heating system would be electrical problems or if the wires breaks, which can be repaired quickly if the package details are followed correctly.

Radiant floor heating cost is not universal but the tube or the cable method including all the necessary equipment and thermostats is anywhere from $2 a square foot to fifteen dollars a square foot and that may not include work. The radiant floor heating cost is based on on the type of heating method incorporated; there are two types, electric radiant or hydronic radiant. The fluid or liquid radiant heated floor cost may be expensive because of the work involved. The mat method heated floor cost most of the time is the most economical and the hydronic system can be the most expensive, because of the work situation. All of these radiant type complete the work, but floor heating cost does vary figured on the size of the home and where the method will be incorporated in the home.

The important question with existing homes is how much extra money it will take to remove the existing floor and install the tubing or the mat system. A hydronic flooring method can be constructed above the subfloor, so there is no need to go below the subfloor unless a PEX tubing system is used, which is bonded to the subfloor or the tubing is hanging from the subfloor. The below floor system needs to be at a higher increased temperature to equal the ability of an above floor method. Decisions like these do make a difference in the complete floor heating cost, so it is a smart idea to do all the studying before the job is started.

Radiant Heating Combined with Ceramic Tile

April 21st, 2009

Ceramic tile is one of the best materials you can utilize for layering the floors in your home. As it is available in an vast selection of colors, cuts and designs, ceramic tile is extremely versatile and can be used to harmonize any style of decor. It can really add an addtional dimension to the general look and feel of your home; it is clear that ceramic tile is becoming more and more popular with people seeking ways to personalize their interior design.

One of the few beefs homeowners ever seem to have in regards to ceramic tile has little to do with its appearance, and everything to do with how it feels. The dilema with it is that it can be very cold. Socks can be nice ways to stay cozy on cold winter mornings, but you may not constantly want to have to put them on. When you are lounging around your home, being able to walk around it without worrying about your feet turning into blocks of ice is important.

A lot of people reasonably do not want to conceal the gorgeous ceramic tile in their bathroom or kitchen; after all, the whole point of this material is supplementing quality to the decor of your home. Luckily, there is a very practical and pleasing solution: ceramic tile heating. Underfloor heating solutions are surprisingly inexpensive and efficient, facilitating you to benefit from the splendor of your ceramic tile without having to survive with the unpleasantness of cold feet.

When the floors in your home are heated, you can save quite a bit on your energy bills. This is because when our feet become cold, we have a tendency to increase the thermostat. This makes our furnace to work longer and harder, consuming quite a bit of expensive energy. The most proactive way to warm the floors in your home and waste less energy at the same time is radiant heating. Employing radiant heating for your underfloor heating needs is considered by many professionals to be the best way to go. Radiant heating is very unobtrusive, and usually works through hot water tubes or heated wiring. When you put this type of heating system to operate beneath your ceramic tile, you can happily avoid any annoying noises as it is put to work.

Additionally, if you or somebody in your family suffers from allergies, radiant ceramic tile heating is a great way to go. As it does not employ forcing air through the house and its vents and ducts, radiant heating does not aggravate the many air contaminant which can bring about allergies and other breathing ailments to flare up. While enjoying warm feet and head to toe pleasant sensations, your familys general health is also reaping the advantages of radiant heating.

Ceramic tile is not only nice to look at, but when joined with radiant floor heating it can really amp up the overall feeling of your home. Considering its pros to the health of your family, there truly are not many other equivalent choices out there for vibrant flooring and heating in your home. Take a look at ceramic tile and radiant heating today and begin feeling the differe nce tomorrow.

Isolated Areas To Consider Installing Floor Heating

April 16th, 2009

Anyone who has experienced a home with electric floor heating is well aware that it adds an amazing boost to the overall comfort and coziness of that home. Most people choose not to go the entire way and heat the entire floor of the house and look for the absolute top areas for heated floors. Read on to discover the best 3 areas of the home that are musts for heated floors.

1) Bathrooms This one is almost a no brainer. Anyone who has stepped into a cold bathroom early in the morning can see the logic of this one. Walking out of a nice, warm bath onto an icy floor knows that this experience can be every bit as as shocking. Because bathroom floors are rarely carpet, this is also a room that gets the most benefit from electric floor heat. Getting the day off to a good start is crucial and freezing your toes after a bath is never the best way to do so.

2) Kitchens/Dining rooms This is a room that you can guarantee each member of the family will enjoy a warm, comfortable floor. Next to the quality of the meal, the most important factor for enjoying a meal is your personal comfort level. For families, this means happier, more appreciated meals that are a pleasure instead of an obligation. Homeowners who have heated floors installed in the kitchen/dining room area often notice an immediate upturn in everyone`s state of mind during meals. This positive state of mind means everyone can enjoy both the meal and the presence of family members who love them.

3) Bedrooms with hardwood floors Hardwood flooring is beautiful. They are also simple to maintain and proof against things like spills and dirt. For a bedroom however, hardwood floors do have one huge disadvantage they tend to be a somewhat cooler than the room temperature. On a balmy summer afternoon this can be good. On a nippy winter day, it can be enough to make one dread the moment when you step out of bed.

Before heated floors, the only work around to this dilemma was to cover that beautiful, low maintenance flooring with rugs (defeating the purpose of having hardwood flooring in the first place). Of all the rooms in a house, the bedroom is the one that above all should be warm and comfy. The bedroom is your haven from all of life`s issues. It is also the one room in any house that people are sure to be walking around bare footed. We all know that your house is more than just a structure. It`s a home that assures our primal selves that we are safe and comfy. It is a place where we can relax and ignore the outside world. Installing heated floors in bedrooms, bathrooms, and kitchen/dining areas is a great way to set this tone for the entire home.

Possible to Install Radiant Heating System Outdoors?

April 15th, 2009

Is it possible to install a radiant heating system outdoors? The answer is yes! Installing radiant heating systems outdoors is not only possible but it is becoming quite trendy. In truth, in colder districts, the installation of radiant heating systems on walkways, driveways and patios are a big convenience.

Exterior radiant heating systems are being utilized for heated driveways, exterior pathways and steps. In wintry temperatures where you can find ice and snow, a radiant heating system is a great alternative to scooping snow, chipping ice, or spreading salt or chemicals to thaw out ice and snow. Radiant heated pathways provide a walkway that is safer. The hazard of slipping and falling at home, offices and public walkways, is more likely when the pathway is covered in ice or snow. The ability to promptly melt the ice or snow lessens risks of injury to pedestrians. A heated driveway installed with a radiant heating system is a huge convenience over shoveling snow, in the freezing cold, for hours.

Households have been enhanced with radiant floor heating for years. People have come to adore the warmth and comfort that radiant floor heating provides. Now, the concept of bringing radiant heating to driveways and walkways has become a well liked installation for many homeowners, professional offices and public places. The advantages of safety and convenience are clear to see.

Homes with patios are taking advantage of radiant heating also. Having a patio heater allows homeowners to treasure the advantages of their patio year round. By installing a patio heater, the radiant heating system makes a patio a cozy environment to enjoy the outdoors in winter. Barbecues are no longer a summer exclusive occasion.

Obviously, the most convenient opportunity to install a radiant heating system is during new construction. However, a certified installer can retro fit the system to existing homes, driveways and walkways. The advantages of convenience and safety far outweigh the cost of installation.

The question is no longer “can you install a radiant heating system outdoors” but actually, “why haven`t you installed an outdoor radiant heating system yet?” It makes common sense benefit from this technology and utilize it for your outdoor living spaces, walkways and driveways. If you live in a region where there is snow or ice, you know the feeling of slipping on ice, shoveling snow, and not being able to enjoy your outdoor areas.

Bear in mind, the salt and chemicals you would normally use to melt the ice and snow. They are not only costly but bulky to haul from the store to home, and outside again when you need to use them. Also, it is important to note, when the salt and chemicals are tracked back into your home it just ruins your floors or carpeting eventually. If you have small children or pets, the salt and chemical packages usually have a warning: keep out of reach of children and pets! Do you want your children and pets exposed to something that could poison them or make them ill? Radiant heating is the answer to these concerns.

There are enormous advantages and benefits of installing outdoor radiant heating to walkways, driveways, and patios. If you have the chance to implement or convert to radiant floor heating, a heated driveway or walkway, or a patio heater, you should seize the opportunity. You and your loved ones will be grateful for years to come.

What Is An Electric Heat Mat And How Does It Melt Snow?

April 14th, 2009

As with any important choice, those considering installing floor heating have many questions. One of these questions is: What is an electric heat mat and how does it melt snow? Essentially, an electric floor mat is a heating element that can be placed under your flooring (tile, hardwood, linoleum, etc…). A convenient way of looking at it is an electric floor mat is that it is an electric blanket under the flooring. As for how it melts snow, the answer requires two parts: How an electric floor mat works, and why it melts snow effectively. 1) How does an electric floor mat work? All electric heating devices work on the same principle; resistance. All conductive substances have a certain level of electrical resistance. This electrical resistance causes friction as the electricity passes through the substance. This is why most electric wires are made of copper instead of aluminum, a less expensive and lighter material. Copper has less electrical resistance and allows the electricity to flow freely making it a more logical choice. Taking advantage of electrical resistance, we have learned to use different materials to take advantage of the friction caused when electrons flow through them. The result of this friction is heat. From your hair dryer to electric floor mats, this principle is at work in any electric heating device. 2) How does an electric heat mat melt snow? When snow falls on an unheated floor, a tiny quantity of the snow is liquified. This melting conducts heat from the flooring to the snow, resulting in a tiny quantity of water. The heat transfer additionally results in the floor covering being cooled. Rapidly, an equilibrium is achieved where the floor covering does not have sufficient heat to continue melting snow. Having heated floors changes this situation. With an active heating element under the your floor, as heat is transferred from flooring to snow and a small quantity of snow is liquified, but instead of reaching an equilibrium, heat is then transferred from the electric floor mat to the flooring causing the process to continue until the snow is totally melted. The result of this process is a continual melting of snow instead of a short process with a tiny quantity of melted snow. At this point, you may be wondering how this affects your life. Have you ever seen the condition of a carpet after someone walks through it with snow on his or her feet? Snow gathers dirt as someone ambles around. As the snow falls off someone`s feet, it eventually melts. Add snow melt (water) and dirt, and you have mud. An electric heat mat installed in entry areas can limit this melted snow to one easily cleaned part of the house, instead of allowing it get tracked all over the house. For anyone who live in a region where snow falls, an electric floor mat in entry areas is a smart idea.

Installing a Heated Driveway System

April 7th, 2009

Radiant heated driveway systems are admired in areas where snow is normal in the winter, and even the complete year. A radiant heated driveway is basically a driveway that eliminates the need to shovel. This makes your driveway considerably less hazardous in the winter, especially for those who need to go back and forth to work or go to school. Salts and chemicals are damaging to your lawn, and a radiant heated driveway can also eliminate the need to use those on your driveway. It is easy to mount a radiant heated driveway structure, any contractor or electrician can do so. Even persons familiar with specific tools can mount their own radiant driveway which will greatly help in ice melting and snow elimination. Radiant heated driveways can be mounted during new site erection, which is the absolute best time to mount one. Aside from that they can be mounted easily in rocks, gravel, or asphalt driveways. An installation licensed individual will usually mount an electronic cable that identifies inclement weather and heats up accordingly. While it is easy to mount, it is almost compulsory that you repave your driveway for proper care and placement. Randomly misplacing a cable can damage it and you risk losing a large amount of resources. The wire is then {{interconnected|connected|linked}}} to a detector that will be located inside or somewhere easily accessible. If you already have a paved driveway, then the easiest way to mount a radiant heated driveway is by cutting a gash in the asphalt. putting in a radiant heating system involves sizing your driveway, marking measurements, using a jackhammer to cut through the asphalt if required, installing, and then closing! A few simple tools are more than enough to cut the desired size needed, and anyone can perform it. There is really little else to do, besides figuring out the adequate placement and your precise needs. Most cables for radiant driveway heating are approximately 1 inch thick and an inch or less wide. Each cable varies depending on where you purchase it!

Keeping Warm In The Winter

April 3rd, 2009

Whether winter is just rolling around or you are in the thick of it and miserable under the covers, keeping your home comfortable is going to be on your mind. There are a lot of smart ways to do this. Most homeowners know the common ways of keeping the house cozy. Insulating the windows, weather stripping and space heaters are the most well known. Electric floor heat is the best way. Heated floors employ radiant heat. This is a heat source that emits warmth without the use of a fan to distribute it around. Because heat rises, floors in typically heated homes are cold and drafty. Homes with heated floors are heated from the ground up allowing the heat to rise quietly and fill the whole room. Utilizing heated floors is an practical way to heat your home for many reasons; most important of these is safety. Radiant heat supplied by baseboard or stand alone heaters makes very hot surfaces. Space heaters are even more hazardous because they can be easily knocked over. These methods of heating your home cause serious risk of injury to kids and pose a fire danger. Electric floor heat is created by employing a special thin mat under your flooring surface which then heats the floor itself. It presents no overheated surface nor is it anything that can be broken. It is safe. Electric floor heating is very suitable for your home. Since the heating element is housed within your floor there are no additional appliances to clutter up your floor space. Besides being invisible, there are no annoying fans to distract you during your free time or while you are trying to sleep. Radiant heat from electrically heated floors will not dry the air of your home like forced air heating systems will. This is a huge important bonus during the cold and flu season. Dry air in your living area can cause the lining of your sinuses to dry and become cracked. This will invite viruses to enter in and cause you to get sick time after time. Even setting the logistics aside, heated floors give you the luxury of even heat and make it nice to wake up in the morning. No more chilly spots in the room while your family is trying to enjoy the evening with a movie or dinner; no more freezing frozen cold feet in the morning or after a nice warm shower. You can enjoy your home in a t-shirt and bare feet even in the nastiest time of winter! Infloor radiant heat provided by heated floors is cost effective. Now, when homeowners are ever more anxious about the environment and hard economic times, heated floors will save you resources over other commonly used heating systems. They also use smaller amounts of energy than a lot of other heating systems. A Nuheat heated floor of 25 square feet only uses as much energy as three 100 watt light bulbs. Nuheat floors are also energy star rated just like many other in-home appliances. Once installed, you can forget about them. So easy. Looking at all the benefits of practicality, conservation and safety, there is not a better way to heat your home and keep your family warm and safe.