Installing In Floor Heating: Some Do’s and Dont’s

There’s nothing more luxurious than walking on heated tile. The chill of cold mornings can be swept away by the simple exercise of entering a bathroom, with a heated floor, to start your day. For those that have the pleasure of experiencing this marvel of indoor climate control, the idea of installing this into their homes can seem appealing. And the simple fact is, it really isn’t a difficult process. With this in mind, we should look at a few things to help you decide which direction might be best.

In floor heating can save a household quite a bit in heating costs. However, there is still a draw on power when it comes to wiring. In looking at floor heating mats, they can differ in voltage from mat to mat. For example, if you are planning to put this heating system in a bathroom, remember that you may be sharing a circuit with other devices, such as a 2000 watt hair dryer. If you plan on sharing a circuit, you may want to go with a lower voltage. Or if you want a mat with more power, you might consider installing a dedicated circuit with it’s own wiring and circuit breaker.

Installing floor heating systems can kill two birds with one stone. Have you always wanted to replace the tile in your bathroom or kitchen? Or have you ever desired to transform the entryway of your home? When installing the heating system, you will have to replace your flooring anyway, so why not go with the floor you’ve always wanted? This is one of those home improvement projects that can eliminate multiple problems in one action.

Floor heating mats can come in standard room dimensions. It’s easy to deal with if you have a 12 by 10 room. However, some rooms you may want to heat might have to be custom ordered. A good rule in ordering is to consider that the mats must remain at least four inches away from walls, tubs, toilets, and showers. In addition, remember that the heating cable will need to be kept two inches away from each other without overlapping. These dimension should allow easy distribution of weight throughout the floor itself. With that being said, if you do leave a section of flooring in the room without heating cable, you will be able to tell. So if you plan on only heating a small section of a room, maybe floor heating might not be the direction you want to go.

Remember that these are only a few suggestions. Be sure to do a thorough amount of research before starting this project. The more you know, the better your floors will be.

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The information within has been brought to you by EZ Floor Heat, providers of floor heating systems and other climate control devices. Be sure to click on the hyperlink to see what we can offer for your home.