Floor Heating with Prodeso Membrane & Tile Flooring

Verify dimensions on plan match the location’s actual dimensions. Prepare the subfloor to be clean and free of debris. A subfloor is easy to clean when you have the right cleaning supplies.

Primarily, the objective is to clean the foundation’s surface of any and all contaminants.

If you're working with a plywood subfloor, consider prepping with a stain-resistant surface finish to improve durability.

An easier installation means planning out and pre-cutting the floor underlayment into ready-to-go pieces. Locate a pair of scissors or a box cutter and begin cutting along the channels created by the rounded square nodules.

Use a measuring device to confirm that the dimensions on the installation plan match the pre-cut membrane sheets just prior to installing. If dimensions of the project change at any point, just give us the new measurements and we will get a new plan to you, typically within 24 hours.

The next step is to mark where the membrane sheets are to be placed. Draw an outline of each section of underlayment with a writing utensil. If done correctly, the lines will be drawn where each piece converges. Make sure to reference the WarmlyYours installation plan, double checking that the placement is correct.

Coverage should shield the entire area intended to receive floor heating. Use cardboard as a footprint to represent permanent fixtures such as the toilet flange and cover them with a cardboard cutout that you can make in the field.

Start by examining the intersections of the underlayment. Properly align your sheets so that the channels between adjoining sheets match up. Many times, the dimensions of an area (for example a kitchen with a breakfast nook) aren’t perfectly square.

It’s alright to cut the underlayment through the nodules to form alternative shapes.

The uncoupling membrane is laid directly over the entire surface intended for tile installation and adhered with the latex modified Portland cement mortar using 1/4” x 3/8” square or U-notched trowel.

Use the flat side of a trowel to key in the adhesive and the notched side to spread it on. Then you can lay down the sheets of membrane.

If you have a roller, plastic trowel, or float in the vicinity, apply pressure with one of these tools. Lift up a corner of the membrane and pull it back occasionally to make sure you have good coverage.

If there is spotty coverage, don’t fret, just increase the amount of adhesive.

Now it's time to install the floor hating cable itself. A float is really going to help speed up this step because not only does it make the cable easy to install, but it also prevents damage to the cable. Phil used a float to install the cable with minimal effort.

A metal trowel could damage the heating cable, so for this step, use a float with a smooth rubber or plastic surface.

Remember to check if the halfway mark on the cable is correctly located according to your SmartPlan. The halfway point on the plan is illustrated by a red dot. You will find the halfway point indicated on the cable with white tape.

If you end up too much or too little cable, this could be for several reasons. The cable may be spaced too closely, too far apart, or the dimensions of the room do not match the dimensions in the plan. If this happens, don’t hesitate to call 800-875-5285 to speak with a radiant heating professional.

If there's one thing that separates a good install from a bad one, it’s consistent testing of the heating cable. Every cable that our company sells has undergone testing before leaving the warehouse.

However, “stuff happens” in transit and/or during installation onsite. The purpose of the test is to check if damage has occurred which could affect the resistance in the cable. Refer to this step by step guide for more information about how to properly test your heating cable.

Install the floor sensor 6” into the heated area directly centered between the heating wires. NEVER staple the heating wires or floor sensor wire. Always test a floor sensor and verify 8-15 kOhm resistance. A secondary backup sensor may be installed, but only one can be connected to a thermostat at a time.

The power lead is 15-feet in length. The lead is spliced to the Heating Element at the factory. If necessary, this lead wire may be shortened or even extended. Please note the thickness of the factory splice and cold lead and plan accordingly. Mark where the factory splice will be placed.

Cut the matting or membrane and insert splice. It may be necessary to secure the splice to the floor with hot glue, adhesive or thinset. The factory splices must be completely embedded in thinset.

Be careful while applying the adhesive on the membrane not to damage the heating cable with the flat/notched trowel. Tiles can be immediately laid after the installation of the heating cables is completed.

Using the flat side of the trowel fill with thin set mortar the cavities of the membrane. Apply additional of the same mortar with a notched trowel over according to the tile size. Both modified (ANSI A118.11) or unmodified (ANSI 118.1) thin sets can be used when installing tiles to Prodeso Heat Membrane.

Please consult with your thin set manufacturer for proper thin set selection and proper curing time for your specific installation.

Tile lippage happens when a tile is set too high or too low in relation to adjoining tiles. When a customer walks around, the types of floors rendered compatible with Prodeso underlayment (like tile, marble, or stone) will be subject to differential pressure due to the uneven levels.

And this shifting can lead to cracking or tile delamination. You can ensure a level floor with the Spin Doctor tile leveling system which will make sure that all of the tiles stay level with one another.

The system should be attached to the thermostat and then the thermostat is wired to the home electrical system and installed in a wall box by a licensed, certified electrician. Ensure supplied voltage to thermostat matches heating system’s.

Review and save the electrical plan that includes all the electrical information about the system.

TIP: Dedicated non-GFI circuit is typically needed for the heating system to avoid any nuisance tripping or interference. The GFCI feature is incorporated in the thermostat.

Allow proper thinset cure time as recommended by the manufacturer (typically 7-28 days) before powering up the WarmlyYours electric radiant heat system.

After installing underlayment and tile, the curing stage begins. Before turning on your floor heating system be sure that the thinset has completely cured. Turning on the heating system too early can result making the thinset brittle, which can cause failures such as the tiles breaking or popping out of place.