Questions and Answers for Radiant Floor Heating

How do I work with my electrician to install WarmlyYours electric floor heating?

While WarmlyYours electric radiant floor heating systems are typically installed by your floor covering contractor, a licensed electrician is recommended for the final thermostat hook-up. With every quote, we provide an Installation Plan layout, together with an electrical plan that has all the info required for the electrician.

35 people found this helpful. Did you find this helpful? Yes No

How can I determine what I need for my floor heating project and how can I find out what my floor heating system will cost?

You can use the Instant Quote Tool, which gives you many options for your floor heating coverage. Use this interactive tool to design your room online and receive an instant quotation with product recommendations, rough-in and installation kits, cost of your control, etc. Planning your floor heating project is made easy when using our Instant Quote Tool.

Send us your floor plan or fax it to (800) 408-1100 and we will send you a quote, product recommendation and a free custom installation plan for your project.

29 people found this helpful. Did you find this helpful? Yes No

Is electric floor heating safe and what about EMF?

Our electric radiant floor heating systems have withstood rigorous safety testing and earned the UL listing. They produce much less EMF than common household appliances like your TV or vacuum cleaner. The EPRI (Electric Power Research Institute) tests all electrical devices and publishes the data. Many common household appliances are tested at a distance of 6 inches. The test results indicate that on average, the EMF emitted for the following appliances, measured in Milligauss (mG) units, is:

Vacuum Cleaner: 300 mG

Microwave: 200 mG

Portable Heater: 100 mG

Dishwasher: 20 mG

Washing Machine: 20 mG

WarmlyYours TempZone™ (Twin): 1.8 mG

28 people found this helpful. Did you find this helpful? Yes No

If I have extra cold lead wire, can I trim off what I don't need for my installation?

Yes. Unlike the heating cable for electric floor heating, the cold lead wires can be trimmed.

18 people found this helpful. Did you find this helpful? Yes No

How do you keep a sunroom warm in the winter?

Sunrooms can be very cold during the winter months. While a furnace may push some warm air into the room, the large number of windows, exterior walls, and other causes of heat loss in a sunroom will typically keep it from having a comfortable temperature level. Floor heating and radiant panels will add radiant heat, which the human body absorbs faster than other forms of heat, to the room so that it feels warm even at lower temperatures.

17 people found this helpful. Did you find this helpful? Yes No

Should I be concerned about electric floor heating melting the toilet connection's wax ring?

To prevent any melting, ensure that the heating wire is at least 4” from the toilet wax ring.

14 people found this helpful. Did you find this helpful? Yes No

Should I add insulation before installing electric floor heating and how will that affect the system's performance?

When installing electric floor heating over a concrete slab, an insulating underlayment like ThermalSheet is highly recommended to ensure efficient operation, faster heating times and warmer floor temperatures.

13 people found this helpful. Did you find this helpful? Yes No

How do I know if I am installing my electric floor heating system properly?

Please keep in mind that you must check your electric floor heating system with a digital ohmmeter in conjunction with a Circuit Check™. Take an initial reading as soon as you take the product out of the box to verify that it is within -5% / +10% of the values stated on the product’s label. This will give you a basis of comparison for future readings. Take a second reading once you have positioned the system to match your custom installation plan. It is also advisable to take an additional reading in the middle of the tile installation, just to make sure that the Circuit Check™ is doing its job. Then, take a final reading when you are finished with the floor installation and are ready to hook up the thermostat.

The Circuit Check™ is a tool developed by WarmlyYours to give you peace of mind and ensure trouble-free installations. Simply hook up the cold leads to the tool while you position the system to match your custom installation plan.

The Circuit Check™ will continuously monitor the continuity of the circuit during the installation of your system and during the installation of your flooring. The Circuit Check™ beeps immediately when a short in the system is detected, alerting you to a potentially damaged cable in the area you are working, before you lay the tile over the electric floor heating system.  The WarmlyYours technical support team is available 24/7 to provide assistance if the alarm sounds, or if you would have any questions during your installation.

12 people found this helpful. Did you find this helpful? Yes No

What temperature should I set my heated floor to?

The perfect room or floor temperature is always going to be a personal preference. However, we do see that our customers will usually set their floor temperature to somewhere in the 80°F to 84°F range.

12 people found this helpful. Did you find this helpful? Yes No

Do I need insulation when installing an electric floor heating system over a concrete slab?

When WarmlyYours electric floor heating systems are being installed on a concrete slab, we strongly recommend adding a layer of insulation over the slab prior to installing the system. While our electric floor heating provides up to 25% more heating power per square foot than many of our competitors, the slab will always act as a "heat sink." Some of the heat that would otherwise be transferred to the flooring surface will remain in the slab, causing the floor’s surface temperature to be considerably lower. This is true with any electric radiant floor heating system.

When installed on top of a concrete slab without insulation, it is generally accepted that electric floor heating will take the chill away from the floor and provide a small amount of warmth. Adding insulation on top of the slab and beneath any electric radiant floor heating system will allow a greater percentage of the heat generated to transfer to the flooring surface. This results in greater efficiency and therefore faster warm up times, higher expected surface temperatures and lower energy usage. The floor will have the capacity to warm to a comfortable temperature, and in some cases can be employed as the primary heat source for that room.

The recommended types of insulation are natural cork, insulated tile backer boards and insulated underlayment, such as ThermalSheet™ synthetic cork.

10 people found this helpful. Did you find this helpful? Yes No

Do radiant heating products have polarity?

Electric-resistance heating cables and systems have no polarity. This includes all current WarmlyYours heating elements.

9 people found this helpful. Did you find this helpful? Yes No

Can I use electric floor heating as a primary heat source?

Yes, in most cases, an electric floor heating system can be effective as a primary heat source. However, our TempZone™ and Environ™ systems are most commonly used as a secondary heat source, providing floor-to-ceiling radiant heat to any room in your home where you desire more warmth and comfort.

If you are considering electric floor heating for an addition to your home, such as a sunroom where you have no other source of heat, WarmlyYours offers an innovative online tool which calculates approximate heat loss. This tool can help you to determine if a WarmlyYours’ electric radiant floor heating system will provide your desired comfort temperature throughout the year. You can access the Heat Loss Calculator or you can call us at (800) 875-5285 and a Customer Service Representative will make the calculation for you.

8 people found this helpful. Did you find this helpful? Yes No

What is a good choice, or watt density, for supplemental heat?

Supplemental heat can be addressed by changing the spacing on cable installs. Floor location in the house is very important when considering adding supplemental heating to a floor. For example: If heating a second story floor, over a heated space, cable at 4" spacing can be used. The same type of heating over an unheated space would probably be done with TempZone Flex Rolls or TempZone Cable at 3" spacing. All heating is considered supplemental unless a heat loss calculation is done.

7 people found this helpful. Did you find this helpful? Yes No

How can I make my basement warmer?

A floor heating system can work as a supplemental heating source and make the basement warmer. If more heat needs to be added to the room, you can experiment with setting the floor heating thermostat to higher temperatures.

6 people found this helpful. Did you find this helpful? Yes No

What breaker and wire size do I need to use for a floor heating system?

The breaker and wire sizes are selected based on the total amperage of the WarmlyYours heating system connected to a single thermostat. This information is on the WarmlyYours heating system's installation plan, electrical plan, or UL label. Based on guidelines from the National Electrical Code: loads up to 16 Amps may utilize 12 gauge wire with a 20-Amp breaker, and loads up to 12 Amps - 14 gauge wire with a 15-Amp breaker. Local code and/or other factors may change these guidelines.

6 people found this helpful. Did you find this helpful? Yes No

Will the flooring manufacturer still warrant with electric floor heating underneath?

Always check with the flooring manufacturer to see what they will cover when it comes to floor heating. In most cases there will be a floor temperature limit - this can be programmed into a programmable or smart thermostat. Check for installation instructions and requirements before adding floor heating.

6 people found this helpful. Did you find this helpful? Yes No

Do I need to apply a layer of thinset over the subfloor first?

Yes, using a square-notch trowel (1/4” x 1/4” or larger), apply a layer of thinset to the subfloor area which will later be covered by the WarmlyYours TempZone™ Flex Roll, Easy Mat or Custom Mat.

5 people found this helpful. Did you find this helpful? Yes No

Is the TempZone™ floor heating system safe?

Yes. The WarmlyYours TempZone™ floor heating system has withstood rigorous safety testing by the Underwriter's Laboratory and has received UL listing for the U.S. as well cUL certification for Canada. WarmlyYours offers thermostats that carry the CSA Mark and the UL listing, which certifies that the product has been tested under extreme conditions and meets applicable standards for safety and/or performance in the U.S. and Canada. All WarmlyYours thermostats contain a Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter (GFCI) which provides fail-safe protection against an electrical shock.

5 people found this helpful. Did you find this helpful? Yes No

What is the warranty for the TempZone™ floor heating system? Do you warrant the cost of replacing the flooring installed on top of the system? What if there was a surge that damaged the system?

WarmlyYours’ 25-Year No Nonsense™ Warranty is the most comprehensive warranty in the industry. In the event of a defect, we cover not only the repair or replacement of the TempZone™ system, but ALSO any labor costs AND flooring materials required to perform the repair. We do not cover the cost of flooring that needs to be replaced in the event of a repair necessitated due to damage. If a product is damaged by a power surge, that would not be covered by our warranty

5 people found this helpful. Did you find this helpful? Yes No

What temperature will my heated floor reach?

The temperature of your floor can range anywhere between 75°F to 95°F. The floor's actual temperature will depend on a number of factors including the amount of heat loss that the room experiences as well as the room’s configuration. For instance, the warmth contained in a two story entry way would likely be less than that of a smaller, more enclosed area such as a bathroom. In a bathroom that is located on the second floor of your home or over another floor in your home that is typically heated, the temperature of your heated floor should easily reach a comfortable temperature of 85 degrees Fahrenheit, if the electric floor heating system is installed correctly. For the heat loss calculation for your specific room, you can access the Heat Loss Calculator or you can call us at (800) 875-5285 and a Customer Service Representative will make the calculation for you.

4 people found this helpful. Did you find this helpful? Yes No

How many square feet of floor heating can be connected to one thermostat?

One thermostat can control multiple heating mats/cables as long as all the heating elements are using less than 15 amps:

TempZone™ will cover aprx. 120 sq. ft. for 120V systems and 240 sq. ft. for 240V systems on one thermostat.

Environ™ will cover aprx. 150 sq. ft. for 120V systems and 300 sq. ft. for 240V systems on one thermostat.

Slab Heat will cover aprx. 90 sq. ft. for 120V systems and 180 sq. ft. for 240V systems on one thermostat.

4 people found this helpful. Did you find this helpful? Yes No

I have too much / too little of the TempZone™ product for the space I want to heat. Can I trim or add more heating cable?

No. Never cut the heating cable. The floor heating cable is designed with a very specific resistance in order to consistently maintain heating at the chosen wattage per square foot. Trimming the heating cable would lower the resistance of the cable causing the system to overheat. Adding heating cable to the system would raise the resistance and the system would not heat properly.

3 people found this helpful. Did you find this helpful? Yes No

How can I make my room warmer without a heater?

Floor heating will typically add the most heat to supplement an existing heating source and it will not take any extra space since it is embedded in the floor. If you are not remodeling your floors but have some open wall space, you should mount a radiant panel. For the most effective results, install the panel so that it points toward the area where you will spend most of the time.

3 people found this helpful. Did you find this helpful? Yes No

How does electric floor heating compare to central or forced air heating?

Typically, electric floor heating is used as a supplemental heat source but in some cases, it can be used as a primary heat source. Electric floor heating is more energy efficient, less prone to spreading dust and allergens, and easier to control from room to room. Air-based heating systems can be used for both heating and cooling and can be a good way to control air quality in the home with regular maintenance.

For a more in-depth answer to this question, check out Your ‘Cheat Sheet’ for Radiant Heat vs. Forced Air.

3 people found this helpful. Did you find this helpful? Yes No

What is the typical operating cost of a TempZone™ floor heating system?

The actual cost of operating your floor heating system will vary depending upon a number of factors including the cost of electricity in your area and the length of time you run your system. The WarmlyYours TempZone™ Flex Roll electric floor heating system, for example, uses 15 watts per square foot. Based on a national average electricity rate of $.10/kW/hr, the approximate operating cost of an average bathroom using this system, measuring 8' x 10' would be between $.16 - $.21 cents a day. This cost is based on running your system a full 8 hours per day. Try our Operating Cost Calculator for a quick estimate.

3 people found this helpful. Did you find this helpful? Yes No

Do you have a separate thermostat for the shower?

Bathrooms designed with shower and floor heating will include only one thermostat by default. But it is possible to design with a thermostat for each zone if desired. Installing a separate thermostat for the shower area can help reduce cost and energy usage. This also allows you to heat the bathroom floor alone for everyday use and only heat the shower area when needed.

3 people found this helpful. Did you find this helpful? Yes No

Is a filler needed on the rest of the floor to space the flooring up to the same level?

The TempZone™ twin conductor cable present in our TempZone™ products is comprised of a double-insulated, coaxial heating cable. The total thickness of the system can be between ⅛” and 5/32” thick and will not noticeably affect the height of your installed flooring. The heating system is encased in 3/8" of modified thinset or Self leveling underlayment. You simply use that 3/8" layer throughout the space, eliminating any need for fillers.

3 people found this helpful. Did you find this helpful? Yes No

Can the floor heating be set to turn on at certain times when we know we will use those areas and need heating?

Yes, with our programmable thermostats, you can choose which days and times the floor heating turns on for your comfort. With a Smart thermostat, you can also control these options from your phone while away from home.