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What do I need to prepare for my electric floor heating project?


Loose Wire – NADWS

  • Draw a floor plan. It doesn’t have to be pretty or complicated. This step will allow you to visualize what you are trying to accomplish and will help you make a decision as to whether a loose wire or mat floor heating system will work best. It will be important to make note of where you want to locate your thermostat since this will be the starting point for all of your heating systems.
  • Measure the area that will be heated. When writing down your measurements, keep in mind that you will not be heating areas under permanent fixtures such as cabinets, bathtubs and toilets. To determine the square footage of your actual heated area, you will subtract the square footage of those areas from the total amount. When taking your measurements, factor in a 4” border from any walls and permanent fixtures. This information will help determine what size product(s) you will need. Please note that it is important that you note that the measurements for your project must only be for heated square feet. Measuring any other way will overestimate the amount of product needed and since the wire CANNOT be cut, this will result in a return of the product (which will delay your project) or a lengthier installation which will require a reconfiguration of how the product is installed, causing more labor time.
  • Make sure your electrical panel will be able to handle additional amperage requirements. Each thermostat used to control your heating system will require 15amps. We recommend that you place your floor heating system on its own dedicated circuit. Check the main breaker in your electrical panel to see how many amps have been installed for your home. If there is no more room in your existing panel you can have a licensed electrician install a relay or sub-panel if necessary. We suggest a 20A dedicated line for each Warmup system installed.
  • Considering insulating your floor. While you can install your floor heating system directly over a concrete sub-floor, it is not advised. The concrete will absorb the heat first, before allowing it to rise to your tile, thus not allowing the product to be as energy efficient as it could be. A floor that could have heated up in minutes will now take hours. Warmup Insulation Boards have been specially designed to allow for a thermal break. In other words, they radiate the heat upwards into your floor instead of into your sub-floor. The insulation boards are 2’ x 4’ and ¼” thick and will be installed throughout the room you will be heating. For carpet and floating floor applications, we also offer insulated underlayment to improve the performance of our cut & turn foil heating systems.
  • The Bottom Line: Be sure that when you put in a request for products or for an order, you have measured the area that will be heated, excluding any permanent fixtures. If you have floor plan and need assistance, please submit it via email (us@warmup.com) or fax (888-927-4721) so a representative can assist you with finding the best product for your project. Please be sure you include all necessary contact information (name, email address, phone number, location, etc.) so we can provide the best information possible.

Always review product literature for more details before installation.


 

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