Electric In-floor Heating System – Working and Tips

Electric In-floor heating systems have become quite popular these days for many home improvement projects. By installing these systems in your home beneath the floors you can easily keep your floors warm and walk barefoot comfortably even in chilled climate. Generally Electric In-floor heating systems work on the principles of a toaster. Electric current passes through the electric wiring and creates heat.

While you choose to install the electric in floor heating system, you need to select between mats and cables. Mats usually are more expensive but relatively simpler in installation even though they cover the area properly and using same amount of watts. You need to carefully take care of the measurements before you select your mats. Cables are comparatively more complicated to install and you need fastening strips for them; however cables are a lot more flexible to install and can be used in rooms of any size and dimension. All you have to do is increase or decrease the wounded loop according to your need.

For the installation of electric in-floor heating systems once you’ve decided on the special woven mats, floor heating cables or panels with built-in wires that can go beneath the floor, these need to be placed properly. After that, these need to be attached to an electrical circuit and controlled using a thermostat. The control enables the electric currents to pass through the cables to heat the floor.

Usually a long electric heating cable is also wound around on the sub floor along with the cable systems and covered with gypsum or concrete cement to create a slab enclosing the cables.

In case you are concerned about the electricity costs, you can choose certain areas of your home like kitchen and bathroom only, that have tiled flooring to install your electric in-floor heating system. If you have an advantage of getting lower electricity rates at peak hours, you can install good thermal mass in your floors that can retain and release heat slowly. Use your electric in floor heating system fully only on peak hours, and let it keep your floors warm for another couple of hours while your floor slowly releases the heat even after your electric in-floor heating is turned off.