The Heat is On

Advances in radiant floor heating systems

By Julia Billen

The proverb, “necessity is the mother of invention,” has perhaps never been truer than in the case of underfloor heating. Since the hypocausts of ancient Rome, the cold shock of a chilly stone floor on bare feet has inspired technological innovation. Influenced by hot springs and volcanic vents, the Romans realized supplying heat below a floor could provide pleasant warmth in winter. However, the hypocaust system required an entire half-storey of air, warmed by strategically located fireplaces that had to be fed constantly. Today, an electrically heated floor takes up almost no space and requires minimal upkeep to run. And the advancements haven’t stopped there.

SMART THERMOSTATS

Over the last decade, accessible smart technology has expanded into every corner of the home. Starting with only media and lightbulbs, technological advancements have led to video doorbells, smart locks, voice-controlled garage doors, appliances and, of course, the smart thermostat.

For years, a floor heating system was controlled by a simple wall-mounted thermostat that needed to be adjusted manually. Today, a third-party integration kit can be used to connect that same thermostat to the smart home. Just like using a smart outlet to turn a ‘regular’ lamp into an intelligent one, the third-party kit upgrades the thermostat to one that can work with home automation systems, sometimes enabling voice control with both Google Home Assistant and Amazon Alexa. A select few WiFi-enabled floor heating thermostats now even come with voice control that is compatible with these cloud-based voice services, so there is no need for a third-party integration kit.

Smart home control makes it possible for homeowners to turn their heated floors on and off and adjust the temperature to their comfort. Voice activation allows them to warm up the bathroom or kitchen floor before they even roll out of bed, eliminating even the first dreaded steps of walking on cold tile toward the thermostat.

One of the greatest advancements in smart home integration has been the introduction of routines. A routine sequences several smart home commands together to create an all-in-one command and offer a custom home experience. For example, a ‘wake up’ routine might trigger a music alarm, slowly bring up the lights, start a pot of coffee and turn on the floor heating, all at the same time. The command ‘bath time’ might switch on the bathroom lights and floor heating in a simpler routine.

UNCOUPLING MEMBRANES

An uncoupling membrane can provide long-lasting protection for a relatively fragile floor covering. Foundations shift all the time, both in response to the seasons and more permanent settling. Because it is so massive, surface layer materials like tile are more likely to crack or pop as the foundation moves. Most uncoupling membranes used in electric floor heating allow for the tiles to sit above ‘dovetailed’ channels, where the thinset that holds them in place can ‘float’ to some degree, preventing unnecessary damage. Uncoupling membranes can also protect the floor from cracks that may ‘telegraph’ up from the subfloor and result in broken tiles. This process is called crack isolation.

Relatively recent innovations in uncoupling membranes have led to the creation of a nodule-based channel system. This is similar to a flexible pegboard where the heating wire can be securely snapped in place. Not only does a nodule-based channel system make it easier to install the heating cable, but it also allows the installer to maintain ideal spacing between the heating elements to ensure optimal performance.

Laying this type of uncoupling membrane can also speed up installation since it allows installers to work backward out of the room, embedding the cable in the membrane at the same time as they place the back-buttered tiles. This usually means that installers can complete a bathroom project (the most common floor heating room type) in a single day instead of waiting for the embedding layer of thinset to cure, which is often a requirement for other floor heating elements like rolls, mats and cables with fixing strips.

Most uncoupling membranes used in electric floor heating allow for the tiles to sit above ‘dovetailed’ channels, where the thinset that holds them in place can ‘float’ to some degree, preventing unnecessary damage.

ONLINE DESIGN, QUOTING TOOLS

Modern web development has given both installers and customers a better way to estimate product costs and power consumption. A well-designed web calculator can answer those all-important questions that clients often have before they commit to a heated floor. These include: How much will a floor heating system cost? Is this room a good place to have a heated floor installed? How much will it add to the hydro bill?

These questions can be effortlessly answered with a few clicks of a button and perhaps a stop to take measurements along the way. Web calculators also make it easy for clients to use the known dimensions and location of each room to assess how much a floor heating system might cost for their project. (Often, homeowners discover the installation cost and power usage are far less than expected.) This is an even more useful tool for homeowners that are unfamiliar with heated floors, giving them an idea of what to expect.

GEO-TARGETING FOR EFFICIENCY Every geographical region has its own heating needs based on their unique climates. Depending on where a customer is located, this can vastly change an engineer’s plans.

Electric floor heating cable systems allow for the greatest flexibility to scale the heat level as needed for the region. From the installation materials to the operating cost, the ambient temperature of a region has a profound influence on the right quote and installation design.

Using geo-targeting, a floor heating provider can quickly estimate the correct amount of cable to install to ensure optimal heating performance. Geo-targeting takes into account the winter temperatures of a specific region and adapts the design based on historical weather patterns in the area. This is the best way to ensure there are enough BTUs installed to provide comfort or primary heating.

Generally, spacing for underfloor heating wire is three inches between each line. With a typical heat output of three watts per linear foot, this provides 15 watts per square foot of power output. However, not all regions have the same temperature. Areas like Vancouver don’t need as much heat because winters are relatively mild, with an average daily temperature of 6 to 8 C. In this case, geo-targeting will tell engineers to adapt to a spacing protocol of approximately four inches between each run of cable, reducing both installation and operation costs while generating enough heat to ensure customer satisfaction. A home in Edmonton, on the other hand, will see bitingly cold winters. For these regions, a spacing of 2.5 inches may be required to fight back the chill and properly warm a bathroom floor.

Julia Billen is president, owner and co-founder of WarmlyYours Radiant Heating. For more than 20 years, Julia has been at the forefront of innovation for the radiant heating industry. She is an active member of several governing committees and panels for the industry, including the UL standards committee, U.S. technical advisory group and flooring technical standards and issues panel. Julia can be reached at jbillen@warmlyyours.com.

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