Heat Your Hardwood Floors

One of the best ways to spruce up your home is to upgrade old dated floors. Hardwood is a beautiful, classic choice that will stand the test of time and bring new life into your home. And while you’re upgrading the floors in your home, why not consider upgrading your heating system as well?

While you’re upgrading your home with beautiful new hardwood, how about upgrading your home with luxurious radiant heat as well? Radiant heat is an excellent investment that will keep your home warm for years to come. The systems can be installed to serve as your primary heating source or to complement your existing system by adding comfortable warmth to the most popular areas of your home.

Kids on a heated hardwood floor

Radiant heated floors have many benefits. Floor heating systems provide cleaner, more efficient warmth than forced air systems. Because no blower is required, radiant heat systems operate quietly and no dust or other allergens are circulated throughout the home. Radiant heat is commonly used alongside traditional heating systems to add warmth to specific areas, such as a kitchen, bathroom, or playroom. The systems are easy to customize, not only to heat specific areas, but to accommodate your budget as well. Radiant heat systems are available to any homeowner, whether they are building a new home, remodeling, or adding heat to their current flooring.

When working with Warmzone, there are also options suitable for heating existing floors, including RetroHeat and STEP FloorHeat. These efficient systems require access to the floor joists from below. RetroHeat, the most popular option, features near paper-thin heating elements that are stapled up between the joists, followed by Batt insulation being stapled up over the heating element to drive all the heat upward to warm the floor.

STEP FloorHeat is a low-voltage system that is installed similarly, but utilizes thin, flexible polymer heating panels. Installers can staple through the heating element, simplifying and speeding up the installation process.

Given Warmzone’s large selection of floor heating systems, customers can be assured of being matched with the ideal system for their specific needs. In addition to heating hardwood floors, radiant floor heating systems can be installed under virtually any other type of floor, including tile, marble, engineered wood, laminates, carpet, slate, and more.

Most radiant heat systems are compatible with hardwood flooring, but some types of wood flooring are better suited to radiant heat. These include solid wood floors made from woods such as cherry, walnut, or mesquite, engineered wood flooring, floating floors, or even laminated or engineered floors. When choosing a wood floor for radiant heat, strip flooring can be a better choice than plank, as smaller wood boards contract less.

Most radiant heat systems are compatible with wood flooring, but some types of wood flooring are better suited to radiant heat. These include solid wood floors made from woods such as cherry, walnut, or mesquite, engineered wood flooring, floating floors, or even laminated or engineered floors. When choosing a wood floor for radiant heat, strip flooring can be a better choice than plank, as smaller wood boards contract less.

When considering pairing radiant heat with your new wood flooring, one of Warmzone’s most popular systems is the industry leading ComfortTile. This is one of the most versatile systems, as it is suitable for all standard sub-flooring materials. ComfortTile Radiant heat cable is also safety approved for wet areas, making it a perfect choice to put under your new hardwood kitchen floor. ComfortTile is available in two formats: pre-spaced cable in mats or floor heating cable off the spool. ComfortTile heat cable is top of the line UL/CSA approved twin conducting cable with ground fault protection, and carries a 25-year manufacturer’s warranty. Cables are rated at 120 or 240 volts and have an 1/8- inch diameter. Cable comes on large spools, and is a great choice for custom projects, as any adjustments to spacing can be made during installation. After installation, cables are activated by a thermostat, allowing for quick (30-60 minutes) and efficient floor heating.

For larger areas and quicker installation, ComfortTile heat cable is also available in convenient mats. These mats include the durable radiant heat cable pre-spaced and attached to a fiberglass mesh with adhesive backing. Mats are available in different lengths, and heat an area 24 inches wide. ComfortTile radiant heating mats are also UL listed and come with a 25-year limited warranty. The thin cable results in low profile (3/16-inch) mats that are easy to install when putting in new flooring. Simply roll out the mats, cut the mesh backing as necessary to make turns (avoid cutting the cable itself), and use the adhesive backing to secure the mats to the subfloor. ComfortTile is easy to install, effective, and energy efficient, making it one of the most trusted systems on the market.

Heat hardwood floors with Warmzone's FilmHeat
Heated hardwood floor with cutaway showing FilmHeat floor heating element.

Another trusted option for heating your new hardwood floor is FilmHeat. Warmzone’s FilmHeat heating element is one of the thinnest available and is installed quickly and easily without any floor buildup. FilmHeat is simply cut to fit the appropriate area and attached to the subfloor. This system is also UL approved, and comes with a 10-year warranty. It is available in 24, 36, or 48- inch widths, and 120 or 240 voltage, and only measure .016 inch thick. Warmzone’s FilmHeat system also has no moving parts, making it virtually maintenance free after installation. FilmHeat is one of the most cost-efficient systems, with 99 percent of its energy converted directly into heat. FilmHeat also has lower installation and operation costs, making it a great option for those who may be on a budget when installing new floors.

When installing wood flooring, Warmzone’s assortment of top of the line products assures there is an option for any application. Warmzone also offers customer service that can’t be beat. From the beginning until the end of your project, professionals are available to assist you. Trusted professional designers and engineers work closely with you to pick and design the perfect system, and continue to be available as you get it installed and running. Warmzone has product information, as well as installation tips and guides available online, and may even be able to recommend an experienced radiant heat installer and electrician in your area. Making an investment in new heated floors has never been so easy! For more information, check out information on our floor heating systems , or contact a customer service professional at 888-488-9276.