Tag Archives: Radiant floor heating

HOTNEWS

Enjoy the Snow from the Comfort of Your Radiant Heated Home

No Need to get Cold Feet over a Chilly Winter

For the drought-stricken West, the record-setting winter of 2022-23 is just what the doctor ordered. California reservoirs are finally filling up to respectable levels, and “extreme” drought conditions in most areas have almost been completely eliminated. An abundance of snow and rainfall has saturated much of the dried-out country, but Old Man Winter still isn’t done yet.

While the cold, wet winter weather may not be fun to drive in, a snow-covered landscape sure can be a pretty sight. For those times when you don’t have to be outside, what better way to enjoy the white winter scene than from the warmth of a home with radiant heated floors? With the exception of the beautiful view, the enveloping warmth provided by a heated floor may almost make you forget that it is still winter.

Radiant heated floors offer luxurious heat that starts at the soles of your feet and gently bathes the entire room in comfortable warmth. The comfort provided by heated floors far surpasses that of traditional forced-air systems. In addition to offering uniquely rich warmth, radiant heat is also the most energy-efficient technology for heating homes today.

Woman standing in bathroom

When it comes to heating your home with radiant heat, homeowners have many options to choose from. While many install radiant heat as their primary heating source, another popular option is to install radiant heat in select rooms as a supplement to the existing heating system. Homeowners often heat kitchens, children’s playrooms, and bathrooms with radiant heat. Floor heating systems are easily customized, giving home (and business) owners precise control over what areas to heat.

Warmzone offers one of the largest varieties of radiant floor heating systems on the market. Each system is specially designed to accommodate specific floor types and user needs. Whether you have hardwood, tile, luxury vinyl, laminate, or any other floor type, Warmzone can match you with the ideal system to meet heating needs as well as your budget.

For heating tile, marble, and other stone floors, the most popular system is ComfortTile. This floor heating system consists of thin heat resistance cable that is available on spools or in mats. The mats feature pre-spaced cable that is affixed to a flexible mesh with an adhesive backing. The mats can be rolled out and secured to the subfloor quickly and easily.

ComfortTile heat cable can also be combined with the Prodeso underlayment membrane. The waterproof membrane is placed over the subfloor, and the heat cable is installed in the channels provided by the series of reliefs in the waterproof membrane. Thinset is applied and the tile (or other flooring) is then installed over the membrane and cable. The Prodeso membrane can be used with most types of flooring, in all types of indoor and outdoor applications. installation of ComfortTile with the Prodeso membrane is fast, easy, and accurate.

The most popular system for heating floating floors is Warmzone’s FilmHeat system. This unique system features an ultra-thin heating element. The heating panel is just 0.016-inch thick, which is thinner than a credit card, and has proven to be one of the best values for heating laminate and floating floors. No alarms, no special tools, and no self-leveling compounds are needed, and installation results in no floor buildup.

FilmHeat for heating hardwood floating floors.
The FilmHeat floor heating element, available in a variety of widths.

Another type of floor heating system featuring this same type of thin heating panel is the RetroHeat system. This system allows homeowners to heat existing floors, without the need of major remodeling. If you have access to the floors from a basement or crawlspace, the RetroHeat system can be installed. The heating panels are stapled up between the floor joists and then batt insulation (also known as blanket insulation) is installed over the element to direct all of the heat upwards to warm the floor.

Warmzone also carries the low-voltage FloorHeat STEP system for heating hardwood floors. The low-voltage system utilizes thin, flexible polymer heating panels. Because these panels are so thin, there is virtually no floor buildup.

In-Slab heat cable is also available. This durable cable is designed for installation in concrete slabs. This is an ideal system for heating basement floors, or other floors over concrete. The system is extremely efficient, affordable, and highly effective.

Warmzone offers other floor heating options, including hydronic systems. These systems use specially treated water that is heated and pumped through a closed loop of PEX tubing in the floor. While the installation cost of hydronic heated floors can be considerably higher than that of an electric system, because the water heater can use natural gas, the operational cost may be lower – depending on your local utility rates.

Warmzone is one of the largest providers of floor heating systems, as well as heated driveway and roof de-icing systems. For more information about radiant heat, and the many custom options that are available, contact a friendly Warmzone representative today, at 888-488-9276.

HOTNEWS

Floor Heating Winners

Radiant floor heat offers clean, energy efficient, maintenance-free warmth. In addition to offering next-level comfort, these are just some of the benefits that have new builders installing these systems in record numbers. The flexibility of these systems gives builders a wide variety of custom options for both residential and commercial applications. The systems can be easily customized to meet the specific heating – and budget – needs of each customer.

In addition to heating entire homes, radiant heat can be easily tailored to complement one’s existing traditional heating system. Floor heating systems can be installed to add unmatched comfort to your favorite rooms, or warm trouble spots in your home that are notoriously difficult to heat. The systems grant homeowners with tremendous options for installing a precise and efficient means for optimizing comfort in the home.  

FilmHeat for heating hardwood floating floors.
FilmHeat floor heating element for heating floating floors.

While the features, performance and environmentally friendly aspects of radiant heat contribute to its surging popularity, one must also be aware that not all radiant floor heating systems are created equal. In fact, it may come as a surprise to some homeowners that there are so many different types of floor heating systems and technologies (such as electric and hydronic). But fear not; you don’t have to feel overwhelmed.

The floor heating options are easy to evaluate, and the variety helps to ensure that you’ll have the best solution for heating your specific floor type and layout. Having one of the largest selections of floor heating systems in the business, Warmzone® can ensure that each customer is matched with the ideal solution for their home. We offer free consultation, so feel free to call and learn more about the available systems. And rest assured that Warmzone carries only the most trusted and proven floor heating systems.

When determining which floor heating system is best for your home, the choice is influenced by the type of floor that you have. For example, if you’re looking to heat a floating floor, one of the most popular and highly recommended solutions is FilmHeat™. This innovative floor heating system utilizes a near paper-thin heating element (just 0.016-inch thick) that is laid out over the underlayment on the subfloor, and then the flooring is installed over the element. No alarms, special tools, or self-leveling compounds are needed. 

The system does not require mortar or adhesives, so there is virtually no floor buildup, and the heating element can be easily cut onsite. FilmHeat is designed specifically for installation under floating floors, but the versatile element can also be used to heat other floor types. (Talk to a floor heating expert to learn more.) A variation of the FilmHeat system (RetroHeat®) uses a similar heating element that can be installed between the floor joists to heat existing floors. The heating panels are stapled up between the joists and then Batt insulation is installed to direct all the heat upward to warm the floor. This is the most affordable option for heating floors without having to conduct any major remodeling.

Cute girl on warm floor

Warmzone’s most popular electric floor heating system is the ComfortTile® system. The ComfortTile floor heating system is perhaps the most versatile, but is designed especially for heating ceramic tile, vinyl tile, marble, and stone floors. This proven system utilizes thin heat resistance cable that is available in individual lengths off the spool, or pre-spaced in mats that can be rolled out for quick, convenient installation. ComfortTile mats feature thin heat cable that is pre-spaced and affixed to a flexible mesh with an adhesive backing. The mat can be quickly rolled out over the area to be heated and secured to the subfloor. The mats are available in a variety of lengths, and are 18-inches wide and pre-terminated for use with 120V and 240V. The twin-conductor heating cable is made with premium materials, enabling ComfortTile heat cable to provide superior floor heating performance and fast response times. As one of the most versatile floor heating systems, ComfortTile can be effectively used to heat a wide range of other floors and various applications. This trusted floor heating cable also carries a 25-year warranty.

In-Slab™ heat cable is another popular option for those looking to efficiently heat basement floors and concrete slabs. This rugged cable is thicker than other floor heating cable because it is designed for installation during concrete pours. The cable is positioned in the area to be heated, and concrete is then applied. The In-Slab heat cable should remain about 2-inches from the surface of the concrete. Any type of flooring can then be installed over the concrete floor. This is one of the most affordable, and effective ways to heat cold basement floors, or any floors on concrete slabs.

Floor heating systems that use thin heat cable (I.e. ComfortTile) can also be used with a membrane system, such as Prodeso®. Prodeso membrane is an uncoupling and waterproofing system used for heating floors and other surfaces without expansion joints in the screed. The flexible membrane has pre-engineered grooves for the heat cable, and is laid out directly over the subfloor before the tile or other flooring is installed. The Prodeso underlayment membrane, heat cable and flooring can be installed the same day. The floor heating system has a minimal floor buildup of less than ¼-inch.

Warmzone offers several other types of floor heating systems, including low-voltage floor heating systems, hydronic (water-based) systems, and more. For more details about the many proven options that are available, call and speak with a floor heating expert today, at 888.488.9276.