Tag Archives: Floor heating systems

Radiant Heat News

Radiant Floor Heat, You are a Superstar

Radiant Heat Has Star Quality

Seriously, what’s not to love about radiant floor heat? This affordable, energy efficient method of home heating is fast becoming a superstar in home improvement projects as well as the first go-to heating method of new construction. If you have a home or an office building and you live in a cold climate you will have to install some form of heating. Radiant floor heat has some star qualities that might help you decide to install a heated floor system.

Superstar Qualities of Radiant Floor Heat Include:

Silent Operation: The way a radiant floor heating system is installed allows it to be virtually noiseless when operating. This quiet operation is more relaxing for everyone inhabiting the dwelling or building.

Air Quality: Without the forced air from a furnace stirring up the air, creating dust particles, you enjoy a higher quality of air when using radiant floor heat. This aids those with allergies and helps to keep dust accumulation lower.

Heat Distribution: Using radiant heat means the entire space/room gets warmth thanks to the even distribution of radiant heat.

Comfort: Tile, hardwood, or laminate surfaces tend to get very cold in the winter. Heated floors gives the added benefit of warming luxury as you walk across an evenly heated floor.

Energy Efficient : You are more likely to feel warmer with your system set at a lower temperature which means your system doesn’t have to work as hard to reach your comfort temperatures and also doesn’t have to work as long, running only when you set it to run at the exact temperature you specify.

Appearance: Underfloor heat means just that; all the equipment is underneath your floor so there are no unsightly heat vents to vacuum around or arrange furniture to accommodate

Radiant Heat News

Dream Big with In-Floor Radiant Heat

Don’t Limit Yourself When it Comes to Home Heating

Your mom and dad always told you to reach for the stars and to dream big. Now you are all grown up and it seems very little in life helps us actually feel like we’re achieving those big dreams. But when it comes to your home heating you can be a hero in your own right. You can dream of heating your house all the way to the sky, or at the very least from your floor to your ceiling. In-floor radiant heating can do that very thing. Radiant heat cables beneath your floor surface allow the radiant heat to permeate your home with comfortable warmth from the floor all the way to the ceiling.

Heated hardwood floor

It may not be feasible to send your heat all the way to the sky, but there’s no reason you can’t aim for at least the top of your wall paper. Home heating is simpler than ever with radiant heated floors. The heating cables coil quietly beneath the surface of your carpet and emit constant, comforting warmth throughout the room or the whole house if you are lucky enough (or smart enough) to install it in each room of your home. Each room can operate with its own floor heating thermostat, so you have precise control when it comes to efficiently heating only the rooms in your home that you choose. With forced air systems, you can close the vents the rooms where you don’t need the heat, but the furnace still operates at the same level. With radiant heated floors, you can choose exactly what rooms to heat so you don’t waste any energy. Now that’s a smart way to warm your floors and heat your home.

In addition to in-floor heating being an energy efficient method of home heating, radiant heat systems also cut down on unwanted dust and allergens as well, which are two notorious downfalls of forced air. Go big, dream big, and heat big – without the BIG utility bill. With in-floor radiant heating you’ll be achieving the best in home heating

Radiant Heat News

Radiant Floor Heating – Plain, Simple and Luxurious

Floor Heating Systems are Easier than You Think

When most of us think about our home heating system, we think of a complicated maze of air ducts, furnaces and vents. The installation of a central heating system is well beyond the expertise of the average homeowner, but what about a radiant floor heating system?

Installing radiant heat for heated bathroom floor

Advances in radiant heat technology have come a long way since radiant under floor heating was first introduced, and electric floor heating systems are environmentally friendly because they run more efficiently than the average furnace and run independent of harmful fossil fuels.

On top of all that, radiant heat provides unparalleled comfort and even-heating. Forced air cannot compete with the steady and efficient warmth put forth by radiant heated floors. A common misconception about radiant heating is that it can only go beneath hard surfaces such as tile. While heated tile floors are indeed great options for radiant heat, they are not the only option available.

Heated bathroom floor

Warmzone has several electric radiant floor heating solutions for virtually any type of flooring. You can even do most of the floor heating installation yourself. If you want to start small with a bathroom, electric radiant heating systems make it easy to heat small areas. Each room has its own thermostat, so you can heat only where you want, without having to waste in other parts of your home. Because radiant floor heating is so plain and simple, the plain and simple fact is that you’ll want radiant heat for your entire home!

Press Releases

Warmzone Growth Continues

Warmzone Moves Headquarters to Larger Facility

Salt Lake City, Utah (PR WEB) – March 2, 2012 – Warmzone, a leading provider of radiant heat solutions has announced that it is moving its corporate headquarters from downtown Salt Lake City to a much larger facility in Draper, Utah on March 5, 2012. Located just 18 miles south of the old Warmzone headquarters, the new facility boasts greater office space and increased warehouse capabilities.

In spite of the sluggish economy and recent economic challenges, Warmzone has continued to experience growth, necessitating the move into a larger building. The new facility will allow Warmzone to significantly increase the amount of inventory it has in its Utah facility, which will ultimately translate into even quicker service for Warmzone customers.

“We feel fortunate that we’ve been able to grow our business in these difficult times,” stated Executive Vice President, Brandon Weaver, “and we attribute the growth to our superior customer service and support. In today’s economy, people are demanding more in an effort to stretch their dollars, and it’s not enough to just offer competitive pricing. Businesses have to earn customers’ trust and provide expert service from beginning to end.”

In addition to Warmzone’s preeminent customer services, the company offers a wide variety of proven radiant heating solutions, ranging from heated driveways and floor heating solutions to roof deicing and portable snow melting systems. This allows Warmzone to offer the ideal solution for the unique needs of each customer. Every project is carefully evaluated and designed prior to any installation. Given the wide product offering and renowned customer services, Warmzone’s growth seems a natural progression.

“We’re looking forward to settling into the new building,” Weaver added. “The move will certainly benefit our customers. One thing’s for certain,” he concluded, “we will continue to focus on what got us here, and that’s our superior products and our industry leading service.”

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Electric Underfloor Heating Systems

Electric underfloor heating systems are particularly well-suited for heating small to medium sized rooms and areas. Electric radiant heating systems are energy efficient and cheaper and easier to install than water-based (hydronic) radiant heating systems. Radiant underfloor heating systems are controlled by a thermostat with an in-floor sensor, and the systems are ideal for heating tile floors, hardwood, laminates and more. Electric radiant floor heating systems are also maintenance-free and feature rapid response times.

Thinset can be applied directly over heat cable

One of the most proven and popular electric radiant floor heating systems is the ComfortTile heated floor. The thin ComfortTile floor heating cable has a ⅛-inch diameter, and when installing a heated tile floor, the cable can be installed in the thinset, so there is only a slight floor buildup.

In addition to being able to purchase the heat cable on spools, ComfortTile is also available in easy-to-install mats that can be quickly and conveniently rolled out during installation. The heat cable is pre-spaced and attached to a durable mesh with adhesive-backing. The heat cable on the spool is best for installing in large, custom shaped areas while the mats are typically used for heating standard shaped rooms and areas.

Warmzone also offers several other electric underfloor heating systems, including the FilmHeat floor heating panels, In-Slab radiant heat cable, low-voltage FloorHeat systems and RetroHeat electric under joist floor heating systems.

In-Slab (SlabHeat) underfloor heating cable is excellent for a variety of concrete applications. Ruggedly designed for installation directly in cement slabs, the In-Slab radiant heat cable produces 10-15 watts per square foot and can efficiently radiate heat to warm any type of flooring, from ceramic tile to marble, hardwood, slate, and more.

FloorHeat radiant heating systems feature a unique, self-regulating polymer heating element. This low-voltage underfloor heating system is extremely thin and requires no floor buildup. Because of these attributes and that it can be easily secured to the subfloor with nails, adhesive or staples, FloorHeat is ideal for heating hardwood floors. The system utilizes a step-down transformer that converts the 220 line voltage to the low voltage of 60V (or less).

Stapling up RetroHeat floor heating element

Existing floors can also be retrofitted with radiant heat, using the FloorHeat or RetroHeat under joist floor heating systems (providing you can access the floor joists under the floor you wish to heat). RetroHeat features a paper-thin heating element (available in 12, 16, and 24-inch widths) that can be cut on site and safely stapled between the floor joists. After stapling the floor heating panels between the floor joists, the electrical connections are made and common batt insulation is then installed to direct the heat up through the floor. The RetroHeat underfloor heating system is an outstanding value for retrofitting radiant heat under any existing floor covering, including tile, hardwood, and carpet.

While Warmzone offers one of the best selections of underfloor heating systems available, it is best to call and speak with a radiant heat expert to determine the ideal system for your needs (888.488.9276). In addition to offering the best radiant heating products and systems on the market, Warmzone also includes complete radiant heat system engineering and design services. This ensures that your radiant underfloor heating system will perform as well – or better – than expected. Warmzone’s radiant heat design services include a detailed autoCAD of your system, so you’ll know all the system installation requirements and power needs prior to laying down any heat cable. So if you are considering installing a radiant underfloor heating system, deal with the best, most trusted radiant heat professionals at Warmzone. Call to speak to a radiant heat expert today, at 888.488.9276.

Press Releases

Warmzone Offers Extensive Line of Radiant Heat Products

Warmzone Constantly Updating its Line of Radiant Heat Products

Warmzone, a leading provider of interior and exterior radiant heat solutions, added to its already extensive product offering with the FloorHeat low-voltage radiant heat system. “Our goal is to provide the most complete selection of proven radiant heat products and systems from the best manufacturers in the business,” stated Brandon Weaver, Warmzone’s Executive VP of Systems Design and Engineering. “By visiting Warmzone.com and talking to one of our radiant heat experts,” he continued, “consumers will be able to find the best custom radiant heat solution for their needs.”

Unlike many distributors of radiant heat products, Warmzone’s offering is not limited to just one brand or manufacturer. Rather, Warmzone works closely with manufacturers throughout the world in its quest offer the highest quality radiant heat products at the most affordable pricing possible. Subsequently, Warmzone is continually updating its product offerings. When new systems or products hit the market, Warmzone carefully researches and tests them to determine whether they should become part of the product line. This is a great benefit for consumers who are often overwhelmed with the vague, yet abundant volume of content offered online by less reputable radiant heat distributors. Consumers who work with Warmzone can be assured that the products and systems offered are at the very top of their class.

FloorHeat low-voltage floor heating systems

In addition to offering the most tried-and-true radiant heating products on the market, Warmzone also includes complete radiant heat system engineering and design services (with autoCAD). “A radiant heating system is only as good as its installation,” Weaver emphasized, “so by providing complete system design services all potential issues are addressed prior to beginning the installation. This ultimately saves the consumer money by eliminating any costly surprises from arising during installation.” Warmzone also has an experienced master electrician on hand to provide support during the design and installation process.

Through its website, Warmzone provides a wealth of radiant heat information, as well as radiant heating system installation manuals, technical drawings and product guides. The Warmzone website may be the most comprehensive collection of radiant heat information and product documentation online. By reviewing the content, consumers can more effectively evaluate the radiant heat systems that are available.

“We feel that the more that consumers understand about radiant heat, the more they’ll appreciate the quality and selection of solutions that Warmzone offers,” added Bryan Morris, Warmzone National Sales Director. “But most of our calls are from people aren’t sure where to start, which is why we have a professional staff on hand who are happy to listen to the consumers’ needs and recommend the best option for them.”

To view the radiant floor heating systems offered by Warmzone, visit our Radiant Floor Heating Overview web page. To learn more about the radiant snow melting solutions available, visit Warmzone’s snow and ice melting web page. Warmzone also offers proven roof heating and gutter trace radiant heating systems as well as portable snowmelt solutions.

“We do the research and field testing to find the best products so that homeowners can visit our site and have a wide variety of tried and true solutions to choose from. No two installations are the same, which is why we customize each project to best meet the specific needs of the customer.

Articles

Adding Heated Tile Floors to Your Home

Installing New Heated Floors or Retrofitting Existing Floors with Radiant Heat

Ceramic tile floors are one of the most popular floor surfaces in American homes. However, one common complaint is that they are cold to walk on. Although tile is sturdy and beautiful, the “coldness factor” does carry some legitimacy. Let’s explore a way to resolve this issue and create an ideal flooring surface.

We sometimes get conditioned as we walk around the house, making mental notes that it is uncomfortable to walk into this room or that room. Before long, we find ourselves avoiding half the rooms in our home. Well, it doesn’t have to be that way. A radiant heated floor can turn a room from one that you hesitate to walk in to, to one that you look forward to visiting. And these electric floor heating systems are surprisingly easy to install. After a radiant heated floor is installed it won’t take long for that conditioning to transition from an unpleasant one to one of considerable enjoyment. You won’t be avoiding the family room with the cold tile floor. Instead, you’ll be reveling in that room as your feet soak up the warmth from the heated tile floor. Heated floors are the answer to providing inviting warmth to tile floors.

Radiant heated tile floor

Installing a heated floor is not that difficult and it really beats the comfort of portable heaters or electric panel heaters. In some cases, you don’t even need to tear out the existing tile floor to install radiant heat. If you can access the floor joists from below, then you can retrofit your tile floors with luxurious radiant heat to create the beautiful, warm home you always envisioned. Warmzone offers two outstanding floor heating systems that you can retrofit your floors with, FloorHeat and RetroHeat. Call a radiant heat expert today to learn about these two systems and find out which one would be best for heating your tile floors. Of course, if you want to redo the tile floors in your home, then you can choose from a variety of other radiant floor heating systems to install with your new tile. The bottom line this: you don’t have to live with cold floors or cold feet. Radiant floor heat is an affordable option!

For remodeling jobs, you won’t find a better floor heating option than ComfortTile radiant heat systems. Install the ComfortTile heat cable (or mats) over the subfloor and apply your finished surface over that and you have a room that you will look forward to visiting. Sensors in the floor will communicate with the thermostat in the wall and keep that room just the way you like it. Not only does radiant floor heat eliminate “cold feet”, but the efficient heat rises from the floor to provide comfortable warmth for the whole room. Radiant heat is truly a luxurious heat that needs to be experienced to be fully appreciated.

And each room can be controlled separately by its own thermostat, making radiant in-floor heating extremely energy efficient. The thermostats can also be fully programmable, so they can be programmed to warm the home just before you get up each morning and/or when you get home from work, or however you see fit. Radiant floor heating is here to stay, so don’t hesitate to learn more about your many options, and increase your comfort as well as the value of your home. Just make sure that you work with a reputable company that has truly earned the reputation of being among the best. And also, be sure to work with a provider that also includes full radiant heat system engineering and design services – like Warmzone. After all, a radiant floor heating system is only as good as its installation.

HOTNEWS

Hydronic and Electric Radiant Heating Systems – Comparing Operational Costs

If you’ve decided to add a heated driveway or underfloor heating system to your list of home improvement projects, hydronic heat might be the popular choice, but it’s not necessarily the best, or least expensive way to go. Electric radiant heat is a new, equally viable option that may give you some pause when it comes time to fork over that cash you’ve been stashing for your home improvement projects.

Installing a hydronic heated floor. Pex tubing being installed in Rau Panel.

Let’s say you are considering adding radiant heat to your bathroom-remodeling project. In a small space, typical heating times can make all the difference, right down to the floorboards. A hydronic heated floor system installation requires PEX tubing placed 1½-2 inches into a cement slab for optimal results. At this depth, you could be waiting a few hours for things to heat up. To avoid the inconvenience of those long wait times, most homeowners tend to leave their hydronic heat systems on throughout the winter months, consuming more energy. An electric radiant heated floor can reduce that wait time by as much as 6½ hours. Radiant heating mats can be easily rolled out above the sub-floor, just under the flooring material, and can heat a tile floor in 30 to 60 minutes flat. With more reasonable wait times, programming the system to turn on and off potentially saves you more dollars, and frankly, makes more sense.

Installation costs tend to be higher for hydronic heating systems. Returning to our bathroom project, the $300 to $400 you would expect to spend installing a radiant heated floor will cost you upwards of $4,000 to $5,000. The upfront investment for equipment, labor and floor height issues make hydronic systems cost prohibitive in small- to medium-sized areas. Hydronic systems require a boiler, which accounts for a big chunk of the budget. Unlike radiant heated floor mats, hydronic floor heating systems also elevate the floor by a couple of inches, a significant difference that can cause big problems for you during your bathroom remodeling job. Radiant heated flooring installed will elevate the floor by only ⅛ of an inch. In this scenario, at least, it probably would not make much sense to run a series of tubing for a hydronic system in your bathroom.

Placing heat cable in the grooves of a floor heating insulation panel

Installing heat cable in a floor heating insulation panel.

Of course there is the issue of maintenance and repairs. Hydronic systems circulate continuously, and rely on a system of valves and manifolds prone to sedimentation, mechanical problems and maintenance issues. If a hydronic heating system installation is faulty, it is difficult to find a leak, and because of the nature of the installation, even if the leak is found, it is difficult to repair. With electric radiant heat systems, fault detectors can pinpoint the exact location of a break. After breaking just one or two tiles, the electric cable can be spliced and the tiles replaced, a far better (and less costly) scenario than I’m imagining with our hydronic heated bathroom floor. Fortunately, Warmzone’s electric floor heating systems are built to last and feature the best warranty in the business. Generally, most homeowners opt for electric radiant heating. It’s well suited for small- to mid-sized home improvement projects. And the initial investment is modest enough that you won’t find yourself over your head, or under water when it’s time to tap into your home improvement budget.

ComfortTile floor heating mat, cable and thermostat

      ComfortTile floor heating mat, cable and thermostat.

The floor heating mat features pre-spaced heat cable woven into a durable mat that simplifies the installation process.

Radiant Snow Melting for the Masses

We are nearing the end of another snow season, one that has been especially brutal in terms of snowfall, and it’s likely that most of us have grown tired of shoveling snow from our driveways. As you sit to rest your aching back, imagine a winter without having to shovel snow or throw down any deicing salt. Enter radiant heated driveways and snowmelt systems. Electric radiant snow melting systems are not just a fantasy anymore; they are the ticket to easy snow removal, and a much more pleasant winter.

Radiant heated driveway

What used to be regarded as a luxury for exclusive upscale neighborhoods is now a reality for all of us. Given the custom options and affordability of radiant snow melting systems, heated driveways, steps and walkways have become increasingly popular among homeowners and businesses alike. Warmzone electric snow melting systems are fully automated, extremely durable and are built to last a lifetime.

The advancements in technology have translated into many benefits for consumers, including a wide range affordable installation options. Radiant snow melting systems can be installed in new and existing driveways, and in just about any type of custom configuration. Whether you want your whole driveway surface heated or just the tire tracks or other specific areas, Warmzone can design the ideal snow melting system for you.

Snow melting systems consist of a heat cable or wiring system installed within the surface of the driveway or sidewalk. When conditions for snow are present, a sensor will automatically signal the control unit which actives the system. The surface is heated and your driveway is now a “snow-free zone”. How much more convenient can it get than arriving at home on a snowy day to a nice clear driveway? No shoveling required!

Articles

Electric Radiant Floor Heat vs. Baseboard Heating (Part II)

The Top Benefits of Radiant Floor Heating aver Baseboard Heating

Read Part I

Radiant heated floors certainly beat baseboard heaters in several aspects, but perhaps the crowning feature of heated floors is the maximum flexibility they offer consumers.

Electric radiant heating offers three main aspects of flexibility that baseboard heating systems don’t: installation freedom, variety, and custom design plans.

Installation Freedom
Baseboard heaters can usually be installed in any room, whether the house is old or new. Finding the wall space, however, can be a tricky task. Additionally, having to rearrange your room to accommodate a baseboard heater is far from convenient.

Heated bathroom floor

Radiant heated floors, on the other hand, can go in any room on any surface. Whether you’re building a brand new home or sprucing up an old one, you can experience the benefits of radiant floor heating. Plus, you’ll never have to worry about keeping your furniture away from a dangerous heater. Feel free to place that fabulous new sofa wherever you see fit.

Additionally, heated floors can be installed on virtually any surface you can think of. Install one in your carpeted living room, your hardwood dining room, your tiled bathroom, or all of the above.

Variety
When it comes to choosing a baseboard heater, there aren’t that many options to choose from. All baseboard heaters are essentially the same poor quality mechanism that leave much to be desired.

With a Warmzone radiant heated floor system, however, you have a slew of high-quality products to choose from. Whether you choose ComfortTile heating mats, In-Slab heat cables, FilmHeat panels, or FoilHeat, you’re sure to be satisfied with your heated floors for years to come.

Heated bathroom floor

Custom Design Plans
Perhaps the greatest part about switching to radiant heated floors is the unparalleled service from Warmzone. When you are ready to make the switch from baseboard heating to electric radiant heated floors, the friendly Warmzone staff will walk you through the whole process from start to finish.

We’ll design a radiant heat system tailored to your specific needs. We realize your needs aren’t the same as the next customer’s, and we’ll design a customized plan of action (complete with CADs) to make sure that your radiant heated floors not only meet but exceed your expectations.

When it comes down to it, there’s just no reason to continue to wallow in your baseboard heating blues. Radiant heated floors offer superior efficiency, quality, and convenience that baseboard heaters couldn’t even think of touching. Say no to noisy, unsightly heaters and yes to cozy, consistent heated floors that will keep you, your family, and your wallet happy all winter long.

Radiant Heat News

Low Profile, Electric Underfloor Heat

Efficient, Discreet Radiant Heat

Radiant heat has been around many years now for very good reasons. Electric underfloor heating is just plain hard to beat when it comes to ways of providing efficient heat for your home or business. I’m sure you have heard of heated floor technology by now. Rows of heat cable, mats or other heating elements are laid out on the subfloor and the finish surface is applied over that. ComfortTile floor heating cable is a proven, and commonly chosen radiant heat system that is easy to install, and has become the workhorse of radiant heating systems. ComfortTile systems offer a single point connection, allowing you to connect one end to the thermostat and be done. No need to “loop” or connect the other end to a controller.

FoilHeat and FloorHeat are also excellent choices when there is need to keep the profile extremely low. Both floor heating systems are almost paper thin, and the low profile also makes FloorHeat idea for discreet roof heating systems (aka, RoofHeat STEP). Both FoilHeat and FloorHeat systems come in rolls that are conveniently rolled out for easy installation. Virtually any finish surface can be applied over the top. The FloorHeat system is also a low-voltage, self-regulating floor heating system.

One of the nice features of a radiant heated floor system is that you program or control zones separately, so you can shut down any rooms that you aren’t using. There is not a more comfortable and energy-efficient heat solution than an electric radiant floor heating system. It’s simply a heat that can’t be beat.