APPLICATIONS
Electric floor heating is a great option commonly used in retrofit projects. Suitable for both small and large areas from 1m² upwards, electric floor heating is an excellent solution to heat kitchens, bathrooms, laundry or living areas that need added comfort during the winter months. These installations are suitable for most floor coverings, including tiles, stone, vinyl, carpet, wood, and laminate. Electric floor heating is installed with cables, such as our X Cables that are placed in screed or in slab, and heating mats, such as our X Mats that are placed under the floor covering, raising the floor by a few millimetres only.
INSTALLATION OVERVIEW
Cables are a flexible option for underfloor heating. The heating cables are spaced across the floor close together or further apart, to create the level of heating desired. The closer the cables are placed, the warmer the floor and the faster the room will heat. Cables can also be used when the floor area is an unusual shape, small, or if the cables need to be arranged around a fixed object, making them an ideal option for retrofitting. Mats are the ready made version of the cable installation, and a great option for DYIers. The mats consist of a thin heating cable that is pre-laid on a self-adhesive fibreglass mesh. It sits in the glue or levelling screed, which then becomes heated and warms the floor covering. As the mat can be laid on the sub floor, it’s installed easily under the floor covering. Although the application of your underfloor heating will influence the most efficient installation for your circumstances, the wattage needed will also influence what X Cable or X Mat is suitable for your particular installation. The wattage is the measure for heat output and with underfloor heating, the measure used is watts per square metre.
EFFICIENCY OF RADIANT HEATING
There are not many heating solutions that efficiently heat a room from the ground up. Most products only heat the air, increasing the likelihood of heat loss and causing energy bills to be higher than necessary, but thanks to the science of radiant heat, floor heating warms people and objects – not the air. This makes floor heating a much more efficient heating option, and a safe bet for a gentle, lasting and uniform heat distribution across your entire floor surface. Common forms of traditional heating like conventional radiators and forced air systems can be inefficient, due to the immediate heat loss that occurs as the heat cools to meet the existing air temperature. These systems do not distribute heat evenly throughout the room, because the heat is usually released from a point location, as opposed to uniformly throughout the floor surface, making it more challenging to reach a desired level of comfort for an extended period of time.
ELECTRIC UNDERFLOOR HEATING ESSENTIALS
X Thermostat range of thermostats are specifically designed to work with the X Cable and X Mat range of products. They ensure simple and precise control of floor heating systems and other radiant heating systems, like ceiling heating. There are over 6 different models to select from, all with sleek, modern designs and the latest technology including Wi-Fi options. X Gas Boiler X Mats are a twin conducting electric heating floor mat that generates very low EMF. For use directly on concrete, fibre cement sheet or F-Board insulation, the mat is also used within thin adhesive beds or floor levelling compounds for a minimal increase in floor height. X Cables X Cable heating cables are used in a wide variety of applications, including direct acting, storage, and background floor heating systems. Other uses include ice and snow melting, as well as agricultural and industrial applications. They can be suitable for use in concrete slabs, sand/cement screeds, mortar beds, levelling beds, and specialist applications. Floor heating cable applications are often covered with carpet, tiles, vinyl, timber or other floor finishes, including polished concrete toppings.