Are you a DIYer looking for electric radiant floors? I have been—and what a confusing product to shop for. I am in the process of finishing my basement and have looked at all sorts of heating systems. My criteria for this system is that it must be: affordable, relatively easy for a DIYer to install and a system that would produce comfortable heat, zone control and more. Electric radiant seemed to fit the bill, but which product to choose? This can be a confusing process since there are so many types—120v vs. 240v, mats vs. cables, programmability vs. no programmability—and the list is long. After shopping and researching for some time, I stumbled across EZ Floor Heat. This site didn't convey a strong brand that I like to see when making a purchase online but the price was right. I decided that I should at least call before ruling them out. What a great experience it was speaking with one of their service technicians. He made this decision a no-brainer for me. With his detailed explanations about the twin cable system (canceling virtually all EMF), amperage usage and electrical needs, analysis of my rooms and the systems that would work the best, I decided to make the purchase. I got all this great service and he didn't even know where I worked. Nice work, EZ Floor Heat. After the installation is complete, I will report back with the results.
Did you also know that you can use that same or similar heating element on concrete floors as well. You can use stamped concrete over top of the elements and have your floor look like tile in the bathroom, but be concrete which is very low maintenance.
My husband and I purchased multiple floor warming systems from this company, and had a great experience. When first looking for floor warming, we had no idea we could install it ourselves, but with a little help from their technical service department, we now have radiant floor heat in all the bathrooms of our house. We are now thinking of putting it in our basement, and have no hesitation of taking on the project.
Technical support is indeed important when you select an electric floor heating company. While the installation is relatively simple and often trouble-free, it is good to be able to discuss different topics such as insulation or voltage selection with a qualified customer service rep.
The EMF factor mentioned in the article is a non-issue though. The EMF topic does come up from time to time on certain websites. Why? Because manufacturers can choose mainly between 2 different product designs: single conductor or dual conductor. There are pros and cons for each and ultimately, it does not matter that much which one you go with. One has the advantage of having just one lead to connect between the mat and the thermostat (instead of 2 leads: one lead runs from the begining of the mat, and the other runs from the end of the mat). It's nice to have 1 lead only, except that this lead ends up being thicker. This means it is also a little harder for the flooring contractor to install because the floor can't be leveled the same way over that thicker wire. Another advantage of the 1-lead mat system is that it does cancel out the very little EMF that a 2-lead mat will emit. However, for both mat types, EMF is a non-issue (Way way below the guidelines recommended by health associations), but some manufacturers with the 1-lead mat figured out it would be a good selling point.
An FAQ with more information about EMF, insulation or other popular radiant heating questions can be found here: http://www.warmlyyours.com/faq/
If you're thinking about using floor heating, use these guys. They were great. Pricing, service, and technical support was all there.
Saw a link to this blog from their website, and thought I would post a comment. Thanks!
A good electric floor heating system is much more affordable than any other method of radiant heating. Although hydronic (fluid based) systems are good, they are more a lot more difficult to install, and require regular maintenance. This maintenance should be performed by a professional contractor, and can be very expensive over the life of the system. If you are looking for a trouble free way to provide floor warming in your kitchen, basement, bathroom, or sunroom, this is a great way to go. ENJOY!
A good electric floor heating system is much more affordable than any other method of radiant heating. Although hydronic (fluid based) systems are good, they are more a lot more difficult to install, and require regular maintenance. This maintenance should be performed by a professional contractor, and can be very expensive over the life of the system. If you are looking for a trouble free way to provide floor warming in your kitchen, basement, bathroom, or sunroom, this is a great way to go. ENJOY!
