Radiant Floor Heat

Current Electrical Contractors is a certified Pentair/Nuheat electric floor heat installer and certified to do repairs on damaged electric floor heat installations.

Heated Floor Installation

Our electricians near Evanston often install electric floor heat in mud rooms, foyers, bathrooms, kitchens and any room that people might enjoy being barefoot in. It can be installed in two ways.

In the first technique, a cable is run from a one side of the room to the other. The cable is run back and forth every three inches and attached to the floor at each end in a complete loop. Depending on the size of the room the cable can carry 120 or 240 volts. The cables are then secured in a thin layer of concrete. The tile or marble floor is installed on top. There are two types of cables, the heating cables and the non-heating leads. The non-heating leads are run to a thermostat location and a temperature sensor is installed in the floor. When the thermostat is turned up, the cables are energized and warm up the floor. The cables give off 12 watts per square foot of heating. The thermostat is a smart device that can be controlled remotely from a computer or smart phone.

In the second installation method, our electricians near Evanston use factory made rubber mats. The mats have heating cables installed inside with non-heating leads coming out in order to connect to the thermostat. The mats are created in standard sizes but can also be custom made to fit the space. A thin layer of concrete is poured over the mats with the flooring installed on top.

Heated Floor Repairs

Unfortunately, the heating mats or cables can be damaged when not handled properly. Flooring contractors who do not know they are working with a heated floor can easily damage the electricity by running a razor knife along the grout lines cutting the cables or by drilling holes to install a door stop.

Current Electrical Contractors uses equipment to easily locate the break and repair. However, the floor needs to be opened in order to close the break with a butt splice connector from the manufacturer. Then the tile, marble or wood floor can be replaced. If there are too many breaks in the floor, it may not be repairable. When our electricians near Evanston do new installations, we use a safety device called a “Loudmouth tester”. This battery powered device is attached to both non heating leads and the ground wire. A very low current is run through the cable during construction. If there is a break or short circuit the Loudmouth tester makes a sound and lights an LED indicator light.

5 Reasons to Love Radiant Floor Heat

• Hear the silence: Unlike forced air systems, which hum and swoosh, radiant heat systems are quiet with no sounds of air echoing through vents or furnaces firing up.
• Feel the still: Radiant heat transfers heat from tubes or panels directly to your feet. No air rushes into or around the room, preventing drafts and static electricity that literally stands your hair on end.
• Breathe the air: Radiant heat is better for people with allergies because it doesn’t kick up dust or pollen that swirls through the air and up your nose.
• Change the plan: Radiant heat is easiest to install in new construction, but it can also be added to old construction or remodels. Radiant heat mats are easy to install under new tile, while radiant panels fit nicely on ceilings or walls. There’s no need to worry about where to put ducts or registers–radiant heat doesn’t need them.
• Set the temperature: Heated floors can supplement other heat sources and is easy to set to induvial and programmable thermostats. Each room can feel the heat for as long and as high as you want.