Radiant Floor Heating Efficient and Economical from Devex Systems

Radiant Floor Heating:
The Economical and Efficient Way of Heating Your Home

There's no question that the heating system you choose for your home will be a long term investment, so it's important to find a product that enhances the quality and comfort of your home and doesn't take away from it.

Why Floor 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. These virtually silent floor heating systems won't dry the air or circulate unwanted dust/allergens like forced air, portable or fan heaters.

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.

Floor heating hinges upon the idea of invisible heat, meaning that heat can be felt not seen - so you can do away with any free standing heaters or vents that are an eye sore to your home and add unwanted clutter to your living space. Given that hot air rises, floor heating will heat the room from the ground up - a popular feature for those that tend to have cold feet and a great way to ensure comfortable, lasting warmth. This form of heating continues to grow in popularity in many parts of Australia thanks to the temperate climate in the mid to south-east and south-west parts of the country.

Your Floor Heating Options - Electric or Hydronic

There are two options for floor heating - Hydronic systems or Electric systems. Both systems are embedded under the floor structure. Depending on your budget and the application, you may find a particular system is more suited to your needs.

Floor heating goes particularly well under hard floor surfaces making it ideal for bathrooms, kitchens and open entertaining areas.

Anyone working on the hook up of your floor heating system, should be a licensed professional and must comply with all Australian electrical standards for electric floor heating and both electric and gas standards for hydronic floor heating.

For more product-specific information on electric and hydronic floor heating systems, please visit the following websites:

www.devi.com.au
www.fha.com.au

Electric Floor Heating

Electric floor heating is a great option for bathrooms and living spaces and is commonly used in retrofit projects. It is equally as suitable to both small and large areas from 1m2 upwards. They are extremely reliable and are incredibly flexible in terms of size, shape design and compatibility with different surface coverings. They are easily controlled and are operated by a simple "on" and "off" switch that is usually paired with a manual or programmable thermostat.

How it works:

Systems: In-Screed, In-Adhesive, In-Slab, Under Timber

Depending on the application and personal preference of the home owner, either of these systems can be installed using loose cables or mats. There are generally three different systems that can suit particular design requirements:

Electric Heating Cables in SCREED BED
- In screed heating consists of heating cables fixed on top of the floor structure using a light steel mesh or fixing strips. The cables are embedded in a sand/cement bed which then becomes heated and warms the floor covering. In screed heating is considered to be a 'direct' acting system although it does have some storage. This system is the best option for rooms that have some flexibility in the height of the floor. Typically embedded in 20-30 mm of screed, usually at the time of construction, these systems can raise the floor of an existing room by 30 mm in addition to the floor tile. The benefit to this system lies in its ability to hold the heat for a much longer period of time when compared with an adhesive system. Generally speaking, these systems take up to 1.5 hrs. to heat up and will give off heat for the same period of time once the system has been turned off. This system works well for areas that are irregularly shaped and installation is recommended by a trained professional. Click here to learn more about this system.

Electric Heating Cables in CONCRETE FLOOR SLAB ("storage system")
- In slab heating consists of heating cable that is typically fixed to the top layer of the slab reinforcement, prior to the slab being poured. The heating cables heat up the slab, in turn warming the floor covering above. Cables are laid on the top mesh in about 30-40 mm of concrete and run during off-peak hours to cut energy costs and maximize the efficiency of the system. During peak hours, the system runs on the stored energy accumulated during off-peak hours. This system is usually used in new construction before the slab is laid. Click here to learn more about this system.

Electric Heating Cables in TILE ADHESIVE
- Under tile heating consists of a thin heating cable 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. Cables can be placed in a tile adhesive of at least 5 - 15 mm depending on the design requirements of the room and the personal preference of the home owner. An ideal option for retrofit and new construction projects, this "on-demand" system is quick to respond to a change in the thermostatic reading. Located immediately under the heated surface, it tends to be the fastest floor heating system on the market. One thing to keep in mind with this particular system is that installation costs can be a bit on the high side, but running costs have the potential to be quite low. Click here here to learn more about this system.

Electric Heating Cables WITH INSULATION FOR UNDER FLOATING TIMBER FLOORS

- This system consists of heating cables that are fixed to an insulated panel that is specifically designed to spread the cable out at 100 mm centres. Recommended for use under manufactured floating timber floors, the panels polystyrene insulation ensures that any heat loss downwards is minimized and its aluminium surface ensures a uniform distribution of heat transfer to the timber floor. Click here to learn more about this system.

* Polystyrene insulation is generally recommended at the time of any system installation to minimise heat loss and ensure the highest level of energy efficiency and cost savings.

*It is important to review your state building code before installation to ensure the system complies with current regulations.

For more information on electric floor heating systems, please click here

Application
Electric floor heating is ideal for bathrooms, kitchens and open entertaining areas and works well under cold floor coverings such as marble, stone, slate and all varieties of tiles. It's also fabulous under carpet and timber floors. Please note that if used under carpet, cables must be laid in a sand/cement bed or levelling screed.

Installation
The installation of an electric floor heating system is generally straight forward, although depending on the system, the level of complexity can vary. It is very important that care is taken during the install. To avoid complications, the laying of the mat needs to be done properly from the start!

Maintenance
Electric floor heating systems are virtually maintenance free so long as they have been properly installed at the front end with no damages to the cables. If the cable damage is small, it is usually easily fixed. Once they have been installed, good quality cables have a lifespan of upwards of thirty years.

Cost
Electric floor heating is a cost-effective heating solution when properly used. The upfront cost of an electric system is less than that of a hydronic system, but generally speaking, a hydronic system has lower running costs when calculated over a period of time.

For more product-specific information please visit, www.devi.com.au