In-Slab & In-Screed Heating Systems from Wet-Seal Australia

The Invention of In-Screed Heating

In-slab and in screed heating systems use energy and deliver comfort in remarkably different ways. This is due, primarily, to the location of the heating cables, their inherent responsiveness and ability to manage even the smallest areas individually.

This document outlines some of the key differences between these competing technologies and highlights exactly how modern control technology delivers a superior level of comfort and phenomenal savings when matched with the more flexible of the two heating cables.

In-Slab Systems Waste Energy Heating Empty Rooms

In-Slab floor heating systems use a home's concrete slab as a monolithic heat sink. A vast, almost frightening amount of energy is used to gradually heat the subfloor until warmth can enter the home only hours or days later. The problems are obvious: homeowners must still rely on secondary heat sources to cope with unexpected cold weather, unheated rooms will put a significant drag on performance as heat leaches horizontally through the slab, and energy is expended on heating a home that is empty for nearly the entire day.

So, while in-slab heating systems can be connected to off-peak power, they are certainly not efficient or effective. Put simply, energy � no matter how cheaply it is purchased � is wasted on empty bedrooms, dining rooms, lounges, kitchens, etc. during the day.

In-Screed Technology was Invented For Good Reason

While in-slab and in-screed heaters share the same health and wellbeing benefits, their differing levels of responsiveness create a clear disparity in terms of programmability and energy savings. The culprit? In-slab systems heat and cool very slowly so cannot respond to changes in the ambient room temperature as freezing mornings become warm afternoons and then cool evenings. Thermal lag prevents the system from delivering the correct amount of heat.

In-screed heaters are different. They warm very quickly and will respond at least every 90 seconds to ensure energy is expended only when it's actually needed. This means that the system will automatically consume less energy as the day warms up as opposed to consuming the rated maximum throughout the night. Best of all, this unrivalled responsiveness allows homeowners to automate their system on a room-by-room basis while still enjoying the experience of whole home heating. Consider the following scenario:

An ensuite can be programmed to turn on at 6AM so that it is ready for the occupants at 7AM. When the occupants enter the ensuite, the system will turn off (taking as long to cool down as it does to warm up.) During the day the system will maintain a low energy-sipping temperature before turning on again in the evening.

As far as the occupants are concerned, the ensuite was heated for the entire day. In reality, it only ran for less than 8% of the day.

This same principle is applied to every room so that heat can be made to follow the family about their home. Unlike in-slab systems, even the smallest of rooms is independently automated so that adjacent vacant areas do not hamper performance or add to energy costs.

Summary

Radiant floor heating is healthy and natural feeling, and thanks to modern manufacturing methods it is now affordable too. Where families would sink thousands of dollars a year into heating a concrete slab just in case they were home, new technology allows heat to be targeted in very specific places at very specific times and only when its genuinely needed.

Seemingly cheap off peak power must not be confused for efficiency or effectiveness. In reality, a properly designed surface-fixed floor heating system will always deliver much better performance and lower running costs.

Wet-seal will gladly prepare a no obligation design and specification that compares the running costs of both types of systems. The savings may astound.

Contact: www.wet-seal.ws Ph: AUST: 1800 025 081, NZ: 0800 436 000