Topic: Product & Installation Information / New install while renovating

Thanks, Keith!
The breaker on the line is not GFI for sure, but outlets are with GFI … which means that thermostat’s GFI and outlets’ GFI will be in parallel not in sequence …
Should be working …
Thanks,
Sergei

Topic: Product & Installation Information / New install while renovating

Sergei,

We always suggest that systems be on a dedicated breaker. The reason for this is that it makes the possible troubleshooting of systems easier should that occur and also keeps load down on the circuit and saves systems from overloading in that fashion. Now, a 10 foot roll only utilizes 1.88 Amps meaning that both rolls for both systems would utilize 3.76 Amps in total which in the grand scheme of household systems is barely anything.
The only other problem I would imagine could arise would be when the breaker comes into play. Many breakers nowadays are GFI (Ground Fault Interruptor) active meaning they have a GFI already built into them. NEC code these days requires a GFI active breaker for a bathroom or GFI outlets to be installed in the bathroom or a combination of both. The thermostats for our systems already have built in GFI’s and GFI’s on the same circuit do not get along. The GFI that is first in the line will normally trip off the secondary almost every time creating problems. This would mean that your shared breaker would need to be a standard breaker, non-GFI active and depending on code, may not be advisable. It may be best to also check with a local electrician on this subject just to verify that you could surpass this obstacle.
Hopefully that will help you in your endeavor! If you should need any other questions answered, please let us know!
Thank you Sergei!

Topic: Product & Installation Information / New install while renovating

Hi!
I’m planning to install TempZone in my bathrooms – on the first floor and in the basement.Bathrooms have only one 120V line from the panel – which powers vanity lights and wall outlets there … to get a new dedicated line from the panel would require almost a full house demolition…
Both systems will consist of SmartStat and 10-15B-120T roll.
Any troubles you can foresee in this situation?
Thanks,
Sergei

Topic: Product & Installation Information / Environ II in basement under wood

SMA,

Your recommended system installation method sounds perfectly sound to me. The one thing I would also mention is that if the Kahrs own underlayment is sufficient in relation to thickness and R value (at least 1/4 inch thick for maximum insulating underlayment effectiveness and 2.6 R) then the cork underlayment would not be necessary. If that is not the case, then stick with what you so succinctly concluded! Let us know if we can help with anything else!
Thanks SMA!

Topic: General Questions / ants

Jane,

To be honest, not being an entomologist, I am not certain what ants would be attracted to in relation to heat or cold. I do know that ants do ‘hibernate’ during the winter months and are most active during the summer which, coming to the most logical conclusion, would mean that heat is a more attractive atmosphere for them. I dont know if a floor heating system will act as an attractant for said ants year around, but to be certain, may I suggest asking Orkin or a similar pest control company (http://www.orkin.com/). It may also be prudent to schedule a pest control person to aid you in getting rid of your ant problem once and for all! Should you have any other questions or concerns, do not hesitate to contact us further.
Thank you Jane!

Topic: General Questions / ants

I’m thinking of installing warmly yours over a slab in the family room.I have had problems in the past with little brown ants that come out in the spring. I’m wondering if the heat in the floor will encourage them to come in year round?

Topic: Product & Installation Information / Environ II in basement under wood

Thanks for the reply. So, let me see if I’ve got it straight.

Kahrs does not have the underlayment attached, but they do require their own underlayment to keep the warranty in place. You recommend cork as an insulator over concrete, I believe.

So is this recommended sequence: concrete floor, cork, Kahrs underlayment, heat mat, wood flooring?

Topic: Troubleshooting / GFCI Shuts off System

John,

All apologies for not having posted something much sooner, but our online systems have undergone some recent changes.

More than likely, taking into consideration all of your current information about the GFI, the breaker, and Ohms readings, it is possible that the thermostat GFI is not operating as it should.
I would ask however what sort of Ohms readings were taken. There should be all of four readings taken off a floor heating mat. These consist of a core to core reading, ground sheath to ground sheath reading, and a core to ground reading on each end with the Ohms meter set on a 0 to 200 scale. the core to ground readings should return with 0 or infinity depending on the Ohms meter constituting that there should be no continuity between the core wires and the ground wires. The core to core and ground to ground readings however should return with set numbers.
Depending on what sort of readings you return with may tell us more appropriatly what you would need in regards to your system. If you should feel it best, by all means contact our technical support staff directly at 800-875-5285.
We hope that we can get this issue solved for you soon and in the meantime, if there are any other questions we can answer for you, please do not hesitate to let us know! Thanks John!

Topic: Product & Installation Information / Recommend Thickness of Materials Above Product?

Ryan,

Sorry for not having replied sooner, we have been going through some system changes as of late.

Honestly, what you suggest will most certainly adversely affect the system. Considering that tile is generally anywhere from 1/4 to 1/2 of an inch thick along with the thinset that is at least a suggested 3/8 inch thick and although this is beneath one inch thick, the system can only handle a total floor thickness above it of one inch before the heat output of the system is greatly affected.
A flooring thickness of over one inch above the system will still receive heat, however the thicker the flooring, the more heatloss you will receive.
Let us know if there is anything else we can help answer for you! Thanks Ryan!

Topic: Product & Installation Information / Environ II in basement under wood

SMA,

We apologize for not having posted a reply sooner. We are currently going through some system changes.

In reply, insulating over concrete is almost a necessity. A concrete slab will act like a giant heatsink, pulling anywhere from 10 to 20 degrees worth of the heat output into it before the heating system ever heats the flooring above.
Some engineered flooring has the underlayment attached to it as oppose to a loose underlayment. If this is the case, underlayment other than that which is attached to the flooring is needed as the underlayment attached to the flooring will push the heat back downwards.
Environ II is installed atop the subfloor (or atop the underlayment if the subfloor is concrete) and below the engineered or floating flooring.
Please let us know if you should have any other questions! Thanks SMA!

Topic: Product & Installation Information / Recommend Thickness of Materials Above Product?

I have a tile floor that already has a Warmly Yours product installed under it. This installation is in a 3rd floor bathroom over heated space. Unfortunately the tile floor is very far out of level. If I pour a self-leveling compound over top of the first layer of tile and then lay another layer of tile on top of the leveling compound, will that adversely affect the performance of the Warmly Yours product?

Perhaps phrased another way, is there a recommended thickness of materials over top of the Warmly Yours product that should not be exceeded?

Topic: Product & Installation Information / Environ II in basement under wood

I am considering using the Environ II system in our basement under Kahrs floating engineered hardwood.

I’m a little confused on the underlayment…I read that an insulating over concrete is recommended. Is that in addition to the Kahrs’ underlayment?
Where are the Environ mats installed, directly beneath the wood?

Edit: the title should say under wood

Topic: Troubleshooting / Floor only heats to 82

Don, sorry about the wait on a response. Is the concrete slab insulated? If not, you may be dealing with heat loss to the slab, in which the heating system is going to want to heat the cooler concrete before you start feeling heat through the flooring. This generally causes longer warm up times as well as lower temperatures at the floor. Please give our technical support staff a call, and we will see what we can do for you.

Seth

Topic: Troubleshooting / Floor only heats to 82

More information. I checked the voltage from the source and then at the wires to the floor. I get .5 volt drop.

Topic: Troubleshooting / Floor only heats to 82

We just finished our install and tested the system. We set the system to 104 about 2.5 hours ago. It seems to have stopped heating at 82-83 degrees. Is this normal?

The floor is ceramic tile on concrete.

Don

Topic: Troubleshooting / GFCI Shuts off System

I have a Honeywell 7-day thermostat, model HWF1GA-15-120. The radiant coils were installed under ceramic tile two weeks ago and functioned well until yesterday. The GFI tripped and I have not been able to reset. The thermostat is on a dedicated 20 amp breaker not GFI protected. The ohms readings are within range so I am confident there isn’t a short in the floor coils. Please advise.

Topic: Product & Installation Information / First Time Installer

Jeff,

As long as the dip isn’t too significant there should be no problem using either SLC or thinset to level the floor. Make sure that the product you are using is latex, acrylic, or polymer modified and you should be fine! I would say no more than an inch of material over the top of our heating system – including tile thickness. Hope this helps! Let me know if there’s anything else I can do for you!

Seth

Topic: Product & Installation Information / First Time Installer

Seth,

Should I embed the mat in SLC or use thinset? I plan on doing the 2-step installation to help ease the tile installation. Currnently, I have the plywood subfloor with 1/4” hardibacker installed on top of that. I have a slight dip in the room that I was planning on making up with the embedding product.

Thanks again!

Jeff

Topic: Product & Installation Information / system amps

Hi Slim, welcome to the forum -glad to hear that your install went well! The lead wires on our mats are about a 14 gauge stranded wire, but running the power to the thermostat with 12-2 is absolutely fine.

I wouldn’t recommend running anymore than 15 amps through the Smartstat, while it will work at maximum amp capacity, it will take its toll on the unit over time.

I hope this info helps, don’t hesitate to contact us again if there are any other questions.

-Seth

Topic: Product & Installation Information / system amps

Hi All, Just got done laying the mat under my granite floor, All went well.
I have a question about the breaker amperage.

My electrician put the floor on a unused circuit in my box. All the the breakers are 20 amp.
The bath is wired for this via
12-2/g on another circuit.

Is the heat map designed with 12 or 14 gauge wiring
And is the energystat like a typical switch, Rated for 15 amps but will handle 20 amps?

thanks for any and all info

Topic: General Questions / Rugs

Welcome to the forum! There shouldn’t be a problem with the area rugs over the heated flooring. The area under the rug might get a little warmer due to the fact that the heat will build up a little bit under it, but this should not cause any damage to the flooring or rug.

Seth

Topic: General Questions / Rugs

I plan on installing Warmly Yours under engineered hardwood (240V). Will it be alright to have area rugs? What kind of damage could result… To the heating? Flooring? Rugs? And how about with heating under ceramic tiles i.e bathmats. Thanks.

Topic: Product & Installation Information / Whole house

Chris,

Electric radiant heat can definitely be used throughout your house. Are you looking to use it as a primary heat source? If you have a blueprint, feel free to send it to our engineering department, and we will be able to come up with a layout and cost estimate for your project.

Seth

Topic: Product & Installation Information / Wiring 6 mats

Terry,

If you are using a 240v system the wires in the romex should be black, red, and green or bare copper. You are correct in your wiring though; each Environ lead wire has three wires in it (2 black and a green/yellow), Take one black from each lead and connect it to the black or red in the romex, take the other black and connect it to whichever black or red romex you haven’t used yet, and the green/yellows will all connect to green or bare copper. I hope this is a little more clear than my last post, please give me a call if you need any more assistance.

Seth
800.875.5285 ext815

Topic: Product & Installation Information / Wiring 6 mats

Seth – thanks for the answer. You’ve cleared up some things, but I’m sorry I wasn’t more specific. I’m installing Environ II under floated bamboo hardwood; because of the size of the room your wizards decided I needed a 240 volt system. If I need a different type of romex for a 240 volt system I’ll get it. I’m going to be running the wires from the mats down through the floor (the best alternative, trust me, and Chad says it’s OK) and then across the basement to underneath where the thermostat will be.

I still need to understand how a ‘junction box’ can be used. My assumption is that the wires from the 6 mats can be gathered into the junction box (in my case in the basement) and connected to the appropriate wires in the romex (i.e. 6 #1 wires to black, six #2 to white (or vice versa) and 6 green/yellow to bare) and then one romex wire goes to the thermostat. Does that sound right?

Thanks – Terry