Luxury Warmth for a Sunroom in Wauwatosa, WI

This homeowner in Wauwatosa, WI, faced the common challenge of a cold tile floor in their sunroom, making the space unusable during the colder months. WarmlyYours provided an energy-efficient solution by installing a TempZone™ floor warming cable system underneath the tile. The result is a comfortable, inviting sunroom that adds year-round value and luxury to the home, effectively solving the problem of cold tile underfoot.

Project Details

Location: Wauwatosa, WI
Heated Space Type: Sunroom
Heated Square Footage (Coverage Area): 45 sq. ft.
Floor/Surface Type: Tile, Marble, or Stone (Installed over Existing Concrete Slab)
Watts: 678 W
Volts: 120 V
Amps: 5.6 A
Estimated Operating Cost Per Hour: $0.13/hour
- Per Day (8 hours of use): $0.96/day
- Per Month (30 days): $28.80/month
Products Used: TempZone™ Floor Heating Cable (TCT120-3.7W-180), nSpire Touch Programmable Thermostat (UDG4-4999-WY)

Enhancing the Wauwatosa Sunroom

The challenge in this Wauwatosa, WI sunroom was the cold tile/stone flooring situated directly over a concrete slab. Concrete acts as a "heat sink," drawing warmth away from the floor and making the room feel chilly, especially when the home's main HVAC system struggles to condition the space. The homeowner wanted a comfort upgrade that was also energy-efficient.

The solution was a custom-designed electric radiant floor heating system from WarmlyYours, utilizing the flexible TempZone™ Cable for in-floor heating. The cable was installed directly beneath the new tile, providing 45 square feet of floor warming coverage. The system was meticulously laid out at a 3-inch spacing to ensure fast heat-up and a high level of comfort, a critical factor when installing over a cold concrete subfloor. Installation of a system like this is straightforward for a qualified installer, who embeds the cable in a self-leveling cement or thin-set mortar before the final floor surface is laid. This process ensures the radiant system is perfectly placed for optimal heat transfer. The nSpire Touch thermostat offers precise, programmable control, allowing the homeowners to maintain a warm floor only when they use the room, maximizing energy efficiency. The result is a beautifully comfortable, four-season sunroom—a true extension of the living space.

Featured Products

TempZone™ Floor Heating Cable (TCT120-3.7W-180): A durable, twin-conductor heating cable that provides the utmost flexibility for heating irregularly shaped areas and offers customizable spacing (in this case, 3-inch) to deliver 15 watts per square foot of heat. This system is a reliable source of radiant floor heating.
TempZone™ Cable Fixing Plastic Strip (TC-STRIP-PL): Used to easily secure the TempZone™ Cable to the subfloor during installation, ensuring the required 3-inch spacing is maintained for uniform floor warming and optimal heat output.
nSpire Touch Programmable Thermostat (UDG4-4999-WY): A programmable, 3.5” full-color touchscreen thermostat with a built-in Class A GFCI for safety. It allows the homeowner to easily set up a comfortable schedule, ensuring the heated floors are warm exactly when needed, contributing to energy-efficient operation.
Circuit Check (SS-01): An essential installation tool that continuously monitors the heating cable during the installation process. It immediately alerts the installer if the cable is cut or damaged, ensuring the system's integrity before the final flooring is laid.
Electrical Rough-in Kit (FHE-ROUGH-IN-KIT-S3): Provides the necessary components (such as a single gang box and double conduits) to safely and professionally run the power and sensor leads from the in-floor heating system to the thermostat location.
CeraZorb® Insulating Synthetic Cork Underlayment (CZRG-SH5MM-24X24): A highly recommended 5mm insulating underlayment. When installed over a concrete slab, it acts as a thermal break, preventing the heat from sinking into the cold concrete. This ensures the maximum amount of heat is directed up to the tile flooring, leading to faster warm-up times and even greater energy efficiency.

Project Gallery

Sunroom addition with electric floor heating under tile WAUWATOSA, WI

Quotes

These quotes are linked to this showcase and include the products used in this project or recommended for a similar-sized project.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does it cost to run heated floors in a Wauwatosa sunroom?

The cost to run this 45 sq. ft. electric floor heating system in Wauwatosa, WI, is extremely low, calculated at approximately $0.13 per hour. This translates to about $1.04 per day if used for 8 hours. The cost is affordable because radiant heat is only applied directly to the floor when needed.

Can radiant heating replace the main heating system in a sunroom with tile flooring?

In a sunroom, especially one with a concrete subfloor, electric radiant floor heating is generally considered a highly effective supplemental heat source to provide primary floor comfort. However, by using products like CeraZorb® Underlayment and tight 3-inch cable spacing (as in this project), the system is optimized and often provides enough warmth to serve as the main heat source in a well-insulated room.

What type of flooring works best with the TempZone™ Cable system?

The TempZone™ Cable system is ideal for installation beneath thermal mass materials like tile, marble, and natural stone—the type of flooring used in this project. These materials absorb and retain the heat exceptionally well, broadcasting the gentle, consistent radiant comfort efficiently throughout the sunroom.

Is electric radiant floor heating an energy-efficient heating solution?

Yes, electric radiant floor heating is highly energy efficient for zone heating, particularly when paired with a programmable thermostat like the nSpire Touch. Since it heats objects and people directly rather than warming the air, and because the system is insulated with CeraZorb®, less heat is wasted, resulting in lower operating costs.

Why use in-floor heating over a concrete slab in a sunroom?

Concrete acts as a "heat sink," making the tile flooring perpetually cold. Installing in-floor heating with a thermal break (like CeraZorb®) isolates the heat, forcing it upwards to the floor surface. This prevents the cold transfer and transforms the sunroom into a comfortable, usable space all year long.