Get Your Basement Winter-Ready with Electric Floor Heating

Hi everybody! I'm pointing at the screen because I'm saying there's our screen. We're ready to go. Welcome to today's webinar. I'm Scott from WarmlyYours, and this is Anatolly. We would like to thank you so much for coming today. I'm going to get us off the screen and go ahead and get our presentation on so you can see what we are going to be discussing. So, I just need to get rid of myself a little bit more here. There we go.

What we're going to be talking about today is getting your basement winter ready with electric floor heating. We've got a lot of good information coming your way, so please buckle down and get ready to follow along. We have a section here on our screen that talks about questions. If you have any questions, you can enter them at any time by clicking the "Ask a Question" section on our website in this program. So, let's go ahead and get started and review what we're going to cover.

We're going to focus on floor heating for basements today. For those of you who may not live in an area that has a lot of basements, you can still watch along because much of this information is also very applicable to rooms that are over unheated spaces. This includes bonus rooms, rooms over unheated garages, and spaces over crawl spaces. We have a lot of different topics to discuss, including tile floors, floating floors, and controlling the floor heating system.

Anatoly, can you tell me the difference between a normally heated basement and one that uses electric floor heating? For those who don't have basements, you typically have floor vents in your floor. However, in many basements, especially in the Midwest, the air vents are located overhead. On this slide, we see a great comparison of radiant floor heating systems and forced air heating. The image below shows us the forced air heating system, with the air vent at the top blowing hot air. The problem with this approach is that hot air rises, and if the vents are located at the top, that air may never reach the floor level.

The forced air system circulates hot air around the upper section of the room, which can escape through gaps and go to the higher floors, leaving the basement cold. In contrast, radiant floor heating places heating coils right in the floor. The floor warms up and radiates heat into the entire room, providing an even temperature across all surfaces. This results in a comfortable environment throughout the basement, as opposed to the forced air system, which only heats about 40% of the air in the basement, leaving the lower areas cold.

You may be asking yourself why electric heating is preferable. Electric floor heating can efficiently warm basements without the need for expensive pumps, boilers, or additional equipment, as required in hydronic radiant heating systems. With electric heating, you won't need to raise your floor height significantly, allowing for a smooth installation. The heat will radiate evenly throughout the room, providing comfort without the complications of installing pipes or hot water tubes from one end of the house to the other.

Let's discuss why having a winter-ready basement is ideal. First and foremost, it adds value to your home. A well-heated basement increases comfort and encourages more use of the space, especially during colder months. Whether you want to renovate or simply enjoy the area, a heated basement becomes a welcoming environment for family gatherings during holidays. Additionally, electric heating allows for zoning; you can turn it off when the space is not in use, saving energy and costs compared to a forced air system that heats the entire house.

At WarmlyYours, we have a straightforward approach to getting started. I like to call it as easy as 1-2-3. You send us a sketch of the basement or room you plan to heat, and our design team prepares a customized SmartPlan. This plan includes all the installation and electrical information your installer will need. When it's time to install the product, you simply follow the plan, laying down the heating products as specified.

We frequently receive questions about how much electricity is needed for installation and which products are suitable. If you've never done this before, let us handle it for you. We have extensive experience and can provide you with the necessary information at no charge. Most basements, especially in the Midwest, have slab floors. It's important to understand how the concrete slab affects heating in this area.

Concrete slabs tend to be cold during winter, even with edge insulation. Installing the floor heating system directly over the slab can lead to inefficiency, as most of the heat generated will be absorbed by the slab instead of warming the floor. To avoid this, we recommend using insulation materials like cork or Cerazorb as an underlayment. This insulating layer acts as a thermal break between the cold slab and the heated floor, ensuring that the warmth radiates into the room effectively.

In the image, you can see the heating wires in the system. It's crucial to install the heating wires correctly to ensure maximum efficiency. If the wires are laid directly on the concrete slab, most of the heat will be lost to the slab. By using insulation, you can achieve a significant difference in floor temperature, resulting in a warm and comfortable environment.

We often receive calls from customers who skip the insulation step and find that their floors do not heat adequately. If you want to ensure that your floor feels warm, it's essential to install the insulating board. Without it, you may only achieve a slight temperature increase, which is not the goal when investing in a heating system.

Now, let's talk about some essential tools for installation. The digital multimeter is a vital tool for testing the resistance of your electric heating element before, during, and after installation. It's recommended to test the system when it arrives, before laying it down, and periodically throughout the installation process. This ensures that the resistance remains consistent and that there are no shorts in the system.

The circuit checker is another useful tool that monitors the system while you work. It will alert you with a noise if any damage occurs. However, it should not replace the multimeter, as it does not provide resistance values. For accurate testing, a digital multimeter with a manual range selector is ideal. You don't need an expensive device; a basic multimeter costing around $10 to $20 will suffice.

Before starting the installation, it's crucial to ensure that the subfloor is level. Uneven surfaces can lead to inconsistent heating, so leveling the floor is the first step. After leveling, you should attach the Cerazorb or cork insulation material to prevent heat loss. If you have any questions during installation, our tech support is available 24/7 to assist you.

Now, let's discuss tile floors. While tile can feel cold without floor heating, adding electric heating transforms the experience. Tile is easy to clean and accommodates varying humidity levels, making it ideal for laundry areas. If flooding occurs, it's essential to disconnect the system and allow the floor to dry before testing for any damage.

If your basement floods, the response will depend on the flooring type. For tile floors, using our TamZon product, which is waterproof, is recommended. After disconnecting the system, ensure that the subfloor is completely dry before testing the heating system. If the system is undamaged, you can reinstall the flooring.

When it comes to heating tile floors, we have several products in our TempZone line, including Flex Roll and cable options. These products must be embedded in a cementitious underlayment, such as thinset or self-leveling cement. The installation process involves laying down the heating elements according to the SmartPlan and covering them with the appropriate material.

Using masking tape during installation is crucial to prevent the heating wires from floating to the surface when pouring self-leveling cement. Properly securing the wires ensures even heat distribution across the floor.

Next, let's look at the cross-section of a cable installation. Starting from the concrete slab, we add the Cerazorb insulation, followed by the heating cable, which is then covered with modified thinset or self-leveling cement before installing the tile. It's essential to use a roller to ensure proper adhesion of the insulation material.

Now, let's discuss the TempZone Flex Roll installation. This product comes in mats that can be easily laid out to cover larger areas. The installation process is similar, requiring careful attention to ensure the heating cables remain in place during the application of self-leveling cement.

As we move forward, let's talk about floating floors, which include carpet, laminate, and engineered wood. These materials naturally feel warmer than tile, especially when combined with electric heating. The installation process for floating floors is straightforward, as they can be easily replaced if damaged.

For floating installations, cork is used as an underlayment over the concrete slab. When installing carpet, it's essential to use high R-value padding to reflect heat upward rather than allowing it to escape into the slab. This ensures that the warmth generated by the electric heating system is retained in the living space.

When it comes to controlling the temperature of your heating system, various thermostats are available. Our non-programmable thermostat is ideal for hardwood floors, while programmable options allow for more flexibility. However, for hardwood, it's best to maintain a consistent temperature to avoid damaging the wood.

In summary, electric floor heating systems can be an efficient and effective way to heat basements, especially when combined with appropriate flooring materials. Always ensure compliance with local building codes and consult with professionals when necessary.

If you have any further questions, feel free to reach out to us. Thank you for joining us today, and we hope to see you at our next webinar. Stay warm and be radiant!