Heating Your Favorite Spaces with Spot Heating

Hello, thank you for joining us. My name is Lynn, here for WarmlyYours radiant heating, and I am joined by Scott. I don't know if his video is working just yet. Scott, can you hear me? It says I'm live and recording. Can you hear me? I can hear you. I just can't see you. Okay, well, today's your lucky day. You all can look at my beautiful face and just hear Scott's very soothing voice. There we go.

So today we're talking about heating your favorite spaces with spot heating. We want to go over how spot heating works, exactly what it is, why we offer our EZ Mats, and how to make the most of them. Hey Scott, are you able to switch the slides? Looks like we're having some technical difficulties. Let's see what's going on here. If there's anything I can do to help out, I don't believe there is. Maybe I can share my screen. Sorry folks, give us just one quick moment. Let's get this all pulled up. And let's see if I can share my screen here. Oh, there we go. There's the presentation. Thank you, Olivia. It's always nice to have someone on the back end who's able to help out.

Alright, so talking about spot heating, like I said, we're going to go over spot heating with our EZ Mats and discuss how these work and what the point of them is. A lot of people are unsure why we sell the little tiny EZ Mats versus our very long flex rolls. So let's jump right in. If you have any questions at all, please don't hesitate to ask. I am more than happy to answer questions on anything if something pops up. Definitely feel free to ask it either at the bottom of the screen or in the sidebar chat. I will definitely see it by the end of the presentation if I don't get to it right away.

So I do have my presentation pulled up over on this screen, so if you see me looking this way, that would be why. Jumping right in, today we're going to talk about our TempZone EZ Mats, as I've mentioned a few times now, and then we'll compare that to full coverage and really discuss the difference and where you would use one versus the other. We want to show you some popular examples and also go over the installation process.

Our TempZone product line is really designed to go with tile floors. It can also be used with other types of flooring, including wood and different kinds of vinyl, but it really works best with tile, as that's where it's primarily designed for. The cable loops on the mats are spaced three inches apart to help provide even heating. You'll want to embed them in self-leveling cement, and then almost any type of flooring can be installed on top. Once there is self-leveling cement over the top of it, you can pretty much just glue down or float any floors that you need to.

Our EZ Mats are designed for spot heating, specifically targeting areas of a room that you want heated. They come in three-foot wide rolls and can range anywhere from two to ten feet. This is because we know there are many places in the home where you may just want to take the chill out of the floor without having to pay for the entire installation and electrical process of putting in a full flex roll. They're ultra-thin, about 1/8 of an inch thick, so they can be installed without adding extra height to the floor, which is why it's really nice to be able to just kind of put them wherever you need them.

As I mentioned, we offer different sizes for our EZ Mats, covering anywhere from 6 to 30 square feet. To determine what you need, measure the area you want to heat. For example, if you're heating in front of a toilet, you might just want a 3x2 mat. If you're heating in front of a double vanity, maybe a 3x10 would be more appropriate.

People often ask, why spot heating? Why not just heat the entire space? One thing to consider is how much of your home you actually use. A UCLA study conducted in 2012 showed that families typically only use a fraction of their home space. The red dots in the study indicate where most people tend to walk or spend time, which is often not all over the house. For instance, the dining room is hardly used, while certain parts of the kitchen are incredibly well-traveled.

This insight can help you make the most out of your favorite areas without having to heat the entire room. Some benefits of spot heating include affordability. If you can't afford to heat the entire room or if you don't have the electrical capacity to do so, spot heating is a great option. It also reduces monthly operating costs compared to full coverage, as you won't be paying to heat areas that you don't frequently use. Additionally, the installation process is straightforward. Unlike regular flex rolls, where you may need to cut and turn the mat, EZ Mats are simple to roll out and ready to go.

Bathrooms are the most popular rooms for spot heating, likely because there are many spaces where you spend more time, such as standing at the vanity while washing your hands or applying makeup. It’s nice to have a warm area for your feet while getting out of the shower or tub. Kitchens are another area where people spend a lot of time on their feet, making it pleasant to have that extra warmth. Home offices have become increasingly popular for spot heating as well, especially with the rise of remote work. Having a heated space under your desk can provide comfort during long hours of work.

Returning to bathroom spot heating, it's common to spend a significant amount of time getting ready in the morning. EZ Mats can be installed in front of the shower or bathtub, the toilet, the vanity, or even in the center of the room for added comfort. Depending on the size of the room, this can also contribute to a bit of extra heat in the space. However, it’s important to note that spot heating does not provide a room full of heat. The BTUs generated by EZ Mats are relatively low, as the heat does not radiate far.

Heat tends to rise, so if you place a 3x2 mat in the middle of the room, it likely won't heat the entire space. The heat typically radiates only about an inch and a half from the edge of the mat, so it’s crucial to ensure that the heating is placed where you want it.

Scott is back! Hello, my internet went down exactly when we started. Nice, that's always the way it goes, isn't it? So, we were discussing bathroom spot heating, and I was about to start talking about our shower floor and bench mats. These are designed to fit into specific spaces. If you have a bench that you like to sit on, there's nothing worse than sitting on a cold bench in the wintertime. We make these mats to fit specifically into those spots.

Keep in mind that if your bench is larger than our mat, you won't be sitting on every square inch of that area. The idea is to make the area where you will sit warm, while the perimeter can remain unheated. This is especially relevant for shower bench mats.

Now, let’s talk about EZ Mats versus full coverage. Here’s a layout of a room with a full coverage TempZone mat, covering about 99 square feet of the bathroom. This installation plan will inform you of the system's wattage, the amps it draws, and the daily operating cost. When making your purchase, you need to decide whether you prefer walking from a warm space across a cold area to another warm space or if you want the entire bathroom to be warm wherever you step.

The most important thing is to keep your feet warm where you stand the most. If you have a specific spot you want to ensure is warm, EZ Mat coverage is ideal. However, if you want warmth from the vanity to the tub, then full coverage is the way to go. Just remember that the more product you install, the more watts it will require, which means higher upfront costs and operating expenses.

Regarding the 99 square foot roll, it measures a foot and a half wide by 66 feet long. The installation does take longer, but you only have one connection back to the thermostat, making wiring significantly easier than trying to connect multiple small mats in one room. If you want to heat your entire area, the last thing you want is to buy ten EZ Mats, as that would require multiple connections.

This particular plan shows you what it would look like if you only used a few EZ Mats, covering about 48 square feet of the room. While this option is easier to install, it requires multiple connections back to the thermostat. The thermostat placement is crucial; for example, if it's between the sinks and the toilet, you need to ensure that you can connect all the mats back to that location.

If this were a large room, you might not have enough lead to reach the thermostat from one end to the other. This is an important consideration that many people overlook when reviewing the SmartPlan.

Now, regarding our shower and bench mats, we have mats designed to fit common shower sizes, such as 4x4 or 32x60, with drain holes already built in. If you have an oddly shaped shower, you can still heat it by using a longer mat or our cable system. Just provide us with the dimensions of your shower, and we will design a system that works for you.

These products are wet location listed, which means they are safe for use in wet areas. This includes the shower mats and bench mats, ensuring compliance with local regulations.

Looking at the layout for a shower and bench mat, they can be controlled from the same thermostat. Most people heat the entire bathroom, but many do not heat the shower or bench. Ideally, you would want to keep the shower systems on their own control to manage temperature effectively.

If you don't use our shower systems with pre-made pans, the mortar buildup in the shower can take longer to heat compared to the rest of the bathroom. Therefore, it’s best to keep the shower and bench heating separate from the floor heating in the rest of the bathroom.

Now, let’s discuss heating outside the shower or tub. One common concern is placing a rug or mat over the heated area. The last thing you want to do is trap heat with a rug. While it’s typical to have a mat outside the shower to catch excess water, with heated floors, you don’t need it.

If you insist on using a bath mat, ensure it’s thin and has no foam backing, as foam traps heat. The same principle applies when heating outside a bathtub; avoid using materials that block the heat you’re paying for.

For heating in front of the toilet, it’s important to keep the heating mat at least four inches away from the wax ring to avoid melting it. This distance is sufficient to prevent any issues.

When heating in front of a single vanity, you can use a small 3x2 mat, ensuring warmth where you spend the most time. It’s crucial to avoid placing heating under permanent fixtures like cabinets, as this can trap heat and violate code.

The heating wires on the mat only radiate laterally about an inch and a half, so placing a mat in the center of the room won’t effectively heat the surrounding area.

At WarmlyYours, we value a good cross-section. Here’s an illustration showing the installation of an EZ Mat on a wood subfloor. The EZ Mat goes on top of the wood, and the wires are held in place by the mesh. When you apply thinset, it penetrates through the mesh, securing the mat to the subfloor.

If you were working with a concrete slab, the process would be similar, but you would first attach a layer of cork or Cerazorb to the slab before placing the heating mat on top. Always use modified or latex modified thinset for these installations, as it allows for expansion and contraction with the heat.

When installing an EZ Mat, ensure it’s placed where your feet will hit the floor. Avoid running wires into doorways to prevent damage from trim installations. Use hot glue or staples through the mesh to secure the mat, but never over the wire itself.

Make sure to install the floor sensor six to eight inches between open loops, as this is crucial for controlling the temperature of your floor. The sensor is included in the thermostat box.

Once the sensor is in place, you can start applying thinset. It’s recommended to use a two-step installation method, where you cover the mat with thinset and allow it to solidify before tiling. Always test the mat with an ohm meter before covering it with tile to ensure it’s functioning correctly.

When applying tile, be cautious not to damage the heating wires while cleaning grout lines. It’s best to clean as you go, using a sponge or toothbrush to avoid any potential damage.

Regarding thermostat connections, EZ Mats are smaller than flex rolls, which means they use less power. It’s advisable to connect only one mat to each thermostat to avoid complications with wiring. The thermostat has a 15 amp limit, so ensure that the total amperage of your mats does not exceed this limit.

Additionally, avoid using a GFCI breaker on the same circuit as the thermostat to prevent nuisance trips.

Now, let’s move on to the questions. If you have any questions, please feel free to ask away. We have a few that were submitted before we started.

One question is whether you can heat a room with mats without any supplemental heating elements. Typically, the small mats cannot provide enough BTUs to heat a room as a primary source of heat. For a primary heating solution, you should use our heat loss calculator on warmlyyours.com to determine the appropriate BTUs needed for your space.

Another question is about using heating mats under hardwood flooring. Yes, you can heat under wood floors, but it depends on whether the flooring is floating, nailed down, or glued down. For nailed-down wood, you need to install spacers and run heating cable between them. For floating wood, you can use our Environ product, which is like an electric blanket that goes under the flooring.

Lastly, someone asked how long it takes for the mats to reach the set temperature. This depends on various factors, such as the starting temperature of the floor and the insulation of the space. For example, a floor over an unconditioned crawl space will take longer to heat than one above a heated area.

Next month, we will be hosting a webinar focused on shower floor heating and shower kits. This system can significantly reduce the time needed for shower installations, making it a great option for many.

Join us on March 11th at 1:00 p.m. for our shower webinar. We also offer daily training sessions led by our tech team, covering various topics related to our products. Feel free to join and ask any questions, even if they are not directly related to the topic of the day.

We provide services within about 50 miles of the Chicagoland area, including measuring services, remote or on-site installation support, and troubleshooting. If you encounter issues with your floor heating, we can help without needing to rip up the entire floor.

Our February promotion offers 20% off our Environ EZ Mats, which can be used under carpet, laminate, and floating wood. Please visit our website for more information on this promotion and our Environ products.

We value your feedback, and at the end of this webinar, you’ll receive an email asking about your experience. We appreciate your comments and suggestions, especially regarding topics you’d like to hear about in the future.

You can always contact us via our main 800 number or email, and feel free to reach out to our owner and president, Julia, directly. We encourage you to visit our Facebook page and website for more information, including video posts and product specifications.

Thank you for joining us today. Until next time, stay warm and be radiant. Goodbye!