Ask Us Anything - How Much Does Floor Heating Cost to Operate, and more

Hello and thank you for joining us today for our Ask Us Anything webinar. These webinars are held every second Thursday of each month and consist of a live Q&A session. The goal is for us to interact with our customers live and answer any questions you might have about our products, services, product installation, quotations, and the ordering process. Anything at all. I'm your host, Scott Rosenbaum, and I'm the Technical Support Manager at WarmlyYours. I may have helped you before with some of your technical questions over the phone, and I'm here today to address all of your questions live. If you'd like to submit a question at any time, please click the questions and answers button at the top left corner of your screen, and we'll be taking those questions and answering them for you.

If you've attended one of our Ask Us Anything webinars before, you may have noticed that some questions are repeats. This is because we receive a few questions frequently over the phone, and we think it's important to address them in case we have any new participants joining us today. So let's take a look at some of the common questions that we receive on the phone lines every day. One of the most popular inquiries is about where and how electric in-floor heating can be used. The best time to install this system is during flooring remodeling. If you're renovating your bathroom, kitchen, or laundry room, it's advisable to order the product before laying down the flooring. This allows us to install the heating system beneath the surface.

Electric in-floor heating can be installed under virtually any type of flooring. The most common applications are under tile, but it can also be used under laminate, engineered or nailed hardwood, and luxury vinyl tile. In the United States, it can even be placed under carpeting. A common saying we have is, "If you can walk on it, we can probably heat it." Another frequent question we receive is whether floor heating can serve as a primary heat source. The answer is often yes. The first step to determining if your floor can act as the sole source of heat is to visit our webpage and use the Heat Loss Calculator. This simple tool allows you to input information about your room and the heating product, helping you assess if it will effectively heat your space.

When using floor heating as the sole source of heat, it's important to consider factors that contribute to heat loss. More doorways leading to the outdoors, skylights, fireplaces, uninsulated areas beneath your floor, and numerous windows on exterior walls can all lead to increased heat loss. The Heat Loss Calculator takes all of this information into account, providing a comparison between the heat loss and the BTUs that our floor heating product can deliver. If you have any questions about whether it will work for your specific situation, the Heat Loss Calculator is an excellent resource. It can also indicate if you might need additional heating assistance during the coldest days of winter.

Another common question we receive is about the cost of running an electric floor heating system. For this, we will reference our most popular product, the TempZone Flex Roll. To estimate the cost, you first need to determine the square footage of the area to be heated. This typically involves calculating 40 to 50% of the bathroom's total square footage, as areas beneath permanent fixtures like toilets, built-in tubs, and vanities do not get heated. Once you have the heated square footage, you can input the local cost of electricity per kilowatt hour from your electricity bill into the calculator.

Next, you will need to estimate how many hours you plan to run your warm floors. The built-in program in the thermostat typically runs for about eight hours, which might include three to four hours in the morning and another three to five hours in the evening. By inputting these figures, the calculator will provide an estimate of the daily cost to heat your room. For example, using the TempZone Flex Roll floor heating system, you might find that it costs only 29 cents per day to heat your space. If you have any questions about this calculation, feel free to reach out, and we will gladly assist you.

A further common inquiry is about the placement of the heating system. For instance, in a bedroom, there is no need to heat the entire room unless you aim to provide significant warmth and use it as a primary heat source. It is essential to remember not to install heating under permanent fixtures. For example, if you have dressers or a bed with legs, you should avoid placing heating elements underneath them. Instead, focus on areas where you will walk, as this approach is both cost-effective and efficient.

Another question we often receive is whether floor heating can be installed in a closet. This depends on your local code official, as regulations can vary. The National Electric Code does not permit floor heating in closets in the United States, while Canadian regulations allow it as long as there is a control mechanism in place. Therefore, it is crucial to consult with your local code official to ensure compliance with any specific regulations before proceeding with installation.

For those new to floor heating, a common question is how to get started with their project. To initiate the process with WarmlyYours, we require a simple sketch that includes dimensions, indicating the width and length of the room, as well as the locations of permanent fixtures. Remember, we cannot install heating under these fixtures. Many local codes allow floor heating in shower enclosures, so be sure to check with your local code official if this is something you are considering.

Our designers will also need to know where you would like the thermostat placed. You can indicate this on your sketch by marking it with a "T" in a circle. Once you provide this information, our engineers will create a complimentary quote along with a custom installation plan for your space. This plan will detail how we will use the heating roll, including specific measurements for cutting and turning the mesh while ensuring that the wire remains intact.

At this point, I would like to see if there are any more questions out there that I can answer. It appears there are none at the moment, so I hope this information has been helpful to you. We look forward to seeing your designs come through our email or fax line soon. If you would like to request more information about any of our products, please contact your account manager. If you are unsure who your account manager is, you can easily find out by checking your online account or by contacting us directly at 800-835-8358.

For on-site installation assistance, our tech support team is available 24/7 at 800-875-5285. We are always here to help. If you would like to join us for our next webinar, we will be discussing how to quote your floor heating project using our instant quote tool on our website, along with other methods for obtaining estimates. This webinar is scheduled for Thursday, March 24th, at 2:00 PM Central Time, and you can register at www.warmlyyours.com/webinar/how-to-quote.

Our next open Q&A session will take place on April 14th, the day before tax day, also at 2:00 PM Central Time. You can register for this session at www.warmlyyours.com/webinar/ask-us-anything. We encourage you to submit your questions in advance, as this will allow us to prepare accurate answers for you during the seminar. Thank you so much for joining us today and for sending in your questions. If we did not address all of your inquiries, please do not hesitate to call us at 1-800-875-5285 or email us at info@warmlyyours.com. We are more than happy to assist you with any additional questions or concerns. We hope to see you again soon, and until then, stay warm and be radiant.