In-Floor Heating for Carpet

While WarmlyYours electric radiant floor heating systems are typically installed by your floor covering contractor, a licensed electrician is recommended for the final thermostat hook-up. With every quote, we provide an Installation Plan layout, together with an electrical plan that has all the info required for the electrician.

Our electric radiant floor heating systems have withstood rigorous safety testing and earned the UL listing. They produce much less EMF than common household appliances like your TV or vacuum cleaner. The EPRI (Electric Power Research Institute) tests all electrical devices and publishes the data. Many common household appliances are tested at a distance of 6 inches. The test results indicate that on average, the EMF emitted for the following appliances, measured in Milligauss (mG) units, is:

Vacuum Cleaner: 300 mG

Microwave: 200 mG

Portable Heater: 100 mG

Dishwasher: 20 mG

Washing Machine: 20 mG

WarmlyYours TempZone™ (Twin): 1.8 mG

You can use the Instant Quote Tool, which gives you many options for your floor heating coverage. Use this interactive tool to design your room online and receive an instant quotation with product recommendations, rough-in and installation kits, cost of your control, etc. Planning your floor heating project is made easy when using our Instant Quote Tool.

Send us your floor plan or fax it to (800) 408-1100 and we will send you a quote, product recommendation and a free custom installation plan for your project.

Sunrooms can be very cold during the winter months. While a furnace may push some warm air into the room, the large number of windows, exterior walls, and other causes of heat loss in a sunroom will typically keep it from having a comfortable temperature level. Floor heating and radiant panels will add radiant heat, which the human body absorbs faster than other forms of heat, to the room so that it feels warm even at lower temperatures.

Yes. Unlike the heating cable for electric floor heating, the cold lead wires can be trimmed.

To prevent any overheating, we recommend that you do not install any electric radiant floor heating elements closer than 4" from the wax ring.

When installing electric floor heating over a concrete slab, an insulating underlayment like CeraZorb is highly recommended to ensure efficient operation, faster heating times and warmer floor temperatures.

No, it is recommended that floor heating only be installed in the areas that you will walk on. Heat can become trapped if installed under objects that do not offer enough clearance for air to circulate (such as a washer or dryer).

Yes, but any furniture that may trap heat, such as pieces with an enclosed bottom, should be avoided. Furniture on legs with a clearance of at least 3" is permissible.

Always check with the flooring manufacturer to see what they will cover when it comes to floor heating. In most cases there will be a floor temperature limit - this can be programmed into a programmable or smart thermostat. Check for installation instructions and requirements before adding floor heating.

Electric-resistance heating cables and systems have no polarity. This includes all current WarmlyYours heating elements.

The perfect room or floor temperature is always going to be a personal preference. However, we do see that our customers will usually set their floor temperature to somewhere in the 80°F to 84°F range.

Yes, with our programmable thermostats, you can choose which days and times the floor heating turns on for your comfort. With a Smart thermostat, you can also control these options from your phone while away from home.

Breaker and wire sizes are selected based on the total amperage of the heating system connected to a single thermostat. This information is on the heating product's installation plan, electrical plan, or UL label. Based on guidelines from the National Electrical Code: loads up to 16 Amps may utilize 12 gauge wire with a 20-Amp breaker, and loads up to 12 Amps - 14 gauge wire with a 15-Amp breaker. Local code and/or other factors may change these guidelines.

When WarmlyYours electric floor heating systems are being installed on a concrete slab, we strongly recommend adding a layer of insulation over the slab prior to installing the system. While our electric floor heating provides up to 25% more heating power per square foot than many of our competitors, the slab will always act as a "heat sink." Some of the heat that would otherwise be transferred to the flooring surface will remain in the slab, causing the floor’s surface temperature to be considerably lower. This is true with any electric radiant floor heating system.

When installed on top of a concrete slab without insulation, it is generally accepted that electric floor heating will take the chill away from the floor and provide a small amount of warmth. Adding insulation on top of the slab and beneath any electric radiant floor heating system will allow a greater percentage of the heat generated to transfer to the flooring surface. This results in greater efficiency and therefore faster warm up times, higher expected surface temperatures and lower energy usage. The floor will have the capacity to warm to a comfortable temperature, and in some cases can be employed as the primary heat source for that room.

The recommended types of insulation are natural cork, insulated tile backer boards and insulated underlayment, such as CeraZorb synthetic cork.

The amount of amperage draw depends upon how large the area is that you are heating. For coverage of areas less than 30 square feet, the system will draw less than 3 or 4 amps. If you have a larger area over 120 square feet of heated space, then you may need a larger breaker plus additional controls. No matter what the size of the area you choose to heat, we recommend a dedicated circuit for your electric radiant floor heating system.

For carpet applications, we require a minimum of 12" around the perimeter of the room so that a carpet stretcher can be used without damaging the Environ roll or mat. With laminate floors, you can install it wall to wall. We do not recommend heating under heavy pieces (100lb/ft2). And, never heat under permanent fixtures.

Environ™ Floor Heating Systems are backed by WarmlyYours 5 and 10 year “No Nonsense™ Warranty* and WarmlyYours highly recognized lifetime 24/7 technical support. Due to the fact that we will also cover not only the cost of labor, but also the cost of the floor itself, our warranty is renowned for being an industry best. Our “No Nonsense™ Warranty” for Environ covers 5 years for under carpet applications and 10 years for under laminate or floating wood floors.

Make sure any cracks or raised edges are sanded down before installation. Seal and patch cracks where possible. If needed, pour a layer of self-leveling cement to make sure surface is level and flat. Then proceed with instructions to install desired floor heating system and flooring.


It is strongly recommended that an insulating underlayment be installed between the slab and heating element to prevent heat loss.

Yes, with our programmable thermostats, you can choose which days and times the floor heating turns on for your comfort. With a Smart thermostat, you can also control these options from your phone while away from home.

We usually recommend that you have an individual thermostat for each room. However, if it's an open floor plan and your local electrical code allows you to have one controller for the whole area, then it's definitely possible to have it all controlled from one thermostat.

The short answer is yes but there are some other factors to keep in mind. For example, Bamboo flooring typically has a higher thermal resistance than tile, so the heating performance may be slightly diminished. Wood, bamboo, linoleum, cork and carpet all have different R-values (from 1 to 3) and they typically use an underlayment or a pad with an R-value of 1 to 2. The question naturally arises whether the radiant heat can effectively heat through all of that. Radiant heat transfers energy depending upon the density, humidity, and thermal resistance of the object. Ideally, the lower the R-value in the floor and underlayment, the better. Some underlayments, made from synthetic rubber, have extremely low R-values and are ideal for radiant heated floors because they allow the heat to transfer through more quickly.

Multiple Environ™ products may be connected in parallel directly to a thermostat or through the junction box. Please ensure the total amperage of all connected mats doesn’t exceed the thermostat’s maximum load.

82°F - 85°F is the most common comfortable warm temperature of the floor.

Any type of underlayment/padding may be used as long as it has a density of 6-8 pounds per cubic foot. Certain underlayment, such as ¼” (6mm) thick cork, or 5mm CeraZorb are recommended for Environ™ Flex Rolls. It is also acceptable to place a vapor barrier, such as a plastic sheet, under the underlayment. Underlayment papers are not compatible with Environ™ Flex Rolls. Underlayment is necessary to prevent Environ™ Flex Rolls from damage from the weight of the floor, furniture, and people. Unavoidable wooden floor movements will not harm Environ™ Flex Rolls. Wooden floors expand and contract with temperature and moisture change. The wooden floor “moves” on top of Environ™ Flex Rolls. This movement will not damage Environ™ Flex Rolls when the installation is done correctly and the underside of the final floor covering is installed evenly. Some underlayment materials also have a noise reducing and insulating effect. When installing over concrete, a ¼” underlayment is mandatory. Any underlayment available in ¼” size is acceptable in most cases. CeraZorb, cork, or ¼” to 3/8” of expanded polystyrene (EPS) with a density of 2 pounds per cubic foot or more, are recommended for installation under Environ™ Flex Rolls. When installing over a concrete slab, choose the underlayment with the highest R-Value.

An electric underfloor heating system doesn't need to be left on all the time. The system can be completely turned off or set back to a lower temperature when not in use. If you have a programmable floor heating thermostat, then the system can also be set to operate only during specific times.

Check the flooring r-value before installing. As long as the flooring product has an r-value of 1 or less, it should work well with electric floor heating. Underlayment must be placed on the subfloor and be placed under the heating layer. For ease of installation, we strongly recommend the underlayment be at least 1/4" thick, and the heating element should be placed between the underlayment and the flooring. Do not place any underlayment between the element and the flooring.

Yes, but any furniture that may trap heat, such as pieces with an enclosed bottom, should be avoided. Furniture on legs with a clearance of at least 3" is permissible.

The actual cost of operating your floor heating system will vary depending upon a number of factors including the cost of electricity in your area and the length of time you run your system. Try our Operating Cost Calculator for a quick estimate.

Yes, acclimation is an important first step to extending the life of bamboo flooring. Typically you want to place it in the room where you’ll be installing it for at least 3 to 7 days, with the radiant heating system on. This allows the bamboo flooring to acclimate to the room’s standard temperature and balance with the environment. However, make sure to always defer to the bamboo flooring manufacturer's instructions.

Everyone has their own comfortable temperature setting, but we typically find that our customers use their thermostats to set the "floor temperature" of the system in the 78°F - 84°F range.

Simply set your floor heating thermostat to a comfortable temperature to maintain a nice warm floor. Your room will feel warmer and, typically, your furnace will cycle less often.

The actual cost of operating your floor heating system will vary depending upon a number of factors including the cost of electricity in your area and the length of time you run your system. Try our Operating Cost Calculator for a quick estimate.

Yes, carpet does not significantly impact the effectiveness of floor heating. In fact, we have Environ Flex Rolls made specifically for under carpet installation (U.S. only).

The Environ™ Flex Rolls and Easy Mats are designed to deliver 12 watts per square foot.

It's important to take extra care when installing bamboo flooring over a radiant heating system. Make sure that you read both the bamboo flooring's and the radiant heating system's installation instructions carefully before beginning.

When using bamboo flooring over radiant heat, it is best to set the temperature and leave it at that temperature. Bamboo flooring will naturally withstand temperature changes(it’s one of the many advantages of bamboo flooring), however, it performs best when radiant heat is set to a constant temperature without changing more than a few degrees per hour. Also, never let the "floor temperature" for the radiant heating system exceed the maximum temperature identified by the flooring manufacturer.

It is recommended that bamboo flooring is heated evenly with a "full coverage" design for the heating system.

No, it is recommended that floor heating only be installed in the areas that you will walk on. Heat can become trapped if installed under objects that do not offer enough clearance for air to circulate (such as a washer or dryer).

The Environ™ Flex Rolls and Easy Mats are designed to deliver 12 watts per square foot.

Most Laminates with an attached cork, foam, or rubber backing are not good Environ™ heated flooring candidates. There are exceptions of course, check the manufacturers warranty information and compatibility of the flooring product with electrically heated floors. If the laminate has a pre-attached pad, verify that laminate has an R-Value of 1 or less.

Always check with the flooring manufacturer to see what they will cover when it comes to floor heating. In most cases there will be a floor temperature limit - this can be programmed into a programmable or smart thermostat. Check for installation instructions and requirements before adding floor heating.

One thermostat can control multiple heating mats/cables as long as all the elements are using less than 15 amps. For TempZone™ Flex Roll systems for example that would be maximum of 120 sq.ft. for 120V systems and 240 sq.ft. for 240V.

Test the product using a digital ohm meter as shown here.

Here is a video showing how to do the test.

No. Most vinyl flooring requires a solid flat surface to maintain its shape and many recommend that their flooring is kept at least ½“ away from the heating element. The best solution for vinyl floor covering is our TempZone product embedded in self leveling cement. Always check with the flooring product's manufacturer regarding limitations, warranties, and installation requirements.

A digital meter with a 0-200 Ohms scale ( Ω ) to measure the heating wire's resistance, and a 20K scale to measure the sensor's resistance.

For Tempzone it is 51 BTU’s per square foot per hour and for Environ, it is 41. Take the wattage of the product (shown on the product’s label) and multiply that by 3.41. That is the BTU value for that product.

Check the flooring r-value before installing. As long as the flooring product has an r-value of 1 or less, it should work well with electric floor heating. We suggest the underlayment be placed under the heating layer. The heating element should be placed between the underlayment (preferably at least 1/4") and the flooring.

We recommend our floating floor heating system for floating wood floors, such as laminate or bamboo. With an insulating layer between the subfloor and heating system, the heating cables will settle into the underlayment making for a flat surface for the floor covering.

Make sure any cracks or raised edges are sanded down before installation. Seal and patch cracks where possible. If needed, pour a layer of self-leveling cement to make sure surface is level and flat. Then proceed with instructions to install desired floor heating system and flooring. It is strongly recommended that an insulating underlayment be installed between the slab and heating element to prevent heat loss.

Multiple Environ™ products may be connected in parallel directly to a thermostat or through the junction box. Please ensure the total amperage of all connected mats doesn’t exceed the thermostat’s maximum load.

The roll and mat is 1/16" thick, and the cord is 1/4" in diameter.

The most important factor for the wood floor chosen is structural stability.

According to the USDA Forest Service, this list shows most dimensionally stable to least: 

• Mesquite 
• Australian Cypress 
• Teak 
• Santos Mahogany
• American Cherry
• South Yellow Pine 
• Douglas Fir 
• American Walnut 
• Brazilian Cherry 
• Hard Maple 
• Red Oak 
• True Hickory
• American Beech

Engineered is the most structurally stable compared to natural hardwood, so it will work the best with floor heating.
If you do want to go with Hardwood, quartersawn or riftsawn narrow planks are the most structurally stable and would work best for this application.

Overall the most important factor for the room is relative humidity. Keeping a consistent humidity and temperature in the home will help wood floors last for many years to come.

The height difference and sound is purely dependent on the choice of carpet and padding. Different carpets and carpet pads have different qualities and will be a determining part of height and sound.

Verify that your laminate is warranted for use with radiant heat. Most modern wood laminate floors are compatible with Environ™ Flex Rolls, but the maximum thickness of the timber / laminate / wooden flooring should not exceed 5/8” (15mm). Flooring that has metallic strips as part of its locking system is NOT compatible, as these metallic strips may damage the Environ™ Flex Rolls. Also laminates that have their pad already attached to the laminate are not compatible with the Environ™ Flex Rolls.

Any type of underlayment/padding may be used as long as it has a density of 6-8 pounds per cubic foot. Certain underlayment, such as ¼” (6mm) thick cork, or 5mm CeraZorb are recommended for Environ™ Flex Rolls. It is also acceptable to place a vapor barrier, such as a plastic sheet, under the underlayment. Underlayment papers are not compatible with Environ™ Flex Rolls. Underlayment is necessary to prevent Environ™ Flex Rolls from damage from the weight of the floor, furniture, and people. Unavoidable wooden floor movements will not harm Environ™ Flex Rolls. Wooden floors expand and contract with temperature and moisture change. The wooden floor “moves” on top of Environ™ Flex Rolls. This movement will not damage Environ™ Flex Rolls when the installation is done correctly and the underside of the final floor covering is installed evenly. Some underlayment materials also have a noise reducing and insulating effect. When installing over concrete, a ¼” underlayment is mandatory. Any underlayment available in ¼” size is acceptable in most cases. CeraZorb, cork, or ¼” to 3/8” of expanded polystyrene (EPS) with a density of 2 pounds per cubic foot or more, are recommended for installation under Environ™ Flex Rolls. When installing over a concrete slab, choose the underlayment with the highest R-Value.

An electric underfloor heating system doesn't need to be left on all the time. The system can be completely turned off or set back to a lower temperature when not in use. If you have a programmable floor heating thermostat, then the system can also be set to operate only during specific times.

Environ™ Floor Heating Systems are backed by WarmlyYours 5 and 10 year “No Nonsense™ Warranty* and WarmlyYours highly recognized lifetime 24/7 technical support. Due to the fact that we will also cover not only the cost of labor, but also the cost of the floor itself, our warranty is renowned for being an industry best. Our “No Nonsense™ Warranty” for Environ covers 5 years for under carpet applications and 10 years for under laminate or floating wood floors.

Simply set your floor heating thermostat to a comfortable temperature to maintain a nice warm floor. Your room will feel warmer and, typically, your furnace will cycle less often.

No, as long as a licensed electrician properly installs it. We suggest setting your nSpiration Series thermostat control at a maximum of 85°F when the system is installed under laminate flooring. See your laminate manufacturer for their requirements regarding their product when used with electric radiant heat.

Having floor heating installed and set to a higher temperature during particularly cold days will help to maintain a comfortable temperature level by providing supplemental heat.

Yes, sunrooms can be used in the winter, just activate your floor heating or radiant panel and turn your sunroom into a 4-season room. You will notice a tremendous difference in the room comfort, especially with the thermostat set to maintain a desired ambient temperature. WarmlyYours thermostats will do the work for you by energizing the floor for longer cycles.

Floor heating will typically add the most heat to supplement an existing heating source and it will not take any extra space since it is embedded in the floor. If you are not remodeling your floors but have some open wall space, you should mount a radiant panel. For the most effective results, install the panel so that it points toward the area where you will spend most of the time.