Electric Floor Heating for Laminate Flooring Environ System

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

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 ThermalSheet™ synthetic cork.

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.

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 breaker and wire sizes are selected based on the total amperage of the WarmlyYours heating system connected to a single thermostat. This information is on the WarmlyYours heating system'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.

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 heating elements are using less than 15 amps:

TempZone™ will cover aprx. 120 sq. ft. for 120V systems and 240 sq. ft. for 240V systems on one thermostat.

Environ™ will cover aprx. 150 sq. ft. for 120V systems and 300 sq. ft. for 240V systems on one thermostat.

Slab Heat will cover aprx. 90 sq. ft. for 120V systems and 180 sq. ft. for 240V systems on one thermostat.

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.

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).

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.

WarmlyYours has recently begun including floor sensors with our heating elements to help ensure customers will have everything they need for optimal operation of their radiant heating systems.

The sensor included with your floor heating element can be installed with the heating system (the sensor is equally spaced between runs of the heating wire--see your install manual for more info). Installing this sensor with your floor heating control will enable energy efficient operation of the floor warming system based on the floor temperature instead of the ambient room temperature.

We generally recommend that you install a second, unconnected backup floor sensor alongside the primary one. In the very unlikely event that your first floor sensor is damaged, this install method will save you from having to pry up flooring to replace a floor sensor. You simply disconnect the damaged sensor from the thermostat and connect the backup sensor.

In addition to the floor sensor that was included with your heating element, our nSpiration Series thermostats also come with a floor sensor. If you purchase both a heating element and an nSpiration Series thermostat from WarmlyYours, you'll have a primary and a backup floor sensor for your system.

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.

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.

No. Never cut the heating cable. The floor heating cable is designed with a very specific resistance in order to consistently maintain heating at a specific wattage per square foot. Trimming the heating cable lowers the resistance of the cable causing the system to overheat.  WarmlyYours recommends obtaining a complimentary SmartPlan™ Floor Heating Installation Plan to assure a good installation.

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.

The ground wire in the floor mat must be connected directly to the ground wire of the supply or to the house ground wire.

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.

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.

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.

For carpet applications, we require a minimum of 12" around the room's perimeter 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 of furniture (100lb/ft2) or box-bottom furniture. We recommend 2 inches of clearance underneath furniture placed over electric floor heating. Floor heating cannot be installed underneath permanent fixtures like cabinets, built-ins, etc.

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, 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.

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.

Installing Environ™ under wood laminate flooring requires a suitable underlayment beneath the heating elements. Never install Environ™ between two hard surfaces. Underlayments that are less than 2mm in thickness and that are not Robinson-rated are not acceptable. Underlayment is necessary to prevent Environ™ Flex Rolls from damage due to the weight of the floor, furniture, and people. Unavoidable wooden floor movements will not harm Environ™.

Installing Environ™ under carpeting(USA only) requires a suitable cushion/pad beneath the heating elements. Never install Environ™ between two hard surfaces. Carpet padding must have a density of at least 6 pounds per cubic foot, the higher the R-Value the better. 1/2“ Prime Urethane (R-2.15) and 1/2“ Bonded Urethane(R-2.1) are good choices. Adhere to Restrictions on Furniture Placement outlined on page 12 of Environ Install manual when installing under carpeting.

Environ™ must not be installed in direct contact with concrete, it is mandatory when installing over concrete to use a 1/4“ (6mm) Robinson-rated underlayment.

Certain underlayments, such as 1/4” (6mm) thick cork, or 6mm ThermalSheet are recommended for Environ™. It is also acceptable to place a vapor barrier, such as a plastic sheet, beneath the underlayment. Underlayment paper is not an acceptable underlayment choice.

Always check with the manufacturer of the flooring, carpeting, and underlayment for limitations and compatibility with electric radiant heating. Adhere to national and local code regarding electric radiant heating systems.

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

Reflective insulation is not effective with conductive heating, which is how embedded floor heating and snow-melting systems transfer heat. To be effective, the reflective insulation surface needs to face an air space (air gap), which allows the reflected heat to be redirected.

An effective solution considers the insulating material's R-Value. This is the rating of a material's insulating properties. The "R" stands for "resistance" and refers to the material's resistance to heat flow, or temperature conduction.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

For under carpet installation, certain restrictions on furniture placement apply. Please refer to the installation guide for further details.

Yes, the sensor wires may be trimmed.  Most local code requirements call for 6“-7“ of extra wire from the gang box.

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, a 120V Environ system will draw less than 3 amps. If you have a larger area over 300 square feet of heated space, then you will 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.

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).

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 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 manufacturer's warranty information and compatibility of the flooring product with electrically heated floors. If the laminate has a pre-attached pad, verify that the laminate has an R-Value of 1 or less.

Test the Environ floor heating element using a digital ohm meter.

Here is a guide and here is a video showing how to do this test.

Single Conductor vs. Twin Conductor Identification

• A single conductor floor heating system is a loop of one core wire, it starts at the thermostat and ends at the thermostat - this is the original method of manufacturing heating cable. Most single conductor floor heating systems have the same color cold lead wire connected to both load terminals/pigtails of the thermostat. Some early single conductor floor heating systems were produced with a white and a yellow cold lead wire.
• A twin conductor floor heating system terminates two core wires at the end, both wires start at the thermostat - this is the current method of manufacturing heating cable. Most twin conductor floor heating systems will have two different colored cold lead wires, and one of these is black. The other wire in a WarmlyYours floor heating system is either yellow (120V system) or red (240V system).  A few early Environ systems had two black cold lead wires.

Note:

- Not all heating cables are wired directly to the thermostat. It may have been necessary during installation to terminate the heating cable in a junction box, and then run a separate (contractor-supplied) wire from the junction box to the thermostat.

- WarmlyYours single conductor cold leads were produced with a 13‘ length at the start of the loop, and a 26‘ length at the end.  The 120V floor heating systems had a yellow and a white label attached to the cold leads, and the 240V floor heating systems had a red and a white label attached. 

- If you have a single conductor floor heating system and notice that one cold lead is thicker or feels hotter than the other, please contact technical support at +1 (800) 875-5285 

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.

Environ Flex Rolls can be cut (the body of the roll can be cut but never cut the heating wire) and turned at 90° or 180° to cover the total area intended to be heated. Make sure that Environ Flex Rolls are installed with the correct orientation (wire side down) and ensure that the side marked “THIS SIDE UP” is facing upwards.

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™ floor heating cable or mats embedded in self leveling cement. Always check with the flooring product's manufacturer regarding limitations, warranties, and installation requirements.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

Most laminate flooring manufactured today are made of wood flour and resin composites. However, there are still some manufacturers making laminates primarily of real wood. This is important because a primarily wood laminate can be floated over the Environ™ floor heating product. Otherwise, if it is not made primarily of wood, the flooring will require the TempZone™ floor heating product embedded in thin-set or self-leveling cement.

Check the laminate manufacturer's material composition, the specific product warranty for radiant or electric heat exclusions, and the installation documentation for compatibility. A clue that it's not a wood laminate is if 1/2“ separation is required between the heaters and the laminate.

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 6mm ThermalSheet 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. ThermalSheet, 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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