Stepping into a shower on a chilly North Carolina morning shouldn't mean stepping onto shock-inducing cold tile. For this residential project in Wilmington, the homeowner, Brad Jacobs, wanted to eliminate that discomfort and add a touch of luxury to a new walk-in shower build. By utilizing WarmlyYours in-floor heating, the project successfully turned a standard daily routine into a spa-like experience, ensuring the tile remains warm and dries faster after use.
Project Details
- Location: Wilmington, NC
- Heated Space Type: Walk-in Shower
- Flooring Surface: Tile / Stone
- Heated Area: 22 Square Feet
- System Specifications: 264 Watts | 120 Volts | 2.2 Amps
- Operating Cost: ~$0.04 per hour
- Products Used: TempZone™ Floor Heating Cable, nJoy WiFi Thermostat, Prodeso Waterproofing Accessories
Bringing Warmth to the Water
The Challenge: Cold Tile and Complex Layouts Tile and stone are popular choices for showers due to their durability and aesthetic appeal, but they are naturally cold materials that steal heat from bare feet. For this Wilmington home, the goal was to install a heating solution that could handle the unique requirements of a "wet area." The challenge with shower installations is accommodating the slope of the floor toward the drain while ensuring total waterproofing integrity.
The Solution: Flexible Cable for Precision Heating To navigate the sloped floor and the drain location, the installer utilized TempZone™ Floor Heating Cable. Unlike fixed mats, the free-flowing cable allowed for a custom layout with 3.75-inch spacing, ensuring even heat distribution right up to the drain. The installation was fortified with Prodeso waterproofing accessories (bands and corners) to ensure a watertight seal—critical for protecting the wood subfloor in a wet environment.
The Outcome: Efficient Luxury The result is a highly responsive radiant floor heating system that warms up quickly. Beyond the immediate comfort of warm feet, the heat assists in drying the shower floor surface faster after use, reducing humidity and mold potential. Paired with the nJoy WiFi Thermostat, the homeowner can schedule the floor to be warm exactly when they wake up.
Featured Products
TempZone™ Floor Heating Cable (Twin Conductor): Chosen for its maximum flexibility, allowing installers to easily maneuver around shower drains and fit complex room shapes.
- nJoy WiFi Thermostat: A programmable thermostat that offers remote control via WiFi, ensuring the shower is warm before you even step out of bed.
- Prodeso Accessories: ProBand and preformed corners were used to ensure the integrity of the waterproofing in the shower corners and seams.
