General |
Heating Mats |
3mm Cables |
5mm In-Screed cables |
Thermostats
Do I really need to use insulation board?
Electrical underfloor heating systems will work without the use of insulation board however, the use of insulation board is recommended with all UFH stems as it improves the efficiency of the system. It does this by acting as a barrier between the subfloor and the room you are heating
Increasing the speed of response time of the floor and
Reducing the heat lost downward in to the subfloor.
Minimizing the transfer of cold air UP from the sub-floor
And therefore reducing the overall running costs.
A well insulated concrete base can assist the running of the floor as it will retain the heat for a longer time. To use a concrete subfloor as a heat sink you would preferably want to use a system beneath the concrete and you would definitely need to use a system which was at least 160w/sqm.
If there are any doubts as to the insulation of a concrete subfloor then insulation board should be used.
Can I use Plyboard instead of insulation board under the UFH cable / mats?
Yes, laying ply on top of concrete is definitely preferable to just laying the system onto concrete itself and would increase the response time. However, you can only lay up to 150watts on to any wooden subfloor...
Can I use a soft insulation beneath the heating mats and cables
NO. We recommend the use of a hard insulation only beneath our heating mats and cable systems. This is to insure the floor finish you lay is not damage by the movement that will be caused when (uneven) exerted on the finish floor.
Is there any benefit to just laying thermal insulation board on a cold concrete subfloor?
Yes. Thermal insulation boards such as Marmox will provide you with a good level of insulation and minimize the coldness of the concrete moving up in to your floor finish.
Can I use a reflective foil as insulation as I do not have room for insulation board
The only benefit of using a foil is that it will conduct the heat and help to evenly transfer it. This type of material does not have any other insulation benefits when used with heating mats and cables, as it cannot reflect the heat. Further, this material will make it almost impossible for tile adhesive to adhere too and therefore compromising the finished floor.
How do I cut the insulation board
Marmox is easily but with a Stanley knife just like plasterboard.
Do I need to seal the joints between insulation boards
Yes, we recommend you do this using something like a plasterboard scrim tape so that you do not compromise the tile adhesive or leveling compound adhesion to the boards.
How do I secure the insulation board to the sub-floor?
If the sub floor ins concrete - use tile adhesive
If the sub floor is wood - use tile adhesive then galvanized screws
