FAQ

Radiant floor heating consists in heating masses directly rather than heating ambient air. It provides a feeling of comfort far superior to conventional heating methods, such as baseboards, wall-mounted radiators or forced air systems. Thanks to floor heating, homeowners enjoy warm feet and cozy rooms while benefiting from substantial energy savings.

Radiant floor heating can act as the main source of heat in a room. A number of factors are involved, including the level of insulation in the subfloor, the size of the room, the exposure of the outside walls, the fenestration, the level of comfort required and the power emitted by the system.

Depending on the product selected, Flextherm, by Stelpro systems can be installed on a wide variety of subfloors, including plywood, smooth concrete, cement boards, ceramic tiles, acoustic membranes, uncoupling membranes, crack bridging membranes, pre-coated wire mesh, mortar beds or even buried in a concrete slab. Simply follow the recommendations in the installation guide provided by Stelpro to get the best performance from your installation.

Flextherm, by Stelpro systems are compatible with a wide variety of floor coverings, including ceramic, porcelain, natural stone, engineered wood, vinyl, floating floors, linoleum, parquet and carpet. For coverings other than ceramic, porcelain or natural stone, it’s important to check with the manufacturer that their product is compatible with floor heating systems. Simply follow the recommendations provided by Stelpro to obtain the best performance from your installation. Stelpro does not recommend installing heating cables under natural hardwood or cork.

Several scenarios exist. Let’s begin with installation on a concrete slab on the ground or in a basement.

In new or recent buildings, if radiant heating is to be installed, rigid insulation should be fitted under the concrete slab.

Regardless of whether the concrete slab is insulated or not, if only one room is to be heated with a heating cable, it would be better to add a thermal barrier to the concrete slab to prevent the heat from migrating into the slab, under the slab and into adjacent rooms, ultimately leaving insufficient heat to warm the floor or heat the room.

On an insulated concrete slab where you plan to install heating cables over the entire available surface, no worries: you’ll have a heat reservoir!

In the case of an uninsulated concrete slab, if you are planning to cover it with heating cables over the entire available surface, one consideration must be taken into account: the nature of the soil beneath the concrete slab. If the ground is dry sand, it will be a good reservoir for storing heat; the use of a thermal barrier on the concrete slab wouldn’t be necessary. On the other hand, damp clay soil will dissipate the heat generated by the heating cable system instead of storing it: Say “goodbye!” to energy savings.

For structural concrete slabs such as condo towers, we recommend using a thermal barrier on the concrete slab. Indeed, acoustic membranes often can act as a thermal barrier.

There are a variety of products on the market to create thermal barriers. Consult our Customer Service or the suppliers of acoustic or insulating products; they’ll be happy to advise you.

Flextherm, by Stelpro products can be installed on 120 V, 208 V or 240 V electrical circuits, also commonly called 110 or 220. In all cases, a dedicated heating circuit is required.

Flextherm, by Stelpro floor heating systems come with detailed installation instructions. An experienced do-it-yourselfer can install the heating cable by following the installation guide. You must ensure that the installation is done in accordance with your local electrical code. The thermostat must be connected by a qualified person where required by law.

No. Flextherm, by Stelpro products are designed for indoor heating in dry or wet environments.

No! Flextherm, by Stelpro cable is manufactured according to very strict quality standards applied at the factory to preserve its integrity and ensure a long product life. The cable is factory-calibrated to meet the heating needs of a specific size floor. Cutting it will render it unusable and void the warranty. Under no circumstances should two cables be spliced.

Green Cable Surface XL is designed to be inserted into uncoupling membranes. Green Cable Surface XL can be installed using Universal Snap-in Gauges.

No matter how you install the cables, using the uncoupling membrane and gauges will ensure uniform spacing for your type of installation.

No! Doing so will void the warranty. Always use either the universal gauges or an uncoupling membrane.

Yes, these systems are approved for installation in a conservatory or solarium. Depending on the insulation of your solarium, heat loss through windows and your location, a supplementary heating system may be a good idea to ensure greater comfort during peak winter cold snaps.

Yes, these systems are manufactured according to very strict quality processes that meet the CSA standard for installation in wet environments. Rigorous manufacturing methods give Flextherm, by Stelpro cable a distinctive advantage unmatched by the competition.

Yes, these systems are manufactured according to very strict quality procedures that meet the CSA standard for installation in wet environments. Rigorous manufacturing methods give Flextherm, by Stelpro cable a distinctive advantage unmatched by the competition. The cable must be installed under a waterproof membrane. A separate cable from the one covering the bathroom floor is recommended in the shower.

It all depends on the floor covering, the heating cable installation method and the type of cement used.

Tiles with uncoupling membrane: no delay. As soon as the cable has been laid in the uncoupling membrane, the tiles can be installed.

Tiles with installation gauges: follow the drying times recommended by the manufacturer of the thin-set mortar or self-levelling underlayment used. This time generally runs from 3 to 24 hours.

Soft or wood floor coverings, regardless of how the heating cable is installed: heating cables must be covered with a self-levelling underlayment. Given the nature of these floor coverings, a maximum residual moisture content in the self-levelling underlayment must be respected. Consult the floor covering manufacturer for these values. Generally, the waiting time is at least 24 hours.

The curing time of cement varies according to the product used. It depends on the thickness of the cement and the environment in which it’s installed. Consult the product supplier or manufacturer for their specific recommendations. The waiting time can vary from 7 to 28 days. It’s important to note that you can’t accelerate curing by heating. Indeed, heating during the curing period could adversely affect the final quality of the hardened product.

The cost varies from one installation to another. It depends on a number of factors, including the local electricity rate (KwH), the room’s heat loss and insulation, the level of comfort desired by the occupant and heating period duration. A radiant floor heating system can provide energy savings of up to 28% compared with conventional approaches.

The cost per square foot is difficult to calculate, as many factors influence the price of floor heating. First, regardless of the surface area covered, you’ll need a thermostat. So, whether it’s a 20 ft² room or a 200 ft² room, you’ll have to absorb the cost of the thermostat.

Next, will you be installing with an uncoupling membrane? What will the cable spacing be? What type of floor covering will you use? What will the installation surface be like? What model or size of cable will you use? Keep in mind that the larger the surface area, the lower the price will be per square foot.

To obtain a realistic price, contact our Customer Service or get an online quote from our FLEXplanner.

We can provide you with a repair kit. Where appropriate, we offer repair support; please contact our Customer Service team.

No! The system is protected by a GFCI (ground fault circuit interrupter) built into the thermostat, which will cut off the power supply in the event of a fault. What’s more, as the cable or mat is buried in concrete/mortar, there’s no oxygen, so there’s no risk of fire.