FAQ

What are the advantages of electric floor heating?

– Electric floor heating does not dry out the room
– Comfortable with evenly distributed temperature throughout the room
– Warmer at your feet than your head
– No maintenance
– No drafts
– Completely invisible
– No dust circulation (perfect for families with allergies)

How much does it cost to run?

The running costs of a average sized bathroom, based on Australia average electricity prices, would be less than 3.0 cents/hr.

How hot will the floor get?

We usually recommend setting your floor heating to around 23 degrees which feels toasty warm under your feet in winter. We pre-program your controller to drop the temperature slightly over night to conserve electricity, and raise the temperature during the morning and evening peak times for maximum comfort.

What is the thickness of the heating cable and mat?

Our heating mats are 3.8 mm. This thickness is generally perfect for under screed or in- tile glue installation. Many tilers will use a 10mm – 12mm notch trowel when tiling, which when compressed should be about 4mm.

How long will it take the floor to heat up?

Generally, a cold tile will take between 20 mins to 30 mins to reach about 23 degrees. This time may vary depending on the thickness of your tile, tile bed/screed and glue thickness.

Do I need any special adhesive?

A good quality flexible tile adhesive is recommended. Davco ultra-flex is a good one I have personally used on floors over many years with no problems, however there are many other good ones on the market.

Can the floor heating be used as the only heat source?

Yes, as hot air rises, it is a perfect heating solution. Many customers heat areas like kitchens and living areas too.

Would it cause any inconvenience to the tiler?

Not at all for under screed installations. For installations where the tiler is tiling directly on top of the floor heating, it is advisable to take a little more care while spreading the tile glue. It is a good idea for the tiler to use a wooden or plastic trowel and not a steel trowel to avoid damaging the heating cable. Alternatively, the tiler could “butter” the tile with the tile glue instead of the floor when tiling over the floor heating. It is also possible to pour some tile glue or ardit mix over the heating and let set over night before tiling.

Is there a guarantee?

Yes, all cables are backed by a manufacturer’s 15 years guarantee and thermostats are guaranteed for five years from date of purchase.

Is it best to place the heating under the screed or on top of the screed?

Ahhh, the big question! Well, both methods are totally acceptable, and there can be advantages for both. Customheat 160 watt kits are designed for both under screed and on top of screed installations.

Points to consider when deciding to install your floor heating under the screed or on top of the screed (in the tile glue):
The first thing to consider is your finished floor height, at the point where you enter the room. For example, if you have no screed bed or less than 4mm screed bed at the entry to your room, then you will most likely install on top of the screed bed, i.e. your heating will sit in the tile glue.

If a screed is fairly uniform in height then that’s great, but if you have a lot of screed at one point in your bathroom and only a small depth of screed at another point in your bathroom, then you can get uneven heating in certain areas.

In-glue installations (on top of screed) will have a faster heat up time from around 20 minutes.

Under screed installations will have a slower heat up time from around 45 minutes as there is more material to heat through. However, this can result in a longer cool down period.