Anyone who lives in an area with cold winters has probably considered installing a radiant or heated tile floor.
How Does a Heated Tile Floor Work?
Heated tile floors can be installed either as part of a newly constructed subfloor or on as part of an existing subfloor over which the tile will be installed. There are two different types of heating systems – heated water tubing systems and heated mat floor systems, which have electric cables with heating elements in them.
Water tubing systems are embedded in the subfloor cement and have hot water running through them to provide the heat that radiates upward through the tile floor. Very often, the water is heated through a solar heating system, making it an extremely energy efficient system.
Heated mat systems are laid over an existing subfloor and wired to an internal home thermostat. The tile is installed over the mat and when the thermostat is turned on, the heat radiates through the tiles to warm the floor.
Can I Install a Heated Tile Floor Myself?
It is entirely possible to install a heated tile floor system yourself, provided you have the time and patience to do so. This project will not only require that you be familiar with flooring systems and how to install tile, but also that you be comfortable in wiring and connecting the system to the thermostat. Many homeowners find that they are more comfortable with having a contractor install the heating system and then finishing the tile installation themselves.
Source: www.DoItYourself.com
