Electric Radiant Floor Heating – Cable versus Cable on Mesh
September 23, 2013When deciding on floor warming systems, there is a tendency for someone to lean one way or another, whether it is a free cable floor heating systems, or a cable on mesh electric radiant floor heating. There are several schools of thought on this: A simple free cable floor warming system is typically chosen for the following reasons. Cost: First, the material cost of the free cable radiant heat flooring is typically cheaper than the cable on mesh system, but this cost is often more than offset by the increased labor expense of putting in the free cable system. Installation:
Unlike the cable on mesh system, the free cable system needs to be spaced properly and needs to be manually secured in its place. You can either secure the cable with simple duct tape, or using the system provide (fix fast system) provide by Infrafloor. The cable on mesh electric radiant floor heating simply needs to be unrolled, and lain in place, saving hours of time and effort. The cable on mesh floor warming system already comes properly spaced, so the heat will be guaranteed to be even, and consistent. Also- the type of sub-floor is important in deciding which system to use. A wood floor is more friendly to the spacing system than is a cement floor, as the fix fast spacing system needs to be nailed or secured in some way. Reaching difficult spaces that you would like to heat might appear to be easier with the free cable floor warming system, however, you can always remove the cable from the mesh on the cable on mesh system, thereby creating a “hybrid” heated floor system, made up of both free cable and cable on mesh in the same floor heating system. There are many pros and cons to each type of radiant floor heating, but one thing they have in common is that, once installed, you will never regret the wonderful feeling of the warm floor on your feet!
