DIY Underfloor Heating – Basic Mat Instructions
Installing electric underfloor heating is a great way to upgrade your home and turn a bathroom, kitchen, conservatory, or other room into a warmer, cosier place to be. While there are a number of good DIY underfloor heating kits out there to choose from, installing a mat system is fairly straightforward, whatever kit you go with.
Measure the portion of the room where the underfloor heating is to be installed. This will help determine what size kit you will need. Remove inward opening doors.
Your mat should always start and finish in the same place, so plan out the heating wire position so that the ends meet near a power supply. Mark the floor accordingly. Never place the matting under kitchen units.
Read the manufacturer’s instructions for trimming guidelines. Mesh DIY underfloor heating kits can usually be trimmed. However, you must be careful not to cut the wires themselves. Do not allow any overlapping.
Near the position where the underfloor heating thermostat is to be installed, cut a groove to hold the sensor. Place the sensor into the conduit, and use sealant to prevent any tile adhesive from setting around the sensor itself.
Apply tile adhesive on the mat, spreading it slightly thicker than normal, and fix the floor tiles. Installing DIY underfloor heating under wood or laminate may also require the use of insulation boards.
Have a qualified electrician or underfloor heating installer like Floor Heating Online come round to check the connection before plugging in to the mains.
Trim inward opening doors to accommodate the increased new floor height.