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SECTION 3: INSTALLATION UNDER WOOD LAMINATE:
BEFORE YOU START
Environ II
panels must be fi tted directly on top of the underlayment, and
directly under the wood laminate fl ooring. (The “underlayment” is also
known as the “pad”, or the “foam”.)
To avoid damage to your panels during installation, care must be taken so
that tools with sharp edges or points are not dropped or used carelessly
on top of the panels. Do not walk on the panels more than is absolutely
necessary during installation, and do not drop or place heavy articles
on the panels.
Environ II panels must not be used folded, and care should be taken
not to fold or crease the panels at any time during installation. For this
reason, Environ II panels are not suitable for use on stairs. Should you
wish to move your panel at some later date, please remember to roll it
rather than folding it.
Environ II panels MUST NEVER BE CUT OR TRIMMED TO FIT INTO
A SPACE THAT IS TOO SMALL!
Prepare your subfl oor as you normally would for a “normal” fl oating fl oor
installation. Ensure the subfl oor is structurally sound and secure with
no movement – screw or nail down any loose areas before fi tting the
underlayment. The subfl oor should be clean and dry.
To prevent damage to the panels, special attention must be paid to
ensure that no nails, screws, tacks and the like are protruding from the
subfl oor before the underlayment pad is installed.
Nails or screws should not be installed close to the panels and power
supply cables. Permanent fi xtures, including built-in furniture and the
like, must NEVER be installed on top of the panels. Beware of automatic
staple guns if you use one to secure the pad / underlayment to the
subfl oor. A badly installed staple that protrudes from the fl oor can pierce
and destroy the Environ II cable and mat.
It is important to keep an accurate record of where the panels are installed,
to assist you (and a future owner) to easily locate them should you
undertake remodelling work in the room at some future date. Taking a few
photographs during the installation process is a good idea.
These installation instructions are NOT intended to replace or supersede
the installation instructions provided by the manufacturer of the wood
laminate, but to supplement them. BOTH sets of installation instructions
should be complied with. In the event of any apparent contradiction between
the Environ II instructions and the wood laminate instructions, kindly contact
WarmlyYours.com Inc for clarity on how to proceed.
COMPATIBLE WOOD LAMINATES AND UNDERLAYMENTS
Verify that your laminate is warranted for use with radiant heat. Most
modern 3/8” thick wood laminate fl oors are compatible with Environ II
panels, but fl oors that have metallic strips as part of their locking systems
are NOT compatible as these metallic strips may damage the Environ
II panels. Also laminates that have their pad already attached to the
laminate are not compatible with the Environ II panels (they are however
compatible with the WarmlyYours Tempzone underfl oor heating system).
Contact your laminate manufacturer and WarmlyYours.com Inc, to see if
your laminate is compatible.
When installing over concrete, with the 1/4” diameter, round lead, a
1/4” underlayment is mandatory. Any underlayment available in 1/4” is
acceptable in most cases. Certain underlayments such as “SilentStep,
Cerazorb, Quietwalk, cork, or 1/4” to 3/8” of Expanded Polystyrene (EPS)
with a density of 2lbs/cu.ft. or more, are recommended for installation
under Environ II heating panels. If you recieved the white, fl at lead,
any underlayment 5mm or thicker is acceptable. It is also acceptable to
place a vapor barrier, such as a plastic sheet, under the underlayment.
Underlayment papers such as “Red Bison” are not compatible with
Environ II panels.
