32
Performance Troubleshooting
My floor/wall
does not get up
to temperature
4. The heating system may be uninsulated. If the
heater has not been installed over a layer of
Warmup Insulation Boards, it will be actively
heating the substrate as well as the floor/
wall finish. The warm up period of the floor/
wall will therefore be slower as the system
is heating a much greater mass. It could take
several hours if it is installed directly on a thick
layer of uninsulated concrete or solid wall.
If your thermostat has an optimised start feature,
ensure it is enabled so that the thermostat can
compensate for the mass of the floor. If your
thermostat does not have an optimised start
feature, measure the time taken for the floor/wall
to warm up and adjust the heating start time to
compensate.
5. The heat output of the installed system may
not be sufficient. The system will require a
power output of approximately 10 W/m² for
every degree warmer you require the floor/wall
to be than the air. This is in addition to any
heat loss through the substrate.
If the room air temperature is also lower than
desired, supplementary heating may be required to
overcome the room heat losses.
If access is available to the substrate, installing
insulation within the floor/wall will reduce the
amount of heat lost through the floor/wall.
6. Floor coverings such as carpets, underlays and
timber are thermally resistive and will reduce
the achievable floor surface temperature.
They may also require the floor sensor to be
recalibrated.
Floor finish combinations with a thermal resistance
of more than 0.15 m²K/W or 1.5 tog are not
permitted.
Wall finish combinations with a thermal resistance
of more than 0.1 m²K/W or 1 tog are not permitted.
I am getting
patchy heat
across my floor/
wall
1. If the subfloor or wall substrate varies, the
amount of heat absorbed by it and lost through
it will affect the floor/wall surface temperatures
differently above each case.
2. If the floor/wall covering over the heating
changes, each floor/wall finish characteristic will
affect the warm up period and the achievable
surface temperature.
3. Hot water pipes under the floor/wall could
cause parts of the floor/wall to seem warmer
than others.
4. Irregularly spaced cables will cause the floor/
wall to be warmer above the closer cables and
cooler where the cables are spaced further apart.
