Frequently Asked Questions

»  Will a radiant system weaken my floor?

»  I’ve heard of some electric radiant products burning out prematurely. How is your product better than theirs?

»  Your power lead has thicker wires than some competing products I’ve seen. What difference does that make?

»  Why does your power lead use a braided metal cover?

»  How does a ComfortTile electric radiant floor compare to a hydronic (water based) radiant floor?

»  What is EMF and what relevance does it have to electric floor warming?

»  How does your product compare to other leading providers?

»  How does ComfortTile compare to the NUHEAT product?

»  Is ComfortTile an efficient way to heat?

»  How durable is ComfortTile and how long do you think it will last?

To talk with an experienced radiant heat professional, call 888.488.9276.

Will a radiant system weaken my floor?

The ComfortTile floor heating system has been tested in a tile floor by the Tile Council of America and complies with ASTM C 627, officially known as “EVALUATING CERAMIC FLOOR TILE INSTALLATION SYSTEMS USING THE ROBINSON-TYPE FLOOR TESTER”. This test is designed to evaluate complete ceramic tile installations for failure under loads. It tests for deflection on various bases, such as mortar for Portland cement installations, concrete for thin-bed installations, and plywood with a composition board or other sheeting material. Floors that pass the Robinson Test are rated for “heavy” use. ComfortTile appears to improve the performance of tile floors by adding additional tensile strength to the tile and mortar sandwich. We recommend installing all tile and stone floors according to TCA and ANSI (American National Standards Institute) specifications.

I've heard of some electric radiant products burning out prematurely. How is your product better than theirs?

No one builds a better heating wire than ComfortTile. The ComfortTile heat cable is insulated with DuPont® Tefzel®, which is a high temperature, chemically-resistant and abrasion-resistant polymer, like Teflon®. Competing products use cheaper polymers like PVC. We also use the same DuPont Kevlar® that goes into bullet proof vests to reinforce the wire so it has greater pull-strength. Some competing products use cheaper polyesters or no reinforcing at all. We use only oxygen-free copper alloys for the heating elements to make them more corrosion resistant. We also use multiple heating elements inside each dual wire, while most competitors use only one. We armor our dual wire construction with a corrosion resistant copper tinned copper shield and then cover the whole cable with a water resistant polymer. Our heating cable is lead-free so it's not harmful to people or the environment.

Your Power Lead has thicker wires than some competing products I’ve seen. What difference does that make?

We use AWG 14 gauge, green-white-black wire that is color coded to North American NEC standards. Some competitors use odd colors or smaller size wire... but ComfortTile is built to a higher standard.

Why does your power lead use a braided metal cover?

The cover costs more money... but it’s worth it. It helps protect the wires against jobsite abuse. It’s also joined to the green ground wire so your ComfortTile system is fully grounded from the start of the power leads and through the heating wires.

How does a ComfortTile electric radiant floor compare to a hydronic (water based) radiant floor?

In general, hydronic radiant systems work best in larger areas or for whole houses. You need space in your floor for the tubes and room in your mechanical room for a water heating appliance and the pumps, valves and fittings that accompany it. Hydronic systems allow you pick your lowest cost fuel, which might be natural gas, oil, propane, solar, or electric. ComfortTile is limited to electric. If you have a smaller area to warm, like a master bathroom, kitchen, entryway or sunspace; ComfortTile is a better choice. ComfortTile is simpler than hydronic, takes up less space, goes in faster and for small areas, the per square foot cost is much lower. Once the system is installed your floors will feel wonderful regardless of the approach you choose.

What is EMF and what relevance does it have to electric floor warming?

EMF stands for ElectroMagnetic Field and it is a byproduct of alternating electric current passing through wires and appliances. Human exposure to ambient levels of EMF is the subject of continuing scientific scrutiny and the results are a matter of public record. For those who are concerned, the Federal Government recommends minimizing exposure to EMF’s in the home and workplace. Elevated EMF levels can also interfere with electronic devices, including computer screens and is usually included on lists of causes for “sick building syndrome”.

There is no practical technology to completely shield an electric heating element in order to minimize EMF. The only viable approach is to spiral two wires side by side so the fields cancel each other. This approach years ago and was granted U.S. patent number 6,303,905. The EMF generated at floor level by radiant floor heating systems that use only one wire is many times normal ambient levels. Using dual wires for EMF cancellation is more expensive, but it is the safest choice. Any single wire heating element used in radiant floor heating is a compromise and should, in our opinion, be avoided.

Safer electronic emission practices have been adopted by manufacturers of microwave ovens, electric blankets, video monitors and cell phones to name a few. ComfortTile has already taken this important step and that is another reason why it is your best choice.

How does your product compare to other leading brands?
Here are the highlights:

1. ComfortTile is built with dual wires that cancel out measurable electromagnetic fields (EMF) when measured 1/2-inch above an installed tile floor. Unfortunately, some heat cables have no effective shielding against EMF and use only a single wire instead of the more expensive dual wire design.

2. ComfortTile heating wires are among the best in the industry. They are built with DuPont Tefzel for insulation and DuPont Kevlar for reinforcing, and low oxygen alloys for the heating elements. If you want the best and longest lasting wires, ComfortTile is an ideal choice.

3. Single point connection. ComfortTile is built with dual heating wires that are joined together at the factory. At the other end are the armored power leads that are connected to the control. Cheaper mats use only a single wire, which means your installer has to figure out how to return the wire at the far end of the mat to the control location.

4. Fully grounded, metal reinforced power leads. ComfortTile is built with a braided metal cover on its power leads that provide additional jobsite projection. The armored cover is also wired into the ground at the control location and connected to the ground shield in the heating wires. This means the entire ComfortTile system is grounded from one end to the other. Compare this important safety feature with other cables.

5. Many leading mats are not built with NEC code recommended colors for North America. This can cause problems during the installation. You’ve got to hope the electrician gets it right.

6. Tile Council of America will test any radiant floor heating product to see how it affects the strength of a commercial tile floor installation. This is called the Robinson Floor Test. Although it's a much tougher test than you would find in a typical residence, it provides independent, third party assurance that your radiant product is not going to jeopardize the strength of your floor. To our knowledge, only this product has passed this test.

7. The spacing of the ComfortTile heating wires is optimized for your comfort. When the system is embedded under a tile floor, you cannot detect temperature variations over the surface of the floor. Some manufacturers seem preoccupied with wire spacing, but human tests and infrared thermography confirms that ComfortTile wire spacing is optimal.

8. ComfortTile is warranted for 25 years.

How does ComfortTile compare to the NUHEAT product?
1. The NuHeat membrane spaces and secures the heating wires. That membrane is a physical barrier that separates the layers in your tile floor and does not have an adhesive backing to help place them on the floor. Sandwiching your heating element in a membrane also makes it difficult for custom fitting an area that does not exactly match the rectangular size of the mat.

2. ComfortTile is built with dual wires that cancel out measurable electromagnetic fields (EMF) when measured 1/2-inch above an installed tile floor. Unfortunately, NuHeat has limited shielding against EMF and uses only a single wire instead of the more expensive dual wire design.

3. ComfortTile heating wires are perhaps the best in the industry. The wires are the worst place to cut corners, so ComfortTile uses DuPont Tefzel for insulation, DuPont Kevlar for reinforcing and low oxygen alloys for the heating elements. If you want the best and longest lasting wires, ComfortTile is the right choice.

4. The recommended spacing of the ComfortTile heating cable is designed for your comfort. When the system is embedded under a tile floor, you cannot detect temperature variations over the surface of the floor. Wires any closer together is a waste of money and any further apart will be noticed.

5. ComfortTile is designed to be formed on the jobsite to fit any size or shape room. That means we have the inventory to fit your exact project without having to pay extra or wait for a “custom” mat.

6. ComfortTile can be “self-leveled” with thinset mortar in one step. That’s because the wires are open which allows mortar to flow through and bond with the substrate below.

Is ComfortTile an efficient way to heat?
CT floor heating systems are very efficient. All the electricity used by the ComfortTile wires is converted to useful heat. Gas appliances only convert a percentage to heat; the rest is lost up the stack. Of course, for many people, gas or oil is more economical per BTU than electricity, even considering the conversion loss. A lot depends on the price you pay for these energy sources and how careful you are with insulation. Generally speaking, ComfortTile systems are used to warm fairly small areas and most people use programmable controls or timers so they aren’t using the floor warming system all the time. Radiant floor heating is a much more efficient way to warm a space than forced air or baseboard heating (which also works by mostly warming the air). Radiant systems broadcast energy at the speed of light from the floor to warm all the surfaces of the room. The air temperature stays lower so there is less heat loss through windows and air infiltration, yet your comfort is greater.

How durable is ComfortTile and how long do you think it will last?
We think the product will last a great deal longer because of several design decisions we made years ago. The great danger to any heating cable in a bathroom floor is oxidation caused by moisture. So, we use a very expensive wire insulation called Tefzel by DuPont. The physical properties of this polymer are unmatched for the application, notably it’s water resistance, dielectric properties and long-term temperature aging. We also use oxygen-free alloys in our heating elements to give them greater longevity. No one builds a better heating element wire than ComfortTile.