Under Tile Radiant Heat Installation | Electric Heat Pad Installed

There are many systems for under tile radiant heating It is a comfort that in the winter makes all the difference your bathroom. Some use water under the floor, this system is very efficient but costly to install. 

The most common that we work with is the electric heat pad. The electrician sets up the system hardwired into he wall directly into the thermostat with a scream box wired in, A scream box is always required because it proves beyond a shadow of a doubt that the heat pad is still in working condition after the tile has been installed. The way it works is it is wired directly into the live system and very simply is constantly checking the circuit continuity and if the circuit is broken will emit a loud unmistakable ear piercing scream if the circuit is broken. This is a must for the installer as insurance and proof that after the tile is installed the heat pad is still in working order.

A warm tile floor is wonderful on the feet when stepping out of the shower. Also radiant heat keeps the bathroom toasty warm all the time. As the tile warms up the heat rises and keeps the room at a constant toasty temperature. Much like the fire bricks of a fireplace, the tile warms up, holds the heat and distributes it evenly  throughout  the room. It is very efficient and a big plus for any bathroom.

 
These pads are available at many home improvement outlets and specialty stores. Home Depot has reviewed some of the under tile radiant heat flooring systems online and at other home improvement outlets. Again as I stress in almost every post here at tile excellence blog, shop around prices vary widely.

Below are pictures of a radiant pad installed under tile  in Hamilton, MA for some very wonderful customers. We have tiled almost every area in their house including 2 bathrooms, dinning room ,kitchen  floor back splash and large dinning room- about 800 sq ft of tile in their house.

When installing tile on a heat pad the use of different thicknesses of thin set is required . On the pad a thickness of 1\4 thin set and around the edge with no pad a thickness of 1\2 thin set to make the tile flat and level. Besides the different thin set thicknesses the tile install is the same as a normal installation. I never use tile adhesives for any installation,  and always use thin set concrete on ALL tile installations. But I am under obligation to advise again NEVER install a radiant heat pad under tile with anything but thin set concrete. Concrete is only strengthened by heat and will not ever be effected by the heat of the pad. The same cannot be said about adhesives.

Below are some pictures of this installation  in Hamilton Ma.  Hope this post was helpful and informative,   and as always you are free to ask questions here on the blog and please post your questions here for all to see so your question can be answers and beneficial to all readers  Diana and I are honored to be able to reach so many readers Both In the US and abroad to inform and help people understand tile installation process for both the do it yourselves and the tile installation shoppers.

Thanks again  Happy Holidays (be sure to click on MORE to see all 12 pics )
chris
(and Diana)

Stepping out of the shower onto warm tile makes all the difference in the winter

Here the tile on the heat mat is laid in a 1/4 inch of thinset the piece next to it will have a 1/2 inch of thin set

The heat pad thin sets to the floor with a skim coat before the tile is laid

A whole piece of tile in the doorway notice the heat pad to the left of the door

The area in the closet is laid in a 1/2 inch of thin set without the heat pad while outside the closet door on the pad is installed with a 1/4 inch of thinset

All the tile here seen is installed with a 1/4 inch thinset bed  while around the edges requires a 1/2 of thin set to keep the tile flat and level

Again this picture shown the transition area where 1/4 inch thinset bed 

meets 1/2 inch bed of thin set

The scream box is a must in any heat pad installation

Here is a close up of the closet area where heat pad ends and 1/2 inch thin set bed starts

Heat pad transition from one room to another

Another view of transition  from shower area into main part of bathroom

A close up of the heat pad used before skim coat to ready for tile