SunTouch® & Floor Warming

What makes the floor warm?

The blue heating elements in the orange weave of a SunTouch mat get warm and transfer heat to the floor. The floor, in turn, transfers heat to the rest of the room. WarmWire® does this with stainless steel covered heating elements attached to straps. SunTouch UnderFloor™ does this with a warm blue aluminum surface suspended between floor joists.

Where do most people put their SunTouch floors?

Bathrooms are the most common place, followed by kitchens and entryways. Mudrooms are a great place for a warm floor. WarmWire® works great in larger areas, like basements or great rooms.

Does SunTouch mat weaken or strengthen my floor?

SunTouch mats have been tested by the Tile Council of North America (TCNA) to ASTM C 627, officially known as "A Standard Test Method for Evaluating Ceramic Floor Tile Installation Systems Using the Robinson-Type Floor Tester". It tests for deflection under increasing weight loads on a wooden framed floor or with a concrete slab floor. SunTouch mats passed these tests for HEAVY classifications, such as shopping malls, commercial areas and etc. SunTouch mats apparently add tensile strength to the tile and mortar sandwich. When in doubt, follow TCNA and ANSI (American National Standards Institute) specifications.

Is SunTouch electric floor warming efficient?

Radiant floors warm people and objects directly without overheating the air. Electric radiant converts nearly all its energy into a usable form. Set the home thermostat lower and still be comfortable. Use a programmable SunStat and the system automatically sets back to a lower temperature when the rooms are not in use. Insulate below the floor or below the heating system and on top of the concrete slab to allow the system to respond faster and use less energy.

My bathroom is heated, so do I need floor warming?

Even when bathrooms are heated with forced air or baseboard, the tile floors are cold. Imagine starting the day by stepping out of the shower and onto a warm, comfortable tile floor!

Is there any advantage to a "low voltage" electric radiant heating system?

No. SunTouch and competitors deliver about the same amount of energy to the floor. They may use fewer volts, but require higher amperage to be able to generate the same wattage (heat delivery). SunTouch, however, uses line voltage, and lower amperage to deliver the necessary wattage. This allows a larger SunTouch system to be installed with a smaller breaker. Low voltage systems use transformers that are noisy, hot and hard to hide, both visually and acoustically. All North American bathrooms have access to 120 Volt (VAC) power and by code, must install SunTouch systems with GFCI protection. A GFCI detects ground faults and will disconnect the energy to the heating system within milliseconds if necssary. Low voltage systems are not necessarily low EMF systems. Before buying any product, ask them if the EMF level of the product has been tested by an independent lab, and if they have comparative test data from their products and our independently verified low EMF products.

What does it mean that SunTouch is a very low EMF product?

EMF is the abbreviation for Electromagnetic Field, also commonly referred to as Electromagnetic radiation, or EMR. SunTouch twists two heating elements together to minimize EMF. We test our products to a protocol known as REET (Radiant Electric Emissions Test) which is conducted by an independent third party test lab known as ETL/Semko. Scientists don't know exactly what EMF does to a human body, but recommendations suggest to reduce EMF exposure.

What voltage do I need for my SunTouch floor?

SunTouch is built for 120 VAC or 240 VAC for warming larger areas.

Does 120 VAC work better than 240 VAC?

Both systems have the same efficiency. The best option is to see what power is available for your installation. 240 VAC is more common outside the United States and in commercial applications. A SunStat can control up to 150 square feet of heated floor on 120 VAC or 300 square feet on 240 VAC.

What's the warranty on SunTouch products?

SunTouch heating elements are covered by a limited twenty-five (25) year product replacement warranty. SunStat controls have a two year limited warranty. The SunTouch warranty is transferable to a new homeowner, unlike most other radiant companies. SunTouch warranties the product, not just the original homeowner.

What makes your heating elements special?

Heating elements must resist jobsite abuse and long term aging. SunTouch uses an expensive wire insulation called ETFE (Ethylene tetrafluoroethylene). The physical properties of this polymer are unmatched for the application, notably its water resistance, dielectric properties and long-term temperature aging. We also use oxygen-free alloys in our heating elements to give them greater longevity. The dual heating elements are braided with a durable ground shield and then jacketed cables are coated with either a highly visible water resistant PEX polymer jacket, or a very resilient TPU jacket with outstanding properties to avoid damage from minor job site abuses. No one builds a better heating element wire than SunTouch.

Please note: This FAQ document is designed to answer common questions. Refer to the product's installation manual or appropriate instructions and warnings regarding installation, use and maintenance.