System Selection Basics
Have questions regarding the proper selection of an electric floor warming system?
If you are new to floor warming, the steps outlined below will help guide you in the proper selection of a Warm Tiles® system.
For more detailed information pertaining to large floor warming installations that involve multiple kit use, multiple zones, or relay devices, please contact Technical Services for assistance.
Step 1: A Few Questions & Answers To determine which components are best for your radiant floor heating project, you will need to answer a few questions.
1. What voltage will this system be operating on - 120 Volt or 240 Volt?
- Warm Tiles® systems are designed to operate on 120 Volt or 240 Volt applications in North America.
- Either voltage is acceptable, but must be determined prior to making a selection.
2. Is the floor being heated above another heated room, or is it on a concrete slab or over a crawl space?
- For areas above another heated space, the cables are required to be spaced 3" apart. This is known as "Standard Spacing".
- For concrete slabs, crawl spaces, or high heat loss rooms, the cables are required to be spaced in an alternating fashion. First, 3" apart, then 1.5" apart, then 3" apart and so on. This is known as "Alternating Spacing".
3. Is the space being heated a relatively square or rectangular space with few obstacles, or is it an irregularly shaped space with obstacles, and several "ins-and-outs"?
- For relatively square or rectangular space with few obstacles, tile heating cable and mat systems are equally recommended.
- For irregularly shaped spaces, the unlimited design configurations of the cable system make it a perfect choice.
4. Other than temperature control, would you like to program the system to turn on and off automatically?
- All Warm Tiles® Cable and Mat Systems are controlled with a Warm Tiles® thermostat. Thermostats are available in programmable and non-programmable models.
- Programmable models feature comfort-level programming options as well as a simple off-position selector switch. Your may choose the pre-programmed set-back mode to reduce energy usage and costs by as much as 50%.
- Non-programmable models offer a simple on/off switch and temperature control.
With the above questions answered, you can now determine the Warm Tiles® Cable or Mat System(s) needed for your project. Use Step 2a or Step 2b depending on your choice of system.
Step 2a: Cable Kit Selection Basics
How do I know which Warm Tiles® Cable Kit to buy?
The Warm Tiles® Cable system provides unlimited design configurations for even the most difficult shaped room. The Warm Tiles® cable allows you to install full floor warming coverage by lacing the cable on the floor wherever you require a heated area. Our floor heating systems comes with two different spacing options which enable these extremely flexible cables to be installed virtually anywhere. In a typical room above a heated area, simply space the cable 3”(7.61 cm) apart. For a room above an unheated area, on concrete slabs or a high heat loss room such as a solarium, alternate the spacing from 3”(7.61 cm) apart, then 1.5”(3.80 cm) apart, then 3”(7.61 cm) apart and so on. Simply snap the cable into the strapping included in your Cable Installation Kit and follow the Cable Installation Instructions.
How do I calculate the area I plan to cover?
First, there is no need to install floor warming systems under base cabinets or plumbing fixtures, within 2”– 8” (5.08–20.32 cm) of baseboards and 6” (15.24 cm) from the toilet flange.
Second, accurately measure the length and width of the walkable heated areas of your room in sections, as shown on the Warm Tiles® Cable Kit Room Layout Diagram below.
Add the walkable heated areas together to determine the total square footage of floor warming that will be needed.
Choose the correct system for your application by square footage from the Warm Tiles® Product Selection Charts for Cable Kits below.
 |  | Measure your space
| Example of Cable layout
|
Colored shaded areas represent where you would install your Cable System. A is 2'6" x 3’ = | 7.5 sqft
| B is (2'6" x 2’) ÷ 2 = | 2.5 sqft
| C is 3’ x 5’ = | 15 sqft
| A + B + C =
| 7.5 sqft + 2.5 sqft + 15 sqft = 25 sqft total heated area |
Select Floor Warming Kit voltage, 120V or 240V, to match your power supply. For areas larger than about 70 sqft (6.50 m2), the 240V kits may be more economical. Use Standard 3” (7.61 cm) spacing for rooms above heated areas. Use Alternate 3”, 1.5”, 3” (7.61 cm, 3.80 cm, 7.61 cm) spacing for rooms above unheated areas, concrete slabs or high heat loss areas.
Step 2b: "SAM" Mat Kit Selection Basics
How do I know which Warm Tiles® SAM Mat Kit to buy?
The Warm Tiles® "SAM" Mat System provides a quick and easy pre-fabricated installation by using state-of-the-art cables mounted onto a self-adhesive mesh backing. Warm Tiles® Mats are ideally suited for concrete slab or multi-unit applications, as well as square or rectangular installations where the mat fits the shape of the room. These standardized rectangular mats help reduce installation time and labor costs. Custom mats are available for a variety of shapes and areas. Simply adhere the mesh to the substrate and follow your Mat Installation Instructions. How do I calculate the area I plan to cover?
First, there is no need to install floor warming systems under base cabinets or plumbing fixtures, within 2”– 8” (5.08–20.32 cm) of baseboards and 6” (15.24 cm) from the toilet flange.
Second, accurately measure the length and width of the walkable heated areas of your room in sections, as shown on the Warm Tiles® Mat Kit Room Layout Diagram below.
Add the walkable heated areas together to determine the total square footage of floor warming that will be needed.
Choose the correct system for your application by square footage from the Warm Tiles® Product Selection Charts for Mat Kits below.

Colored shaded area represents where you would install your Mat System. A is 20” x 6’ = | 10 sqft
| B is 20” x 6’ = | 10 sqft
| C is 20” x 3’ = | 5 sqft
| A + B + C = | 10 sqft + 10 sqft + 5 sqft = 25 sqft total heated area. |
Product Selection Charts for Mat Kits
Select Floor Warming Kit voltage, 120V or 240V, to match your power supply. For areas larger than about 70 square feet, the 240V kits may be more economical. All mats are 20” wide. Multiple mats may be used to increase heated area of installation. All measurements are per kit.
Warm Tiles® 120V Mat Kits
Model No. | Mat Dimensions
| Coverage
| Amps* | SAM1010
| 20" x 6.67'
| 12-15 Square Feet
| 1.3 | SAM1013 | 20" x 8.67' | 16-19 Square Feet
| 1.7 | SAM1017
| 20" x 11.33' | 20-22 Square Feet
| 2.2 | SAM1020 | 20" x 13.33'
| 23-28 Square Feet
| 2.5 | SAM1025
| 20" x 16.67'
| 29-36 Square Feet
| 3.1 | SAM1033
| 20" x 22'
| 37-46 Square Feet
| 4.2 | SAM1042 | 20" x 28'
| 47-54 Square Feet
| 5.3 | SAM1050 | 20" x 33.33'
| 55-66 Square Feet
| 6.5 | SAM1062
| 20" x 41.33'
| 67-80 Square Feet
| 8.1
| SAM1075
| 20" x 50'
| 81-94 Square Feet
| 9.7
| SAM1087
| 20" x 58'
| 95-106 Square Feet
| 11.5
| SAM1100
| 20" x 66.67'
| 107-120 Square Feet
| 13.1
|
Warm Tiles® 240V Mat Kits
Model No. | Mat Dimensions
| Coverage | Amps* | SAM2010 | 20" x 6.67'
| 12-15 Square Feet
| 0.6 | SAM2013 | 20" x 8.67'
| 16-19 Square Feet | 0.8 | SAM2017
| 20" x 11.33'
| 20-22 Square Feet | 1.1 | SAM2020
| 20" x 13.33'
| 23-28 Square Feet | 1.3
| SAM2025 | 20" x 16.67'
| 29-36 Square Feet | 1.6 | SAM2033 | 20" x 22'
| 37-46 Square Feet | 2.1 | SAM2042 | 20" x 28'
| 47-54 Square Feet | 2.8 | SAM2050
| 20" x 33.33'
| 55-66 Square Feet | 3.1
| SAM2062
| 20" x 41.33'
| 67-80 Square Feet | 4.1
| SAM2075
| 20" x 50'
| 81-94 Square Feet | 4.8
| SAM2087
| 20" x 58'
| 95-106 Square Feet | 5.7
| SAM2100
| 20" x 66.67'
| 107-120 Square Feet | 6.5
|
Step 3: Thermostat Kit Selection Basics
How do I know which Warm Tiles® Thermostat Kit to buy?
Once you've chosen the Cable Kit(s) or Mat Kit(s) to cover your space, you'll need to add a Thermostat Kit for temperature control. Refer to the Chart below. Simply choose between a programmable or non-programmable model that matches your power supply and Cable Kit(s) or Mat Kit(s) voltage. The Warm Tiles® Thermostat Kit is designed for easy installation by a skilled do-it-yourselfer. However, you should always consult your local electrical inspection agency prior to beginning your installation. Refer to the Thermostat Installation and Operation Instructions in every Kit. Instructions vary between programmable and non-programmable models.
Product Selection Chart for Thermostat Kits
Warm Tiles® Thermostat Kits | Model No. | Voltage
| Programmable/ Non-Programmable
| Maximum Amperage
| FGS | 120/240 Dual Voltage
| Programmable | 15 Amps
| FG | 120/240 Dual Voltage | Non-Programmable | 15 Amps
|
Other Manufacturers Thermostat Choices
|
Honeywell/Aube Thermostat Kits
| Model No. | Voltage | Programmable/ Non-Programmable | Maximum Amperage | TH114-AF-120GA | 120 Volts
| Non-Programmable
| 15 Amps
| TH114-AF-240GA | 240 Volts
| Non-Programmable | 15 Amps
| TH115-AF-GA | Dual Voltage
| Programmable | 15 Amps
|
Step 4: Large Floor Warming Installations
For larger spaces, more than one Warm Tiles® Cable or Mat Kit can be attached to a single thermostat as long as the total combined amperage of the kits do not exceed 15 Amps. If the heated area requires more than 15 Amps of load, you can choose to separate the area into more than one zone, each with its own thermostat contol, or install aRelay Kit.
What are Relay Kits?
Relay Kits are 24 Amp switches that are controlled by a single thermostat. Like a thermostat, each relay can have two cable or mat kits attached to it, but can handle up to 24 Amps of load instead of the 15 Amp load maximum on a thermostat. When combined with the 15 Amp capacity of a thermostat, up to 39 Amps of floor heating load can be controlled by a themostat/relay combination. If this still doesn't cover the area you want controlled by a single thermostat, add another relay for an additional 24 Amps of load capacity. With a thermostat/relay/relay combination, up to 63 Amps of load can be controlled by a single thermostat. Keep in mind however that, like thermostats, relays require an electrical circuit (usually 30 Amps each) to operate, and must be connected to a thermostat and each other as per the instructions included with each Relay Kit. This requires the ability to install the appropriate electrical conduit during the rough-in process, or having access during a renovation. As a final note,relays are typically housed in a separate electrical box at outlet height, and can be placed near the thermostat, or in any part of the room for ease of connection.
We hope this information was helpful. For additional information, refer to the other sections of this website (Literature, Video Training, Tutorials, FAQ's, Troubleshooting), or contact us directly with your questions.
|