Cheap 15 Sqft Mat, Electric Radiant Floor Heat Heating System with Aube

Customer Ratings:

I purchased two of these warming mats about a year ago and installed them in January of 2012. It is recommended that a curing period of 1 month be observed for the thin set to dry completely so I did not get to use them much last year as we had a warm spring. As mentioned I bought two mats and did two bathrooms. I felt like I was taking a bit of a risk with no reviews on this product and limited information but they were cheaper than I could find the mat and thermostat anywhere else. The math may have changed by now but these were a bargain and I see the price remains the same now (nov-2012) as when I purchased them. I did do a lot of research before going this route and came to the conclusion that the real value in these kits is in the controller and in this case this is an absolutely great controller/thermostat. It is easy enough to set up and offers all the programmable options I wanted. Aube is a high quality brand even if they are not as well known in the mainstream as some others. I went with the mats because they worked well for my bathrooms but depending on design I would not hesitate to use the cable. The mat was well made and relatively easy to install. This was my 5-6 tile job and it does add a little difficulty to the job but nothing an experienced DIY'er can't handle. The biggest concern is getting the tile with the mat under it to sit at the same height as the tile without mat under it. I used thin set to set mine on top of backer board and just was conscious to use more thin set (different trowel) on the tiles without mat under it and it turned out fine. The other option is to use self leveling compound but that would have added more height to the floor and I wanted perfect transitions to the surrounding floors. I am capable of doing the electrical and did so but if you are not familiar with household wiring, GFCI's etc I would recommend this part be farmed out to someone who can. Just follow the directions locate the temperature sensor correctly and be careful of the wire as you work and you should be fine.

This year I have been using them more and more as we get into the winter months and boy do I love these. They start giving noticeable heat to your feet in 15-30 minutes but should be left on for about an hour to get the full effect. I do not try to use them to warm the room so can't comment on that. With the controller it makes it easy to have the floor all warmed up for a morning shower without having to do a thing.

To summarize:

Great product, relatively simple install, awesome controller, mat works well to aid install, and the end result is simply fantastic. My bathrooms were always a little cool and getting out of the shower onto a warm floor while I shave or whatever is just great. There are a lot of options when it comes to a floor warming system but for my money I think Warming systems Inc had the best value I could find and a great product.

I will be doing 4-5 more bathrooms this winter for family/friends and will be using this product again where a warm floor is wanted.

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Summary: I purchased this for a bathroom remodel, installation went smoothly, and I'm very happy with the result. My wife's cold toes are even happier with it!

More detail: This is the first time I've installed a heat mat of any sort, and in fact the first time I've tiled a whole room on my own. Despite my beginner status, the whole process went smoothly. I did all the wiring first (power to the heat mat, thermostat control to sensor), then installed cement backer board. I put this heat mat directly on the backer board, using plenty of staples on the mesh part (not over wires) to hold it in place. (If you have an air compressor, I highly recommend a Surebonder 9600A, Heavy Duty Staple Gun with Case any time you do a lot of stapling. Much faster and less tiring.) You have to know the exact size and location of all your bathroom fixtures at this point, so the mat doesn't extend underneath anything permanent. Don't forget to place the thermostat sensor on the floor between wires at this stage also. I cut a little gouge in the backer board, so the end of the thermostat sensor wouldn't stick up so far. After I got all the tiles cut, I put thinset over the top of the mat. This is a little tricky, because you want a thin layer of thinset on top of the mat itself, being careful not to gouge the heat wires with your trowel, and then you want a thicker layer outside the heat mat, so the tile ends up level. Just be aware of it, and make sure you have plenty of thinset on hand. I didn't have any problems using a metal trowel over the heat mat; just be gentle and don't scrape through the wire. It's also tricky to apply thinset & place tiles after the heat mat is in place, because you need to be very gentle walking/kneeling on the heat mat. Then finish tiling as you normally would.

I have not used this through a whole winter yet, but we've had several chilly fall days and it has worked wonderfully. As with most complex timer thermostats, he thermostat programming is not especially intuitive, so keep the instruction manual handy. But the instructions are clear, and once you get it set up it works well with the various automatic / timer modes.

Overall, I have no complaints about this product, and it was the best deal I could find if you also intend to buy an auto/timer thermostat.