Undercarpet heating
Undercarpet heating was the first system we started with. This was back in the late eighties'.
Originally we were importing a system, but because of economic reasons, we later decided to
manufacture everything locally. Our system consists of a pure reinforced aluminium foil and a polyester lining. The heating resistant wires are sandwiched in between. The pad gets installed between the underfelt (cotton underfelt only) and the carpet, and can be used for wall-to-wall carpets as well as loose rugs. Thanks to the aluminium sheet, the heat transfert is very swift and the surface of the carpet should be warm to the touch in 15 to 20 minutes. The pads come in different sizes and power outputs.
Underwood heating
(including hard wood and laminates)
Underwood heating is not really a system on its own. Undertile heating wires are used to this effect. The only difference is that the heating wires are laid in a different way. In these rooms, these wires have to cover a heating area of approximatly 90% to prevent unheated zones which could otherwise have expansion problems; the standard spacing between wires is 75mm, which is quite easy to do with our pre-cut spacers. Because of the organic nature of this material, the wood manufacturers recommend that the floor temperature does not exceed 28
°
C. To this effect, the system uses a thermostat fitted with a floor probe (heat sensor) which will be placed and buried in between two heating wires. The sealing procedure is exactly the same as for the undertile heating. In accordance with SANS regulations, heating wires used for underwood heating must be covered/protected with a metallic mesh and connected to the earthing of the house for safety reasons.
Underfloor Heating Undertile Heating
Undercarpet Heating systems
We manufacture 2 different products:
Undertile heating
This system was introduced by us in the early ninety's, when the demand for ceramic tiles versus wall to wall carpet started to climb. Home owners who were willing to replace their carpet with ceramic tiles were confronted with the floor level headache if they wanted to install underfloor heating cables. Because of the growing demand on the market for a suitable underfloor heating system which would not alter the floor-level, we designed an undertile heating system made out of e.t.f.e.(Teflon) which by the nature of the material could allow us to manufacture very thin wires (1mm to 1.7mm). Thanks to the high-tech of this polymer (e.t.f.e), this very important particularity would change the face of the underfloor heating world for ever. A display of this system was on show at the permanent home exhibition in 1993 *(ex-bou, Commissioner Street in Fairview/Johannesburg)*.
After wall-to-wall carpet removal from the existing rooms, it is extremely easy to lay the heating wires on the flat cement floor. Once layed, a meshing of polyester material (nowadays a hessian fabric or a fiberglas meshing) was fitted over the wires and a special mixture of cement, latex (plaster key) and water was poured and levelled with a steel trowel. A couple of hours later, the wires were beautifuly sealed onto the floor ready to be tiled with a minimum of thickness(+/-4mm) which means that there will be no change in floor-level. A revolution! not a French One, though.
This operation is needed to protect the wires from rough treatment and make the tiler's job easier. Quite a lot of pictures are available for further viewing.