Electric underfloor heating manufacturer, ThermoSphere is looking to make installation easier and remove the risk of damage
The price of materials and labour is contributing to the increase in renovation and construction prices, which are expected to rise by 17% in 2023. The average UK homeowner’s budget has increased to £7,500 per project. This is positive news because it means customers are still willing to spend on their renovations, even though their budget has to go further.
For installers, that also means having to do more with less. Slow installations can hold work up, and smaller businesses in particular can’t afford to revisit finished jobs. Having the right materials and products can make all the difference. Electric underfloor heating manufacturers can help by going back to the drawing board and redesigning their cables to eliminate the risk of damage and speed up installation times.
Unnecessary risks
In electric underfloor heating, a common point of failure is the “joint” where the heating cable meets the “cold” cable that runs to the thermostat. These connections are bulky and often three times the size of the cables themselves, which leads to a predicament. Installers have to install them differently from how they would install the cable, and the only way to do it is by cutting holes into the material underneath the connections.
Cutting into material can lead to cable damage in two ways. First, the cavities create an air gap, which doesn’t transfer away the heat quickly enough, so can lead to overheating months or years down the line. Second, to make the holes for the joints, installers have to use tools that can easily damage the cable or connections. Cutting the membrane decoupling mat, the insulation board, or even the concrete or wood floor requires installers to use Stanley blades or grinders to make the holes.
Installers need to carve out holes beneath the joints so the surface is flush for tiling. The problem is that this can’t be avoided without changing the way membrane heating cables are made. This is where next-generation underfloor heating cables can make a difference and head off any issues arising from the connections. Next-generation cables, like ThermoSphere’s Membrane Heating Cable, are made in a single manufacturing process. The hot-to-cold connections are made in-line and are the same diameter as the underfloor heating cable itself. Other cables create the hot-to-cold joints during a secondary manufacturing process where separate cables are crimped or soldered together and reinsulated with heat shrink.
Making the hot-to-cold connection during the primary manufacturing process removes the risk of damage and gives installers the peace of mind that a job is truly complete. As Chris Field, owner of CJF Electrical Services commented, “ThermoSphere’s Membrane Heating Cable is so good – I think all cables should have in-line joint technology. I don’t have to cut out holes for the joints, so I can just press the cable into the mat and move on. It’s loads less hassle and I never have to worry about cable damage or revisiting a job.”
Faster installations
A change in cable design and manufacture also drastically transforms the installation process. Installation is quicker and simpler, letting smaller teams do more with less. And next-gen cables help to ensure quality installations for customers.
Membrane heating cables with a uniform thickness can be easily pressed into a membrane mat, without the need for tools. The whole cable can be laid in one step, which makes installation much quicker and reduces disruption to a customer’s home. For smaller teams, this simple change can significantly alter the amount of cable that they can lay in a short period.
What’s more, ThermoSphere has released its new cable with four additional lengths, 42, 55, 90, and 175 meters, giving installers a cable for every project size. These extra cable lengths make it easier for installers to get the perfect match each time, reducing the amount of multi-cable installations they have to do. Crucially, no installation team has to change the membrane mats it uses, as all are compatible with this new in-line joint and TwistedTwin heating cable.
Small changes can have big impacts for installers. ThermoSphere’s newly designed Membrane Heating Cable helps to prevent cable damage and makes installation faster. This can save installers time and money while delivering peace of mind.
For more information on ThermoSphere visit: ThermoSphere Membrane Cable
