Unlike other heating options which heat the air, underfloor heating radiates warmth from the ground up. The radiant heat produced by underfloor heating brings warmth to the floor level which is beautiful and cosy. The heat distribution is more even than conventional heating methods with the warmth being controlled by a sophisticated yet easy to use thermostat which ensures the heat is on when and where you want it.
Hotwire heating is a type of electric under floor heating. It is available as either Under Tile Heating or In-Screed Heating.
Under tile Heating
An ultra-thin heating element is placed directly on top of the sub floor. The flooring is then simply laid over the top. As the element is so close to the floor surface your home will be warm in 30-60 minutes. The element heats up when the heating system is switched on, heating the floor surface. This is what provides the lovely radiant heat.
Hotwire provides two types of Under Tile heating. These are Hotwire spooled element or Hotwire heating mat.
In-Screed Heating
In-Screed heating is ideal if you are installing a sand and cement screed over a floor surface. The element sits approximately 40mm deep in a screed and spreads an even warmth throughout the entire room.
Under Tile Heating: Loose Wire vs. Mats
Under Tile Heating comes in two forms. Loose wire is a heating element on a spool, run around the room at even increments (generally around 60mm apart) and installed directly under the tile or other floor surface — it suits almost any room, including bathrooms, living areas, kitchens and studies. Heating mats use the same element, but pre-fixed to a self-adhesive fibreglass mesh, which makes installation faster. Mats suit smaller rooms like bathrooms and laundries best, though multiple mats can be run back to a single thermostat for larger areas.
In-Screed Heating follows the same loose wire vs. mat choice, just installed roughly 40mm deep in a sand and cement screed rather than directly under the tile — it’s a common choice for bathrooms or living areas with polished concrete floors.
Why Electric Rather Than Hydronic?
Floor heating can also be installed as a hydronic system, running hot water through pipes under the floor. It works, but has higher upfront costs that can be prohibitive, and is more involved to retrofit. Electric systems are simpler to install — anywhere from a single square metre bathroom right through to a full living area — which is part of why it’s the far more common choice in Australian homes.
What’s Actually in a Floor Heating System
Every system is built from the same handful of parts. The heating element itself (mat or loose spooled wire, sized to the room), a continuity alarm that monitors the element during installation and sounds immediately if it’s damaged, a thermostat or controller (anything from a basic timer up to a fully voice-activated WiFi unit), a temperature sensor buried in the floor that the thermostat reads to regulate heat, fixing methods (tape or adhesive to hold the element to the slab), and an instruction manual covering the specifics of your install.
A fully programmable touch screen thermostat is included with all Hotwire underfloor heating systems. The thermostat can be programmed to switch on your floor heating when you want it, whether that be when you get up in the morning or when you arrive home after a day at work, ensuring your home will be luxuriously warm.
The Hotwire Heating website has heaps of helpful information. Why not take a look for yourself?
Remember, Hotwire Heating is here to warm not only your home but also “warm your soul”.
Ready to warm up your own floors? Explore our underfloor heating range or get an instant quote for your home.