Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 7 Page 8 Page 9 Page 10 Page 11 Page 12 Page 13 Page 14 Page 15 Page 16 Page 17 Page 18 Page 19 Page 20 Page 21 Page 22 Page 23 Page 24 Page 25 Page 26 Page 27 Page 28 Page 29 Page 30 Page 31 Page 32 Page 33 Page 34 Page 35 Page 36 Page 37 Page 38 Page 39 Page 40 Page 41 Page 42 Page 43 Page 44 Page 45 Page 46 Page 47 Page 48 Page 49 Page 50 Page 51 Page 52 Page 53 Page 54 Page 55 Page 56 Page 57 Page 58 Page 59 Page 60 Page 61 Page 62 Page 63 Page 64 Page 65 Page 66 Page 67 Page 68 Page 69 Page 70 Page 71 Page 72 Page 73 Page 74 Page 75 Page 76 Page 77 Page 78 Page 79 Page 80 Page 81 Page 82 Page 83 Page 8448 2016 | TECH and you can use the thinset of your choice over it. ARDEX has recently released its UI 720 FLEXBONE unbonded membrane which is very useful for certain situ- ations where a bonded membrane would not suffice. Then there is the Blanke•PERMAT which is rated for an underlayment under stone with a single layer plywood subfloor. The ongoing Schluter DITRA mod/unmod discussion has been squashed as well. While Schluter will not warranty a modified thinset over its product, both ARDEX and MAPEI have agreed to pick up the warranty if an installer uses their modified thinsets over the mat. So many choices...Installers need to make sure they dedicate some time to doing research, calling their reps, and finding out about new products as they become available. With all the new products on the market, it’s safe to say there is indeed an underlayment mat for any jobsite conditions you may find. Substrates Electric Floor Warming Kurt Neuswanger, region manager North America OJ Electronics, Inc. www.ojelectronics.com Electric radiant floor heating con- tinues to expand in North America. With the continued acceptance and satu- ration of connected devices in the residential market, environmental controls (thermostats) continue to lead the category segment as the choiceofconsumersfor“remote-con- trolled” devices in the home. Sales of all smart thermostats grew by 123% in 2015 to a total of 4.9 million units, according to a report by IoT-Analytics. According to Berg Insight, the num- ber of homes in North America and Europe with smart thermostats is forecasted to grow by 50% per year over the next five years. By offering the ability to both control and moni- tor their heated floors from remote locations, consumers are now better able to control their cost of opera- tion, have better control of when the system is heating, and with advanced units, actually see the cost of opera- tion via the user interface on the thermostat or with the applicable computer and smart phone apps. Today’s controls are designed for pro- viding users with the ability to opti- mize energy efficiency. Additionally, newer controls on the market are offering touchscreen oper- ation with more vivid LCD displays, with easier viewing and more intuitive user interfaces to enable fast and easy setup and programming. These prod- ucts provide greater user satisfaction due to ease of operation and flexibil- ity. The resellers also benefit due to lower rates of customer service calls regarding operational questions. Sean Gerolimatos, technical director Schluter Systems www.schulter.com Concrete sub- strates can absorb enough heat energy to significantly increase floor warm-up times. There are solutions to address this, such as installing the heating cables at closer spacing for increased energy output or installing a thermal break prior to cable installation to reduce heat loss into the substrate. However, both of these solutions increase material and labor costs. Electric systems have expanded the ease of installation over the traditional hydronic, water-filled tubes. Thinner cables, wires and elements – some paired to easily work with uncoupling membranes – mean faster installations for contractors and better performance for customers. The latest innovations in this category are thermostats and controls that can be controlled remotely from smart phones, tablets and computers – and those systems that “learn” the customer’s heating habits to activate the floors so a warm, cozy environment greets custom- ers when they walk through the door after a long day at work. These smart controls also maximize energy effi- ciency, only providing heat when needed. Some manufacturers are also incorporating thermal breaks into their products, which reflect warmth from the heating elements back up into the room, and don’t allow cold concrete slabs to suck the generated warmth – and the energy efficiency – back into the slab. Learn more about new technologies in following com- ments and the product entries that accompany these comments. – Lesley Goddin Electric floor warming, in-floor heating, radiant heating – whatever you call it, it’s hot!