Radiant heat and electric floor warming is one of the fastest grow- ing sectors in the tile industry. In fact, in our TECH and TRENDS issues, it’s one of the biggest section. More products are being introduced that take advantage of NEST or smart phone technology to monitor and operate automated temperature controls, or new mat- and-cable configura- tions that speed instal- lation while offering a more cus- tom layout and guard a g a i n s t cracking at the same time. E l e c t r i c floor warm- ing systems seem to get simpler to install all the time – a far cry from the days of cumbersome hydronic pipe systems. These simple, easy mat-and-cable systems make installation fast and relatively easy. That being said, there are cau- tions when installing radiant heat sys- tems that are best heeded to ensure a flawless project. The 2016/2017 NTCA Reference Manual examines Radiant Heat Issue for Tile & Stone Installations in chapter 6: Specialized Installation Procedures, page 134. Presented in a Problem/Cause/Cure format and compiled from decades of field experience, the recommenda- tions in the NTCA Reference Manual help installers prevent problems in the field and give guidelines on man- aging them if they do occur. For instance, a few of the sce- narios include: Problem: Excessive tile lippage Cause: Lack of mortar or self lev- eling underlayment cement used to encapsulate the radiant heat system Cure: Securely attach the radi- Using the NTCA Reference Manual to prevent or solve radiant heat issues Sponsored by By Lesley Goddin TECH TALK –––––––––––––––––––––––––––– The SunTouch SunStat® Connect Programmable Touch Screen w/ Wi-Fi / Model# 500875 lets you control floor heating remotely, using a mobile app or via the web. Adjust floor heating set- tings any time from any- where. Additional features let the system compen- sate for weather changes to save on energy use. suntouch.com 74 TileLetter | March 2017