b'Floor WarmingDevelopments in heating cable, uncoupling membranes continue to advance industry FloorwarmingsystemshavebecomeextremelySeveral manufacturers have now incorporated thermal advancedinrecentyears.Thinnercables,wiresandbreaks into their products, which will reflect warmth from related elements, some paired to work with uncouplingthe heating elements back up into the room, and prevent membranes, all translate into faster installations for con- cold concrete slabs from sucking the warmth and energy tractors and higher performance for customers. efficiency, back into the slab.The categorys most recent developments feature ther- Onetrendthathascontinuedtodevelopinthetile mostats and controls that can be operated remotely fromradiantheatingindustryisthe tablets,smartphonesandcomputerssystemsthatgrowthinpopularityforinstall-learn the customers heating habits to activate the floorsingfloor-heatingcablewithan soacozyatmospheregreetscustomersastheywalkuncouplingmembrane,noted through the door. These smart controls maximize energyJulia Billen, Owner and President, efficiency, as well, providing heat only as needed. WarmlyYoursRadiantHeating. Electric radiant floor heating is a high-end design fea- Thiscombinationhasshown turethatisgrowinginpopularityinbothnewhomesstrong,sustainablesalesgrowth and those renovations that focus on clean, comfortableJulia Billen forseveralyearsamongboth living.Thesesystemscomewithmanybenefitssuchhomeowners and trade professionals because it greatly asconsistent,energy-efficientwarmth,notedArthurdecreasesinstallationtime(versustraditionalembed-Mintie, Senior Technical Services Advisor for LATICRETE.and-wait install methods). In fact, many installations for Through a series of wires, electric radiant floor heatingbathroomsthe most common room for floor heatingsystems produce heat through thermal radiation, which iscan be completed in a single day. absorbed by surrounding objects that in turn help warmAnotherattractivequalityisthatthesemembranes the entire room. provide long-lasting uncoupling and crack-isolation ben-Withtheelectricradiantfloorheatingsystemsthatefits, which can greatly extend the life of relatively fragile areproducedtoday,customerscansignificantlylowerflooring materials like tile, she explained. Uncoupling their home or business kilowatt usage and reduce energymembranesalsoallowforsomevarietyinthespace costs, he explained. These product developments arebetweenrunsoftheheatingcable.Withmorespace increasinglyimportantastheworldcontinuestoseekbetweencables,youcandecreasethewattageper products that focus on their ability to contribute to green,squarefoot,loweringbothoperatingcostsandprod-sustainable living, and the industry continues to produceuct costs, which can prove attractive to homeowners.them with innovations in speed and accessibility.Louis Iannaco422019|TECH'