FAQ

TRUE COMFORT FLOOR HEATING SYSTEM

• What is radiant floor heating?opener

  Radiant floor heating means heating masses directly rather than ambient air. To understand the concept of radiant heating, we can imagine a rock heated by the sun. It absorbs the heat from the sunrays and when you bring your hand close to it, you can feel that heat radiating and being redistributed into the air.

  The comfort achieved using this method is vastly superior to classical heating methods such as baseboards, wall-hung radiators or hot air systems. With their feet nice and warm, people who choose radiant floor heating are more comfortable and save a lot of energy.

• Which surfaces are suitable for installing a heating cable or mat?opener

  Depending on the application, the True Comfort cable or mat can be installed on a wide variety of subfloors, including: plywood, smooth concrete, concrete panels, ceramic, acoustic membranes, anti-fracture membranes, scratch coat or mortar bed.

  Please refer to the cable selection table or the mat selection table to learn more about compatible sub-floors.

• What floor coverings are compatible with a heating cable or mat?opener

  The True Comfort cable is compatible with a wide range of floor coverings, including ceramic, natural stone, engineered wood, vinyl, floating floor, linoleum, parquet and carpet. For coverings other than ceramic or natural stone, it is important to always check with the manufacturer in order to make sure that its product is compatible with floor heating systems.

  The True Comfort mat is compatible with ceramic and natural stone floor coverings.

  True Comfort does not recommend installing the cable or mat under hard wood or cork floor.

  Please refer to the cable selection table or the mat selection table to learn more about compatible floor coverings.

• Do I have to insulate the floor before installing the heating cable?opener

  If you install the system on smooth concrete, the concrete slab must be insulated to prevent heat loss and maximize the benefits of radiant floor heating. We also recommend installing the system in all rooms supported by the concrete slab to prevent heat loss on the perimeter. If these conditions cannot be respected, you must install adequate insulation between the concrete slab and the heating system to avoid heat loss. There are a variety of products available on the market that you can use to create heat barriers. Insulation product suppliers will be pleased to give you some advice.

• How much does it cost to heat floors with a heating cable?opener

  The cost varies from one installation to another. It depends on several factors: the local price of electricity (KwH), heat loss and the insulation of the room, the desired comfort level and the heating period. A radiant floor heating system can help you reduce your energy consumption by as much as 28% compared to traditional systems.

• Can radiant floor heating be used as the primary heat source for a room?opener

  Radiant floor heating can be used as the primary heat source for a room. Several factors must be considered: the level of sub-floor insulation, the size of the room, the exposure of exterior walls, the window coverage, the desired comfort level and the system’s output. Please contact Customer service for more information.

• What circuit voltage is compatible with True Comfort floor heating systems?opener

  True Comfort products can be installed on 120 VAC or 240 VAC electrical circuits, more commonly known as 110 or 220. In all cases, the circuit must be dedicated to heating. If you already have a 120 V or a 240 V circuit in the room, you can use it for your installation. Selecting either a 120 V or a 240 V cable will have no impact whatsoever on the energy consumption of your system.

• Who can install a heating cable system?opener

  True Comfort floor heating systems include detailed installation instructions. An experienced do-it-yourself enthusiast can install the heating cable by following the installation guide and video. You must ensure that the installation is carried out in compliance with the electrical code of your region. The system must be installed by a qualified person where required by law.

TRUE COMFORT CABLE AND MAT

• Can the cable be cut to shorten it or be extended with another cable?opener

  Never! Cables are manufactured according to very strict quality standards, which are applied at the plant to preserve their integrity and ensure a long service life. The cable is calibrated at the plant to meet the heating needs of a floor of a specific size. Cutting it will make it unusable and the warranty will be void. Cables should never be spliced (i.e. joining two cables).

• How are the cables attached to the floor?opener

  The cable is anchored using patented gauges supplied by True Comfort. They are specifically designed to make the installation easy and ensure even spacing for your type of installation. Furthermore, it is the only cable anchoring method that is covered by the True Comfort warranty.

  The mat consists of a cable laid on a 20 inch wide substrate, at 3 inch spacing, that can be easily installed in square or rectangular rooms thanks to its self-adhesive backing. You simply have to unroll it and it’s done!

• Can the cable be stapled to the floor?opener

  Never! That will void the warranty. You must always use the supplied gauges to install the cable. The mat, on the other hand, consists of a cable on a substrate with a self-adhesive backing. You simply have to unroll it while pressing it to the floor.

• How do I repair a cable that was severed or damaged during installation?opener

  True Comfort can provide you with a cable repair kit. Please contact Customer service for more information.

• Can True Comfort cables and mats be installed in a 3 season atrium window or solarium?opener

  Yes! True Comfort products are approved for installation in a solarium. Depending on your solarium's insulation, heat loss through windows and your geographical situation, it may be recommended that you add a secondary heating system for the coldest winter periods.

• Can True Comfort cables and mats be installed in a bathroom? opener

  Yes. The cable and mat are manufactured according to very strict quality procedures that satisfy the CSA standard for installation in wet environments. In the shower, you must install a different cable or mat than the one installed on the bathroom floor.

• How much time do I have to wait after installing the cable or mat before I can begin to install the floor covering?opener

  The time required to install the floor covering after glazing depends on the products used for glazing. Generally speaking, anywhere from 3 to 24 hours of drying are necessary. Check with the supplier or manufacturer of the mortar or self-leveling underlayment. You cannot accelerate the curing process by heating. This would have a negative impact on the quality of the dried product.

THE THERMOSTAT

• What to do if the thermostat’s screen is blank?opener

  Check if the thermostat is switched on. Press on the button located at the bottom of the thermostat. If the thermostat was turned off, it will come on as soon as you press that button. Check if the electrical panel interrupter powering the circuit is switched on. Switch it on if it isn’t already.

• Can the thermostat operate in manual mode and if so, how?opener

  Yes. The thermostat can operate in manual mode. To do so, you must do a temporary override.

  • Press the OK button to activate the menu. The Mode option flashes. Press OK and then press the DOWN button until Override flashes in the upper part of the display.
  • Press OK. The temperature flashes. Set the desired temperature by using the UP or DOWN button. Confirm the setting by pressing OK.
• What should I do if the thermostat screen displays GFI?opener

  Press on the interrupter until the thermostat turns off, and then press again to turn it on. If the situation persists, have the cable and insulation resistance checked by a qualified electrician. Contact our Customer service for assistance.

• What should I do if the system will not start? opener

  Have the cable resistance checked by a qualified electrician. Contact our Customer service for assistance.

• What should I do if the thermostat indicates E2?opener

  This means that there is an error with the probe. Verify that the probe is correctly connected to the thermostat connectors. (There is no polarity)
  Verify the probe resistance. It must be between 10 and 15 KOhms at an ambient temperature between 20oC and 30oC. Replace the probe if there is no resistance. Contact our Customer service for assistance.

• What should I do when the thermostat becomes erratic, activating and deactivating at irregular intervals for no apparent reason?opener

  Contact our Customer service for assistance. You will need an ohmmeter and a megohmmeter to verify the heating cables.

• What should I do if the thermostat displays a different temperature than that of the floor? opener

  Contact our Customer service for assistance. You will need an ohmmeter and a megohmmeter to verify the heating cables.

• What should I do if the thermostat makes an unusual noise? opener

  Contact our Customer service for assistance.

• If the thermostat is turned off, does it have to be fully reprogrammed? opener

  The thermostat keeps the same programming at all times. You will need to adjust the day and time after a power outage lasting more than 2 hours.

THE PROBE

• The probe was forgotten during installation. How can we rectify the problem? opener

  If you have ceramic tile floor covering, it is possible to install it between two ceramic tiles (in the grout mixture).

  In all other cases, contact our Customer service for assistance.

WARRANTIES

• What warranties are offered by True Comfort?opener

  True Comfort provides a limited warranty depending on the product and subject to an installation that complies with the installation guide provided at the time of purchase.

  True Comfort cable and mat: 25 years
  Programmable electronic dual voltage thermostat: 1.5 year
  Refer to the Products section for more details.