Electric radiant floor heating systems are heating systems designed for use under carpeting, area rugs, tile, stone, and laminate wood floors and have been used in Europe, South Africa, and Australia for over 20 years. Radiant heat does away with the age-old problems of cold rooms by offering easy-to-install zone heating. You can choose to either have radiant heat installed by a professional installer or DIY with their plug-n-play portable system for under area rugs. Concentrating on the advantages of floor heating (heat rising), radiant heat offers comfort from the ground up, heating the room evenly from floor to ceiling. The product is designed to solve zone heating problems one room at a time without adding the expense or mess of adding additional ductwork and/or baseboard heating units. The ultra thin heating mat that can be assembled and installed by floor installers or do-it-yourselfers, is perfect for whatever your situation. It appears that homeowners, flooring dealers, and builders agree, as sales have already started to expand, and the line has been taken air conditioning on by several high-end flooring retailers and builders alike. What makes electric radiant heat so unique is its installation flexibility. Manufactured in multiple size heating mats consisting of looped heating coils sandwiched between 4 layers of polyester for the carpet and area rug product, the resulting system measures less than 1/16″. The ultra thin construction makes the heater thin and flexible enough to be installed between a carpet and its pad or under laminate wood without air conditioning impacting floor height. Installers simply follow the easy to follow installation instructions provided with each system when placing the mats. Once in position, the leads from each mat are either connected to a 120-volt electrical circuit and 7-day programmable thermostat or simply plugged into a wall outlet. A qualified electrician should be used for final electrical connection if the system is to be hard-wired. Beyond the installation and radiant heating benefits, radiant heat owners will find their systems to be 100% maintenance free and extremely economical to operate. With no moving parts to wear out or filters to change, the system virtually operates itself once the thermostat has been programmed. Simply set the thermostat and forget about it. Equally impressive is the system’s average cost of less than a dollar a day to warm a 16′ x 20′ room for a full 10-hour cycle. The radiant heat fills the entire room with warmth from the ground up, air conditioning eliminating the cold air zone close to the floor, which is created by traditional heating systems. Studies show that heating is the largest energy expense for most homeowners, accounting for almost two-thirds of annual energy bills in colder areas of the country. Radiant heat’s ability to warm a home from the ground up produces evenly heated rooms that are not only more comfortable to live in, but are more energy-efficient to maintain at the desired comfort level. In addition, radiant heat also reduces the levels of dust, pollen, and mold spread by conventional forced air heating systems, making your home a healthier place to live. Individuals interested in obtaining additional information on the only UL-listed plug-n-play electric floor heating systems, or radiant heat for under ceramic tile, stone, hardwood, and vinyl installations, may contact Speedheat at www.speedheat.us.

From the Manufacturer

The Lux WIN 100 thermostat is for us with all mechanically controlled air conditioners and space heaters. Comfort; convenience; and quality – these are the reasons why so many consumers have welcomed Lux into their homes for almost 100 years. We are proud of our long tradition of providing homeowners with innovative products that make a difference in their lives. Moreover; we are honored that so many people have welcomed us into their lives and for so many (more…)

Thanks to the recent meltdown of the financial sector both in the UK and worldwide, 2009 is not shaping up well to be a good year for many. So why not kick sand in the face of the purveyors of doom and gloom and do something in your life that will make you feel good about yourself and has the added benefit of saving you money and reducing carbon emissions? We can all save energy in our homes with very little expense or effort. There are the no-brainers, such as turning off lights when you leave a room and turning the thermostat down a couple of notches and putting on a jumper. But what we’re looking at here is energy saving products. There are an ever increasing number of innovative new products out there that are designed to make energy saving easy. So when you’ve done insulating the loft and renewing the boiler, why not take a look at some of these little beauties. Electricity monitors. There are basically two types of electricity monitors available: wireless and “plug-in” models. The idea of both is simply to allow you to make you more aware of you energy use so that you can alter your energy consuming behaviour accordingly. I would suggest these are a great place to start on your energy saving adventure as they can help you measure the effect of new energy saving products as you introduce them. Standby Savers Standby on TV, audio and PC systems can consume an awful lot of electricity even when the equipment is out of use. Thankfully there are a whole host of standby saving products out there to help. Most are simple “plug and play” type affairs that are controlled by automatically sensing when a machine is shutting down/starting up. TV and audio offerings usually pick up the signal from your existing remote control. Either way, when you power down in the normal way, these eco gadgets will do the rest for you ensuring that the kit is switched off at the socket when not in use and automatically powered up when it is.  Put the kettle on All too often when making a cuppa we boil far more water than is required – this is a waste of energy. Eco kettles make it easy to boil just the right amount of water for the number of cups that you require. This can reduce your cuppa making energy consumption by a third and reduces time wasted waiting for the kettle to boil as well.  Reduce Hot Water Use It takes energy to heat water up – so it makes sense not to waste it! Consider using eco-balls in the washing machine instead of detergent. They’re kinder to the environment and allow you to wash at a lower temperature. Also, if you have a shower hog in your household I would recommend the acquisition of  a shower timer. For very little cost you can have a frog, duck or water drop shaped timer on the shower wall that will beep at when your preset time is up! Energy Saving Bulbs Energy saving light bulbs use about 80% less energy than conventional bulbs. They are a little more expensive, but reassure yourself that due to their vastly extended life time and cheaper running costs they are worth the investment. So there we have a quick run down of just a small selection of vast array of energy saving products available. Make 2009 a year to remember for the right reasons, and feel good about saving energy and money.  
Jeff J endorses Chris Tyrrell who writes for Ecofreak, an environmentally friendly online shop specialising in energy saving products to help reduce your energy usage and costs. Visit the website for more details.

From the Manufacturer

Now LUX offers you compelling differences! The Smart Temp 1500 brings operating simplicity to advanced technology. The TX1500 features a display with electro-luminescence (EL). The display lights with a touch of the button to provide easy reading and temperature adjustment. Our unique, user friendly Speed Dial allows a beginner to get expert results. Pre-set with a typical energy saving program, the innovative TX1500 also offers easy reprogramming to fit any (more…)

From the Manufacturer

The Lux TX9000TS is an easy-to-use touch screen thermostat that gives homeowners complete and accurate temperature control at the touch of a finger. The TX9000TS incorporates a user-friendly interface that is simple to understand and a large digital display that is easy to read. It is also Energy Star approved for reducing energy use, is 7-day programmable and compatible with a variety of heating and cooling systems. With the TX9000TS, you get an altogether (more…)

Holmes® Triple Ceramic Heater with Comfort Control Thermostat, GrayGet plenty of warmth in no time thanks to triple heating elements and a large grille. Carry handle offers easy transportation. Equipped with a digital comfort temperature thermostat, one-touch operation and an auto safety shut-off to prevent overheating. Includes remote control and 24-hour timer. Global Product Type: Heaters; Safety Features: Auto Shut-Off; Setting Range: N/A; Case: Plastic.

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Twin Ceramic Heater with Comfort Control Thermostat. Efficient twin ceramic heating elements and large grille provide wide dispersion of heat. Carry handle for easy portability. Two heat settings: high (1,500 watts) and low (1,000 watts). Auto safety shut-off. Manufacturer’s three-year limited warranty. 6-5/8w x 11-1/4d x 8-3/8h.

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