Schluter-DITRA-HEAT-E-HK are twisted-pair heating cables designed to integrate with the DITRA-HEAT uncoupling membrane in interior heated floors.
Important tips on selecting Schluter-DITRA-HEAT heating cables:
Do not buy heating cables to cover the entire tiled surface: that would be too much!
Very important: NEVER CUT OR MODIFY the heating cable. Doing so would change its resistance and could damage it and cause overheating.
The cable can also be laid alternating at intervals of three, then two studs, in certain areas or for the entire floor. This practice can be used to increase heating output (e.g., on uninsulated subfloors or on-grade concrete below the floor level) or to use a longer cable in a given area (e.g., when the three-stud interval layout does not allow the minimum spacing from walls, partitions, etc. to be respected).
A four-stud interval layout is not recommended, as it could result in uneven temperature.
Minimum distance from walls, partitions and fixed cabinets: 2" (50 mm).
Minimum distance from heat sources (electric baseboards, fireplaces, forced-air heating systems, etc.): 8" (200 mm).
Minimum distance from drains and forced-air ducts: 4" (100 mm).
Minimum distance from the centerline of toilet drains: 7" (180 mm).
NEVER install heating cables under vanities without an air gap beneath, bathtub platforms and freestanding bathtubs without an air gap beneath, or in kitchen cabinets and islands and other fixtures, nor in small storage areas or clothes closets where the floor covering may continue. Excessive heat will build up in such enclosed spaces, which could cause overheating.
NEVER run the heating cable under or into a wall, a partition or through a floor.
NEVER install the splice (black plastic piece that joins the cold lead and the gray heating cable) in a wall, as this could cause overheating, system failure or damage. The splice must be completely embedded under the floor covering, as explained in the heating cable installation instructions.
It is useful to plan a buffer zone, since it cannot be precisely predicted where the heating cable will end. The buffer zone is a section where heating is not essential and that is not intended to receive the cables, e.g. behind a toilet or near a door opening. This zone allows excess heating cable to be concealed. Heating cables can also be installed 6" (150 mm) from walls to create the buffer zone.
The heating cable must be tested while it is still in its coil, as well as at two other subsequent stages during installation, to ensure the quality of the cable and for warranty purposes. A megohmmeter is required to perform the insulation resistance test on the heating cables. Performing the insulation resistance test is strongly recommended.
Please consult a qualified electrician before ordering the DITRA-HEAT heating cables to choose cables of the voltage corresponding to your installation.
- The cables insert into the membrane, without fasteners
- There is no need to cover the cables with a self-leveler, which greatly speeds up installation
- Installed without returning to the thermostat
- Produce virtually zero electromagnetic fields
