Flextherm XPRESS Guide D'installation page 4

Mat installation
IMPORTANT
Before installing, make sure that...
• Each closed room must have its own system and thermostat as
required by the electrical code (or validate with the electrical
code in effect in your region).
• The heated portion of the mat must be installed at a minimum
distance of:
- 13 to 25 mm (1/2 to 1 in) from the base (underside) of a counter,
fixed furniture, steps, patio doors, baths or showers;
- 5 cm (2 in) from any walls;
- 15 cm (6 in) from toilet or other drains;
- 20 cm (8 in) from any other heating system, floor or wall
mounted (this does not apply to a convection type of heating
appliance);
• The cable must be embedded in concrete at a minimum depth
of 4 cm (1.5 in) and a maximum depth of 13 cm (5 in) from the
surface of the floor, such as wood, gyp, etc.
• The cable must be spaced at least 13 mm (1/2 in) from any
exposed combustible surface.
• The cable cannot be overlapped, crossed, cut, shortened, nor
modified.
• If the cable is detached from the substrate, the spacing between
the cable runs must remain unchanged throughout the
installation.
• Never overlap or cross control or expansion joints and/or future
partitions.
• In the case of an installation on a plywood or OSB subfloor with a
concrete topping of more than 1.5 inches and less than 3 inches,
never install heating cable in a section over which the following
elements are planned: closets, cabinets or fixed furniture under
which air does not flow freely.
• The heating cable should never be, under any consideration,
installed in/on the walls.
• All the heating portion of the cable, up to the cold lead, must be
installed in the concrete slab. The mechanical joint must also be
embedded in the concrete.
• The system must be installed at an ambient temperature above
-10 °C (14 °F).
• The installer must make sure that the soles of his shoes are free of
any objects (i.e. stones, nails, etc.) that could damage the cable.
• Avoid putting down tools or other items used in the installation
directly on the cable. Put them down on a cardboard or other
light material.
• Between the installation of the cable and the time when the
concrete will be poured, limit access to the space to people
involved in the cable Installation or the pouring of the concrete.
Installation plan
First, plan your installation while taking into account the above mentioned
guidelines. It is recommended to make an installation plan in order to foresee
direction changes, obstacle skirting, buffer zones, etc. Buffer zones are areas
that are not essential to heat (i.e. under a suspended sink, behind a door, or
any other low traffic area) that can accommodate any excess mat.
If more than one mat is being installed in one room, make sure the heating
cable of each mat can reach the thermostat. Using solvent-free spray paint,
draw the obstacles and partitions to be bypassed directly onto the thermal
insulation (figure 5), plywood, OSB or concrete.
4
Plan the installation to fit the entire mat in the room. The heating mat
should not extend beyond the room or area in which it is being installed.
Plan on ending your installation in a buffer zone to use any excess mat, while
respecting the installation guidelines. If multiple mats are required for the
installation, each run of the mat should be carefully planned to ensure that
the installation guidelines are always met.
Square or rectangular room
1. Plan your installation taking into account that the mat is 24 inches wide.
Starting the installation and skirting around an obstacle
1. Free the required length of cable from the mesh, taking great care not to
damage it.
2. Install the freed portion of the cable to the installation surface with the
anchors provided (if installing on a rigid insulation) or with pieces of cut
substrate that you staple (figure 6) or hot glue (making sure not to touch
the cable with the tip of the hot glue gun). When changing direction,
always make sure that the cable maintains a minimum radius curb of
4.5 cm (1 3/4 in).
3. Always maintain the same 15.2 cm (6 in) spacing as the cable integrated
to the mesh.
Figure 5
Object
Figure 6
Concrete Mat Xpress Installation Guide