How to Install Radiant Heat in Your Bathroom Floor

Because of the tile on a bathroom floor it can get very cold. Especially in the cold winter months it would be great to have a radiant heat barrier in your bathroom floor to keep you warmer. If you are prepared to remodel your bathroom floor then the following instructions will guide you through the process of installing an electric radiant heat system before you replace those ceramic or stone tiles. 

Level of Difficulty

• Beginner to intermediate

Step 1: Prepare the Floor

Measure out the area that you will wish to install the radiant heat wires. Be sure when you measure that the walking floor is the only part that you consider. You will not be installing the heated cables under cabinets, tubs, or other fixtures. Also keep the wires at least 6 inches from the wax ring of the toilet. After you do your measuring plot the space on graph paper. Bring this to your home store to get them to help you determine how much you will need along with the sizes and shapes your floorspace will require. 

Step 2: Install Electric

If you are installing the convenient mat style of radiant heat under your tiles contact a licensed electrician to install the 20-amp circuit to hook up the flooring to ensure it is done to building specifications in your area. Also the electrician should check the radiant heat mats to ensure they are not shorting out. They can install the GFCI (ground fault circuit interrupter) at the same time. 

Step 3: Install 

Lay out the mats that you have purchased in the design that works best for your floor space. Remove a mat and put a thin layer of thin set on your floor to hold the mat in place. This will ensure a good stable and flat surface for the tile to be installed on top. Press the mat into the thin set to hold it in place. Continue with the rest of the mats until they are all adhered to the floor. Each mat will have plugs to connect each mat to the other for a continuous circuit.

Step 4: After the Mat Is in Place

Once the mat is in place connect the wires to a setback thermostat and the GFCI circuit and test to ensure that the entire mat assembly heats up evenly. You can use a small thermometer to test different parts of the floor. This is also a good time to check and verify that there are no heating cables too close to the toilet or other fixtures in your room.

Step 5: Finishing

You are confident that your heating mats are in place and all working properly, the GFCI circuit is not shutting off and the thermostat is working properly. Put another layer of thin set over the mats and begin installing your tile. Manufacturers require that the tiles be of a stone or ceramic style. Linoleum tiles and carpets are not flame resistant and could melt or catch on fire.