WarmlyYours Blog

Can We Say Pulitzer Prize Writer?

noreply@blogger.com (Erin Mitmoen) — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 15:50:00 +0000

Recently our technical supervisor, Scott Rosenbaum, was published in PM Engineer magazine. We are really excited about the spread and we’re sure that this is just the first of many articles to come! We’re so very proud of our tech guy. He knows his stuff when it comes to floor heating installations and he’s not a half bad writer! As part of the 24/7 tech team, he has received several troubleshooting calls. He’s answered tons of questions that folks (many of whom were not even our customers!) have asked about their electric floor heating systems and he noticed a real trend developing. Certain things kept popping up over and over. So many of the floor heating installation issues he deals with could have easily been avoided if people just followed a few simple tips. So, he wrote this great little blog that turned into a full fledged published article, all to try and get the message out. Read his original blog and save yourself some heartache.

Comfortable Concrete

noreply@blogger.com (Vickie Wash) — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 18:20:00 +0000

Are you considering one of the newest trends in homebuilding today - polished, stamped or stained concrete flooring? Even if you aren’t building a new home, perhaps you have considered putting an addition on your house such as a sunroom…or, a garage. You’ll appreciate a warm concrete floor when its time to relax and enjoy your 3- season room or change the oil in your garage on a cool Saturday morning. Now, with WarmlyYours concrete heating cable, you can design your concrete floors to be as warm as they are beautiful.

Decorative concrete flooring is a hot trend and a perfect companion to a warm floor. WarmlyYours new electric heating cable product allows you to warm naturally cold concrete efficiently and economically. Why not “kick up” your decorative concrete flooring design a notch? With concrete floor heating, you’ll enjoy the radiant heat of your basement, garage or sunroom addition just as much as any other room in your home.

Let WarmlyYours Experts Do The Thinking For You!
We are ready to design the concrete floor heating system that is an exact fit for your project. There are no pipes, boilers, tubing, tanks or noisy pumps. Our concrete floor heating cable is simple to install and is embedded right in the middle of a 4” to 6” concrete poor. Just send us your project details and let our experts do the thinking for you. We will provide you with a custom installation plan and recommend a control that is just right for your project.

Getting Comfortable in the Office

noreply@blogger.com (Erin Mitmoen) — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 20:08:00 +0000

Work and comfort aren’t often thought of together. But, why aren’t they? Most people spend more waking hours at work than they do at home so why shouldn’t we invest a little time or money making ourselves more comfortable? Sure, I know what you are going to say. Who wants to spend money on a place you’d rather not think about when you aren’t there. But, what if we did focus more on our physical well being at the office? Would we still rather not go to work? Or, if you are one of those rare people who totally love their job, would adding comfort to your work space be like icing on top of the cake?

Ok, after all that back and forth, I’ll get to the point. Basically, I’ve come across a few ways that folks can make their work space more tolerable, and maybe even comfortable.

- First, let’s focus on lighting. Fluorescent lights do not have a positive affect on you in the work environment. Everyone knows that. If there is a way to reduce the fluorescent lighting above your desk and use a desk lamp instead, it will make your office space feel a little homier. In fact, recently I just happened to catch part of a TV show about extreme work places. (Sorry, I can’t remember the channel.).The office that was featured allowed an employee to put an outdoor umbrella in his cubicle to eliminate the overhead fluorescent lighting! Your boss might consider something like that, especially if you mention that it would improve your productivity ☺ (or at least let you remove the bulbs from above your desk). Generally, desk lamps are fairly inexpensive, but if you can’t afford one or you just don’t want to make the investment, go to Goodwill and pick one up secondhand.

- Second, office chairs really aren’t great for your back even when they are designed to be ergonomically correct. Sometimes we need a little more lumbar support. There are chair pads made to enhance the areas of your chair that are lacking in support, and some are designed to give you a massage as well. You can purchase these devices for as little or as much money as you are willing to spend. Just keep an eye out for sales and positive product reviews and you’ll surely find something that works for you!

- Third, a lot of people don’t know what kind of temperature to expect when they get to the office. Some days, the office feels hot and some days it feels frigid. People often keep an extra sweater hanging on their chair for the colder days. But for some poor souls, this just isn’t enough. WarmlyYours has an Under Desk Heater that plugs into a standard 120 volt outlet, and uses radiant heat to bring extra warmth to your feet and legs. The Heater is made of plush, soft carpet, so not only is it warm, but it’s comfy. It even raises the temperature slightly in your cubicle so the sweater may not even be necessary. This product is also very affordable (though, it is more expensive than a sweater you bring from home).

-Can you imagine sitting in your dimly lit cubicle, getting a back massage while warming your feet and drinking free work coffee? Sounds a little like heaven on earth to me. Maybe coming into work tomorrow isn’t such a bad idea?

Wife-1, Husband-0

noreply@blogger.com (Erin Mitmoen) — Sat, 16 May 2009 16:56:00 +0000

Obviously, I work for WarmlyYours, so I hear good things about our radiant heating products all the time. Sure, that might make you think I am biased, but I don’t make decisions lightly. Usually making a decision requires hours of researching and then I have to weigh the pros and cons. Having said that, I’ve been trying to persuade my husband to consider installing an electric floor heating system so that we won’t have to rely so heavily on our seriously inefficient forced air system. He has asthma and I’m cold a lot. Right now, I have to turn the heat up really high in the winter just to sleep through the night, and our heating bills in our new home are twice as high as we expected (probably because of me). To get back to the point, I’ve tried selling my husband on the idea of using it in the kitchen for months now. Why not? We have to remodel the kitchen anyway and now would be the perfect time. I’ve said things like: “We are getting tile floors and they are cold. The kitchen is drafty and studies have shown that when the floors are warm people feel warm.” And, I even tried, “When we sell the house, the floor heating system will add value.” Nothing seemed to get through to him, so finally I decided to forgo the arguing and just let him have his way. (Ladies, you have to pick your battles, right?)

Yesterday, on our way to a family dinner he came out of the blue with his ‘new’ idea and said, “I think we should get radiant heating.” My jaw dropped and I immediately had the thought, “Are you kidding? I’ve been talking about this for months!” I kept that thought to myself and said instead, “Really? That’s a good idea.” Game, set, match. Wife-1, husband-0!

Is it the End of the Recession?

noreply@blogger.com (Erin Mitmoen) — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 15:45:00 +0000

According to the article A Faint Sound of Applause recently published in the “Economist,” the market is going to bounce back soon. Yea! There is finally a light at the end of this long tunnel. Who hasn’t been or who doesn’t know someone who has been adversely affected by the current economy? It seems everyone is losing their jobs or their houses. Don’t just take my word for the rebound, read this quote for yourself.

“Some signs suggest that the recession is lifting. America’s housing bubble seems mostly deflated. According to the S&P/Case-Shiller 20-city index, house prices through January were down 29% from their all-time peak. Relative to incomes, houses are now 10% undervalued, and relative to rents they are fairly valued. This is luring buyers back. House sales rose unexpectedly in February while vehicle sales rose by 8% in March. Even new claims for unemployment insurance have stopped rising.

What has brought this turnabout? In part, the normal corrective powers of the economy. Annualized housing starts are about a quarter of the rate needed to support the forming of new households, so sooner or later we will see a strong rebound. The improvement is also the expected response to monetary and fiscal stimulus, both of which have been exceptionally aggressive. The Federal Reserve, having lowered short-term interest rates in effect to zero, has intervened in bond markets to push down long-term mortgage rates as well.”

At least now we have a financial publication saying things are going to turn around. If we can’t trust the media, who can we trust?

Julia's Favorite Memory

noreply@blogger.com (Erin Mitmoen) — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 20:27:00 +0000

Growing up in a crowded row home in Dundalk, Maryland, space was tight. The walls were thin, so thin that you knew all your neighbors’ business…and, it was always cold in our house. My most favorite childhood memory is of me taking a hot shower in the morning, and then laying on the heating vent in our tiny bathroom shared by 7 other family members. I would lock the door and just sleep - the warm air lulling me back to my dreams. I just remember feeling so content – there- on the floor. I still feel that way when I think about it.

Who knew that my love for floor heat would find me owning a floor heating company and being able to provide electric radiant heat to families and children everywhere? Apparently I'm in the minority. When I talk with my friends about my life, it just seems like most of them did not end up doing something they had a real love for.

How about you? What did you love as a kid? Did you end up doing something you loved when you "grew up"?

Julia Billen - President, WarmlyYours.com Inc.

Troubleshooting Beforehand Insures a Trouble-Free Installation

noreply@blogger.com (Erin Mitmoen) — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 16:09:00 +0000

From the Desk of our Tech Expert, Scott Rosenbaum:

The best troubleshooting tip of all is to make sure you test the roll before it’s installed.

- ALWAYS test your roll with an Ohms meter* once you have unpacked it from the shipping box.

- After the floor heating roll(s) is cut and laid out on the floor, you MUST test the roll again.

It really is that simple. These 2 easy steps can save time, money, and a lot of heartache in the long run. It just doesn't make any sense to install a defective roll. And, the only way to know if the roll is defective is to test it! If the roll is defective, give us a call and we will ship a replacement to you overnight. If you have any questions at all, we are available by phone to help you, 24/7!

If the roll passes these two tests, you are ready to encase the roll(s) in thinset or self leveling cement. Whichever you use, it should be latex modified.

- Before troweling on the thinset, install the Circuit Check* device to each roll you’re installing. This device will “sound off” very loudly if the roll gets damaged during installation.

- After the floor is installed, test the roll again with an Ohms meter.

These simple steps should make the installation problem-free. It is so surprising how many problems we see in Tech Support that could have been easily avoided by reading the installation manual and following these simple steps!

* The Circuit Check IS NOT a substitute for an Ohms meter! A digital Ohms meter can be purchased at any hardware store for around $15.

Video Blog Episode #2: Electric Floor Heating Overview

noreply@blogger.com (Erin Mitmoen) — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 21:56:00 +0000

This video gives a basic description of electric floor heating and radiant heat. Thermostat information, cost of running and usage information also supplied.

Daylight Savings Sale

noreply@blogger.com (Erin Mitmoen) — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 20:23:00 +0000

Spring ahead and out of your bed now that your floors are warm! No need to put slippers on to avoid the freezing shock that can come from standing on cold tile or wood floors.

For a limited time we here at WarmlyYours have put together a little deal for our customers to help celebrate the fact that there are a few more hours of daylight added to every day Starting March 8th!

Order your floor heating system* by March 31st and WarmlyYours will take 50% OFF your EnergyStat™ floor heating thermostat. Remember to mention Coupon Code Energy50!

For more information please see our official offer page at: http://www.warmlyyours.com/products/daylightsavingsale/

*Order must include a roll and the EnergyStat™ control to qualify. No substitutions. Offer available in both US and CAN while supplies last. Coupon Code must be presented at time of order. Offer cannot be combined with any other offers/promotions.Other restrictions may apply.

Video Blog Episode #1: Using Circuit Checks

noreply@blogger.com (Erin Mitmoen) — Sat, 07 Mar 2009 01:59:00 +0000

Hello all,
At WarmlyYours we're always looking for new ways to interact with our visitors, below is the first in what we hope will be many video blogs addressing questions that our customer service and technical support teams are frequently asked. We hope that you will find these short episodes a helpful resource in assisting you with your floor heating needs. Feel free to leave your feedback below.

WarmlyYours Donates to a Green Home Project - the “Needham” House!

noreply@blogger.com (Erin Mitmoen) — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 21:26:00 +0000

WarmlyYours is involved with another worthwhile project and we wanted to tell everyone about it. We are working with FreeGreen.com, a company that offers free building plans featuring green design. They are collaborating with WarmlyYours and several other companies to build a house with greener standards. We are excited about donating product and the chance to better educate folks about the greener side of radiant heating. Radiant heating can be a more cost efficient heating system (please see our previous blog about “the greener side to radiant heating”) and this opportunity allows us to share the benefits of radiant heating with others.

At the top of our list of people to thank is Bob Glazer, who has used WarmlyYours electric floor heating in the past and liked it so much that he wanted to include us in this fantastic project. He is building a house using one of the FreeGreen’s building plans, the “Needham” house. Bob’s home merges the traditional and the green home while endeavoring to be more eco-friendly.

"We wanted to work with FreeGreen.com to help change the perception of building green and demonstrate that traditional and green don't need to be mutually exclusive. We are building a traditional New England home with a local builder, but we are eager to incorporate many green features to both reduce our energy consumption and ensure a healthy environment for our family," said homeowner, Bob Glazer. "Before we began this process, we conducted a lot of research, but there was no place where we could view active green projects. We are excited that our project will be FreeGreen's first residential home from which their users can actively follow and learn."
Because of this innovative project, homeowners can now see the process of building a new, green home and learn about it without having to figure it out the hard way (and wouldn’t we love to be able to learn something the easy way for a change?)
You can read Bob’s blog at: http://www.freegreen.com/green-home-build-story-needham-ma-house/.

WarmlyYours is donating electric floor heating for Bob’s mud room and master bathroom in the “Needham” House. Specification information about the floor heating products will be included in the plans for this house. So, if you are interested in building a house like the “Needham” house, without having to do all the research, you will be able to find out exactly what you will need just by downloading the plan.
If you would like more information about this project or our many radiant heating products, please contact Erin Mitmoen, Marketing Communications Coordinator, Tel: (847) 550-2453; e-mail: emitmoen@warmlyyours.com; website:www.WarmlyYours.com/press.

First Time Installation Is A Breeze

noreply@blogger.com (Erin Mitmoen) — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 19:35:00 +0000

Recently, the Branch Manager of WarmlyYours Canadian office, Elodie Pasek, went on site to supervise a first time installation of TempZone™, our radiant floor heating system for under tile and stone. The install takes place at the Stradwick Carpet One location in Mississauga, ON, Canada. Read about it in Elodie’s own words.

Elodie, if you please…

This story is the perfect example of the WarmlyYours Advantage: Fast, Personal and Easy.

FAST: Stradwick contacted me earlier this week about a basement renovation project where floor warming would be installed over concrete. They informed me that the installation was scheduled on Saturday and that they were in a hurry to get an installation plan and all the materials before then. Getting them everything they needed on their timeline was not an issue. The custom installation plan was submitted and finalized within 24 hours! Once they double checked the dimensions, the store contacted me to place the order the following day.

PERSONAL: Because it was their first time at attempting to install a WarmlyYours system, they asked if someone from WarmlyYours would be able to oversee the installation. I agreed to meet them on Saturday morning.

EASY: I went through the basics of the installation with the install crew and this it what they had to say: "We installed other floor warming systems in the past, but it was never as easy as this installation, like day and night! [...] this product is very flexible to install and so thin!"

Originally, the homeowner had selected just one area of his room for floor heating coverage. Once we were on site, the homeowner changed his mind. He decided that he wanted to expand the coverage to include the walkway leading up to the original area he wanted to warm. Because of the flexible design of the WarmlyYours roll, it was not a problem. We were able to use the free-form technique and also adjust the “cut and turn" to give him the additional coverage he wanted. Now, the homeowner won't have to worry about cold spots.

Remember to always test the roll prior to installation and to install the floor sensor! Sometimes installers forget or they think that these things really aren’t necessary. Taking these simple steps will avoid many of the common problems we see during installations (including this one). To view a floor heating video installation, go to: http://www.warmlyyours.com/install/floor-heating/videos/

Radiant Warmth for Your Heart - A Valentine’s Promotion

noreply@blogger.com (Erin Mitmoen) — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 22:01:00 +0000

Valentine’s Day is quickly approaching - are you prepared to woo your loved one? Did you know that research published in the journal of Science* links physical warmth with emotional warmth? The recent study revealed a very real connection between these two attributes: "Physical warmth can make us see others as warmer people but can also cause us to be warmer – more generous and trusting – as well," said Bargh, a Yale University psychologist and co-author of the study.

If you haven’t already found the perfect gesture or gift to express your love, it’s time to think warmth, relaxation, and pampering! Our everyday lives are so busy and hectic, wouldn’t it be amazing if you could find the rest and relaxation you crave right in your home’s master bathroom?

Check out WarmlyYours Valentine promotion at: -- promotion now closed -- . Take advantage of this promotion and you can purchase a floor heating system and get a towel warmer FREE. No need for an expensive Valentine Spa Day when you can create your very own spa experience right at home.

And, don’t forget him. After all, who wants to shovel snow after a long day at the office? Check out the HeatTrak™ entryway mat? It melts the snow without any more work than simply plugging the mat in. Less time spent outside in the cold shoveling snow means more time in your arms!

Imagine coming home from work on a cold, snowy evening to find the walkway already cleared and the tub filled with bubbles in your new at-home spa … with your love waiting for you.

Sounds sweet, doesn’t it?

* Click here to read the full article from the Los Angeles Times.

The Greener side of Radiant Heating!

noreply@blogger.com (Erin Mitmoen) — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 22:47:00 +0000

There are many benefits to installing electric floor heating in your home. As public awareness rises around energy consumption and conservation, it just makes sense to have a discussion about how you can enjoy the benefits of radiant heating and be a part of the green movement.

Electric radiant heating systems are often installed under naturally cold surfaces, such as tile, stone and hardwood. The heat from the system penetrates the flooring and warms from the ground up. The warmth transfers directly to you and warms everything it touches as it radiates throughout the room. It’s sort of like stepping out of the shade and into the sun; the air temperature is essentially the same, but you feel warmer.
By using radiant heating, even as a supplemental source of heat, the temperature throughout the room is more constant as compared with your standard forced-air system, where the warm air rises, cools and then falls to the floor. Your room will feel warmer, prompting you to turn the temperature on your thermostat down. To better explain this phenomenon, Alex Wilson, a writer for Environmental Building News, said it this way,

Homeowners with radiant-floor heating are likely to be comfortable at lower air temperatures because of the elevated mean radiant temperature in such homes, the lack of significant airflow (as occurs with convective hydronic heating and forced-air heating systems), and the delivery of heat at floor level. Proponents of radiant-floor heating argue that someone normally comfortable at 72°F (22°C) will be comfortable in a building with radiant-floor heating kept at 68°F (20°C).

Operating your floor heating system with an Energy Star rated, programmable thermostat further reduces energy consumption. You can program your thermostat to be “on” only during the time that you actually want to enjoy your electric floor heating system. For example, a very popular application for electric floor heating is in the master bathroom. With a programmable floor heating thermostat, you could set your system to run in the early morning and late evening, the times of the day that you are most likely getting ready for work or getting ready for bed. During those times when you are spending most of your time in the master bathroom, why not take advantage of the additional warmth being generated by your floor heating system and lower your whole house thermostat?

If you're like the majority of people living on this planet, you may not have been thinking about the eco-friendly aspects of your home when you purchased it. We can’t all rebuild our houses, but we can make more ecologically responsible choices in the future. If we can turn our thermostats down and stay as warm (or warmer), thereby wasting fewer resources, why wouldn’t we do that for Mother Earth?

Many of us will have to replace our floors at some time, so why not add radiant floor heating then? You can even go one step further to reduce your carbon footprint by selecting hardwood flooring. Hardwood had become such a popular flooring covering option and can be installed in virtually any room in your home. Recently, the National Wood Flooring Association (NWFA) published an article, Radiant Wood Floors: Wood Floors Over Radiant Heat Reduce Carbon Footprint, and explained that, “Because wood floors are sustainable and renewable, they increase radiant heat’s benefits.” Further, the NWFA recommended many wood types that are compatible with radiant heating: American cherry, American walnut, teak, antique heart pine, ash, bamboo, Brazilian walnut, bubinga, Douglas fir, iroko, kempas, padauk, purpleheart, red oak, Santos mahogany, and sapele. Why not complement the strength and beauty of your hardwood flooring with radiant floor heating? It’s the eco-friendly thing to do. Think radiant warming, not global warming!

To learn more about installing radiant heating under hardwood flooring, check out: http://www.warmlyyours.com/products/floor-heating/hardwood/floor-heating-impact-on-hardwood-floors/. Also, find out why WarmlyYours TempZone™ floor heating received the Gold Star rating for its electric floor heating under hardwood, check out: http://www.warmlyyours.com/products/floor-heating/hardwood/studies/.

Customer Service – Done Outrageously Well!

noreply@blogger.com (Erin Mitmoen) — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 19:01:00 +0000

Do you ever dread calling Customer Service for help? If you said, "Yes," I'd venture a guess that you are not alone! It can be a real crap shoot. Sometimes you get that perfect, helpful person, but other times, the customer service you receive makes you question whether you will ever buy another product from that company. That's why it's almost like winning the lottery when you do actually have a successful customer service experience.

At WarmlyYours, we track the response rate for incoming calls and we are continuously trying to improve even the quickest response times. Our staff is well trained on the products and services we offer. Recently, we received feedback from one of our customers. She was eager to tell us how happy she was with the response she received from our support team. Here is her story as told by the WarmlyYours employee who helped her.

Susan was in the process of renovating her bathroom. As she was going through InStyle Home Magazine, she came across an article that featured the WarmlyYours Riviera Towel Warmer. She went online to www.WarmlyYours.com to look for it and she was delighted when she learned that she could get such a high quality product at a very affordable price! She contacted us and purchased it.

After paying 2 electricians to install the towel warmer control without success, Susan contacted our support team in tears. She begged us to find a solution for mounting the control so that it would be flush with the wall. Susan submitted photographs to us and we immediately understood the problem. I live near Susan and personally visited Susan's home to help her fix the problem. Within 30 minutes, the towel warmer control was installed exactly the way Susan wanted it. She said, "I am finally going to have a good night of sleep! Thank you so much for taking the time at the end of your work day to come and help me out - I will recommend you to all my neighbors!"

The moral of this story - do not hesitate to contact WarmlyYours sales, customer service, or technical support teams: we are dedicated to finding solutions and making sure you have an outrageously good customer experience.

Pets Love Radiant Floor Heating Too!!

gjones@warmlyyours.com (Gareth Jones) — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 21:22:00 +0000

If you own a pet you know that it becomes part of the family. You make sure that they get food and water, but when they are cold what do you do? Do you clothe them? Sure, some people do, but most people do not. Here is where our radiant floor heating comes into the picture.

ABC7 recently did a report on the rising trend to get health insurance and state-of-the-art devices for pets. One aspect they discussed was about using radiant heating for your pet's comfort. Cats and dogs naturally like to lie around where the sun shines in the windows. If radiant heat is your solution then they can (and probably will) lay anywhere on the floor.

In the story they talked about a new manufacturer of radiant heating for pets, but for the same cost of a dog bed you can add radiant heat to a new bathroom floor. I know which seems like the better choice to me. Shouldn't both you and your pet enjoy warm floors?

Click to view the original ABC article

No More Slippery Ice Thanks To Snow Melting Systems

gjones@warmlyyours.com (Gareth Jones) — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 21:23:00 +0000

A few weeks ago we wrote about an installation of our new portable snow melting system HeatTrak© to show just how easy it is to set up and use. Well, a big snow finally arrived in Chicago and we are now able to say first-hand that the portable snow melting works great! We were able to test it and have pictures to prove it – Check them out and see for yourself.

My daughter liked her new warm floor so much I’m doing my son’s room next!

gjones@warmlyyours.com (Gareth Jones) — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 20:22:00 +0000

This week we decided to try something slightly different. We thought we’d let you hear some homeowner’s direct reactions to our radiant heating products. So our marketing team set out to interview a few. Meet Marie and her eleven year old daughter, Danielle. They recently purchased electric floor warming for Danielle’s bedroom. Here’s what they had to say about their new Environ II enhanced room. If you’d like to hear a segment of our interview with Danielle, just click the player below.

You got the Environ II™ for your daughter?
Marie Yes. Her room has a lot of windows and it’s a good size room – so the combination made it hard to heat by our forced air system.

What were you hoping to do with it and why?
Marie My daughter runs very cold – so I wanted to add a level of comfort that would not be achievable any other way. She wanted her room to be warm and cozy and now she has just that. Danielle likes modern stuff. So we decided to install laminate floors with the floor heating. She really likes the new floor - says it makes the room look “clean” as opposed to her old carpet.

Were you there for the install?
Marie I was there for part of it, but once I saw that the installer was very comfortable, I left him on his own. There is really not much to it – no cutting – no adhesive – he just laid the floor heating mat down over the sub-floor and channeled the return leads to the thermostat.

Now that you have gotten to used it, how do you and your daughter like it?
Danielle I like it a lot because my room used to be the coldest and now it’s the warmest.
Marie She loves it! She is so proud to show off that her bedroom is now the warmest – even better is that our favorite pet – our cat Lola - loves it too.

Do you do anything different now since your floor is warm?
Danielle A couple things, my cat Lola always crawls under my rug on my heated floor and takes a nap. One day I got cold and used my rug as a blanket and I slept for 4 hours! I also use it for homework and sleepovers.

How do your friends like your new floor?
Danielle They think I’m really lucky and they wish they had my room. When my older brother’s friends come into my room they say I have a better room than he does.

Is there anything else you’d like me to know about the new floor?
Danielle It’s very easy for me to turn up the warmth or make it lower. It’s easy to control.
Marie I’m thinking of trading rooms with her.

Does your mom ever complain if you turn it up too high?
Danielle Mom doesn’t complain unless I turn it above 90 [degrees].

Would you do other rooms?
Marie Yes, I’m doing my son’s room next. His room is over our garage so you can imagine how cold it gets….

Is the product worth the price, in your opinion?
Marie Absolutely. There was just no other way to get this room cozy and comfortable. Priceless.

There you have it, straight from a homeowner’s mouth!

Interview conducted by Erin Mitmoen

HomeAid Delivers Award of Appreciation to WarmlyYours Employees

gjones@warmlyyours.com (Gareth Jones) — Sun, 23 Nov 2008 23:49:00 +0000

Early on a recent summer morning, a WarmlyYours crew of 11 assembled in Joliet, IL to help in the setup of a new social home for young women and their kids. Hundreds of pieces of heavy furniture, beds and mattresses had to be moved into the residence and HomeAid Chicago counted on a team of volunteers to make it happen. At the end of an exhausting but very productive day, nearly 50 bedrooms were fully equipped and ready for everyone to move in!

Over the past few months, our warehouse manager, Maciek, has also assisted HomeAid on several construction projects. From installing shower rods in Joliet, Maciek has leant his trade skills in handling heavy tools to help remodel several shelters for the homeless, children beaten by their parents and sexually abused girls.

Congratulations to Maciek and the courageous WarmlyYours employees who made it all happen. Our sincere thanks to HomeAid for rewarding our efforts with this award!

It has been WarmlyYours' policy for many years now to let employees take days off to work for local non-profit companies. I'm very proud to see the WarmlyYours team take this policy to heart and make a difference by helping those of us that are less fortunate.

Julia
jbillen@WarmlyYours.com
WarmlyYours CEO

New Portable Snow Melting – Just in Time for Snowfall!

gjones@warmlyyours.com (Gareth Jones) — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 16:03:00 +0000

I'm Scott Rosenbaum, WarmlyYours Technical Support and Engineering Manager. Today, I'd like to share the details of an installation of HeatTrak outdoor portable heating mats to show you how easy it is. The WarmlyYours team recently put two HeatTrak systems in a local home in Kildeer, IL. The application called for entryway and stairway snow melting.

For the entryways, we took the mats out of the box and placed them in the desired locations. Then we plugged the ALCI protected plug into an outlet. It was that simple.

For the stairways, first we verified that the correct quantities of mats were shipped. Then we placed the mats on the stairs, centering them in the walking area of each stair. Once the mats were placed, we checked for proper routing of the power cable that runs to each mat. The cord that is included with each order is long enough to properly place the radiant mats on most normal depth stairs. (If the stairs to be heated are more than 13" -14" deep, an optional longer cord should be used.) Next we plugged the stair mats into one other. Finally, we plugged the ALCI equipped plug from the first mat into a power outlet. At this point, we verified proper operation of the system. If one or more of the mats weren't heating we would double check to ensure that the cords were fully seated into the input & output sides of the individual stair mats.

However, all of the mats were working properly and the layout was approved so we attached each radiant heating mat to the corresponding stair using the appropriate fastener for the surface material. (I.e. wood screws, concrete screws, etc.). That was all there was to it.

With winter fast approaching, now is the ideal time to install a portable snow melting system. Save yourself the cost of salt and other snow melting materials plus the hours spent shoveling your sidewalk and stairways. With very little time and effort HeatTrak portable radiant heating mats are installed and ready to make your life easier.

To see all of the new HeatTrak® snow melting systems, just click on http://www.warmlyyours.com/products/snow-melting/.

In addition to the HeatTrak portable heating mats, other applications include outdoor radiant heating cables for heated driveways, sidewalks and gutter deicing.

WarmlyYours Appoints Scott Rosenbaum as Technical Support and Engineering Manager

gjones@warmlyyours.com (Gareth Jones) — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 20:14:00 +0000

In an effort to expand its industry-leading 24/7 technical support service, WarmlyYours has recently hired Scott Rosenbaum in the role of Technical Support and Engineering Manager. Mr. Rosenbaum previously held the position of Technical Training Supervisor at Life Fitness, a Division of Brunswick and a Fortune 500 company. He brings extensive experience in technical product design and training of global technical support teams. Mr. Rosenbaum traveled extensively to 28 countries around the globe, including France, Mexico and Brazil to train Life Fitness’ global network of support specialists.

At WarmlyYours, Mr. Rosenbaum's responsibilities will include managing WarmlyYours' team of technical support representatives, and leading the company's efforts to offer the best customer support in the electric floor heating industry. "Today, we're answering over 95% of customer calls within 30 seconds", expressed Julia Billen, WarmlyYours Chief Executive Officer "and Scott Rosenbaum's technical expertise will help us maintain the highest level of support”.

"I'm proud to be part of a team that is working around the clock to ensure unmatched technical support for each and every customer", voiced Mr. Rosenbaum "and I am confident that we will successfully build on WarmlyYours' reputation as the support leader in the radiant floor heating industry".

To learn more about WarmlyYours 24/7 Technical Support, please visit www.WarmlyYours.com/install/

WarmlyYours Featured in the November Issue of "Real Simple" Magazine

gjones@warmlyyours.com (Gareth Jones) — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 16:55:00 +0000

With a circulation of 1,950,000 readers, Real Simple magazine is one of the fastest growing and most popular magazines in the nation.

In the November 2008 issue, editors took note of WarmlyYours electric radiant floor heating systems and featured our TempZone system for tile, stone and hardwood floor coverings.

Real Simple observed that "Radiant heat is more energy efficient than a typical forced-air system because the floor retains heat, so you can keep your thermostat at a lower level than usual". In addition to the cost effective advantages, the magazine also extolled the health benefits of electric radiant heat: "Radiant heat also improves indoor air quality because it doesn't blow dust particles around the way traditional heating systems do." Other applications include our Environ II systems for heating under carpet, laminate, and floating wood floors.

“I thought I’d died and gone to heaven” – the NY Times Features a Sunroom installation with a WarmlyYours System

gjones@warmlyyours.com (Gareth Jones) — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 14:27:00 +0000

Emile de Planque, a WarmlyYours customer from Fairfax, Va., was interviewed by the New York Times about the installation of radiant floor heating in his sunroom.
“It was a three-season sunroom,” he said, where the glass walls provided a beautiful vista of the golf course behind his home. He could relax with his morning coffee, bask in the sunlight and simply soak in the view. The problem was that even with a motel-style heating unit he was unable to use the room in winter.
To convert the sunroom into an all season room that he could enjoy year round, he ordered heating mats from WarmlyYours and pulled up the old tile floor. The installation of the mats was easy even for a first time Do-It-Yourselfer. Although it’s been over a year since Mr. de Planque installed his new warm floor, he still remembers the magic of the moment. “We turned the thermostat on to 72 degrees,” he said. “I came out barefoot and when I stepped on the porch, I thought I’d died and gone to heaven.”
To view the entire article featuring both a bathroom and a sunroom warmed with WarmlyYours heated floors, click here:

WarmlyYours in the NY Times

Radiant Floor Heating One of Top 10 Most Popular Home Features

gjones@warmlyyours.com (Gareth Jones) — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 19:10:00 +0000

According to a new 2008 study from "Residential Design Build" magazine, radiant floor heating is the 10th most popular feature new homeowners want in their homes. Energy efficiency, home offices, home theaters or an outdoor living space topped the list, but radiant floor heating came ahead of more recognizably popular features such as sunrooms, whirlpools or steam rooms. Increasingly, homeowners are discovering the value of adding radiant floor heating to their homes.

Most Popular Features:
1. Multipurpose family/media room
2. Energy efficiency
3. Home office
4. Great room
5. Outdoor living space
6. Lower level master suite
7. Home theater
8. Finished lower level
9. Tankless water heater
10. Radiant floor heating
11. Structured wiring
12. Sunrooms
13. Guest wing/suite
14. Lighting control system
15. Distributed audio/video
16. Other
17. Dual shower stations
18. Child's play area
19. Back up power
20. Whirlpools

Tales from the Trenches: DIY Installation in a Chicago Bathroom

gjones@warmlyyours.com (Gareth Jones) — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 09:52:00 +0000

Hi, I’m Eric, the Computer Support specialist at WarmlyYours and now first-time Do-It-Yourself installer of a WarmlyYours radiant floor heating system. Last weekend I installed the system in my brother’s bathroom and was able to perform most of the installation myself. This was my first genuine installation from start to finish, and I want to share my experience along with a few helpful tips for other first-time installers and do-it-yourselfers. The sub flooring that I used in the bathroom just beneath the electric radiant floor heating system was Hardi Backer Board. I cemented the boards down to the plywood sub flooring, then used screws every 8".
The Hardi board was great because all of the areas were pre-marked for driving the screws in. After the boards were cemented and screwed down, I secured the seams in between the boards with more thinset cement (this was a non-modified type) and joint seam tape for sub flooring. This made the floor rock solid. It will take a California earthquake to crack this floor. After my sub floor was secure, I laid out the mat according to the custom installation plan provided by WarmlyYours engineering staff. I ran into one problem with the plan, but that was because I forgot to mention that there was a floor vent in the "water closet" of the bathroom.No worries because the nice thing about the WarmlyYours floor heating system design is that I was able to cut and turn the mat to fit around the vent while still using up the entire length. I definitely appreciated the flexibility of being able to cut-&-turn the WarmlyYours heating mat to fit the actual jobsite layout (note to myself to take better measurements next time!). To secure the heating mat to the sub floor, I decided to use a hot glue gun since my staples were just bending and not piercing the Hardi Backer board. I used a lot of glue every few inches to make sure the mat would hold in place. The glue dried quickly so by the time I finished gluing the surface was ready for my first coat of thinset cement. I tested the ohms on my floor heating mat before I laid it down on the floor, and again after my cuts and turns, and then one last time after I applied my layer of thinset. Ohms were almost spot on to what the white label said they should be on the mat. Using the flat side of my trowel I mixed up a really watered down modified thinset. I could have used self leveling cement; however, I had bought too much thinset mix already.

The thinset laid down pretty flat, but some of my hot glue dots were too high. So if you ever glue down a mat don't get too crazy with the glue. It doesn't take much to hold down the WarmlyYours floor heating mat as it already lays out pretty flat to start. Some areas of the bathroom were not covered by floor heat (under the sink vanity) so I had to level out those areas to be even with the rest of the room. I could have used a large float to make it level, however on a construction site there are plenty of 2 x 4's, so I just used one of those. My goal was to cover the floor heating mat just enough so that I wouldn't have to be as careful with the trowel when I laid the thinset down for the tiles. So my initial layer of thinset was about the thickness of the mat and I could still see the shape of the mesh after the thinset dried.

The electrical line was installed by a licensed electrician (my uncle). I wired the thermostat up myself after the bathroom floor was in. I've wired basic light switches and outlets before so wiring the thermostat was really no different. I reduced the amount of cold lead wire coming out of the box so that it wouldn't be all coiled up in there. By the way, this does NOT affect the heating ability of the mat. It is summer and the house is still under construction so my brother has yet to fully experience the warmth of the floor. We did turn it on for about 30 min to make sure that you could feel the bathroom tiles warm up. Generally it will take 30-45 min before you feel a noticeable difference by touching your hand to the floor. We felt an unheated tile in the closet to compare and wow what a difference it makes – my brother is now actually looking forward to the winter season to really make the most of his new heated bathroom floor!