IdealFILM ™ Do-It-Yourself Installation Manual
Comfortable Warm Floors Benefits of using RSG Idealfilm • Heats from the floor up for better heat distribution throughout the room • No dust or allergens blown into the room as with forced-air heating • Maintenance free—no furnace or boiler to service • Film contains no materials that are harmful to the environment • Electromagnetically safe • Fast, easy installation Contents 2 Important Notes 3 What’s in the box 3 Additional materials required 3 Tools required 4 Planning the job 6 Installation
Important notes Read through this entire manual before starting installation. • May be installed under laminate, engineered wood or approved hardwood floors. See flooring manufacturer’s specifications and instructions. • Installation must be performed by a qualified person in accordance with national and local codes and standards. • Each thermostat requires a dedicated circuit at the breaker box. • IdealFilm under-floor heating systems must be protected by a Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter (GFCI).
What’s in the box • Radiant heating film • Connecting wire—14 gauge, stranded, double insulated (3 ft. of black and 3 ft. of white) • Connector clips (4) • Insulating tape, 65 mil mastic (3 pieces, 2” x 4”) Additional materials required • Wire connectors/wire nuts (if necessary) • 2-gang electrical junction box and cover (if necessary) • Flexible conduit for film to thermostat connection (if necessary) • Underlayment pad—1/4 in.
Planning the job This drawing shows the order of installing the materials on the floor: Flooring Heating Film Underlayment Moisture Barrier (on concrete only) Subfloor 1. Draw an installation plan Sketch a plan showing how the film will be installed. At least 75% of the floor should be covered with film for best heating efficiency. Note that the film may be cut to size across its width (in clear areas) but not along its length.
Because of the layout of the room in this drawing, the film panels are about 1 inch apart and about 2 inches from the walls. Your panels may be closer or farther apart but should never overlap. In the drawing the film is laid out so that the ends are at the wall where the thermostat is located. This arrangement requires less wire and is more convenient for thermostat connection. In some cases it may be necessary to trim the length to fit.
Installation A NOTE ON ELECTRICAL WORK Because each installation is unique, this manual gives only a general description of electrical connections. The licensed electrician that does the electrical hookups will make final decisions based on the individual circumstances of your installation and applicable national and local codes. 1. Mark the position of the thermostat Place it on the wall about 5 feet above the floor. Make sure that it is not near any other heat sources and is out of direct sunlight.
5. Install the heating film Remove shoes and work in stocking feet when installing film. Be careful not to drop objects on the film. Roll out the film with the bright copper strips facing down. If you need to trim the length of the film, cut in the 1 1/4 -inch-wide clear areas only—do not cut into the black carbon strips.
Strip the insulation from one end of a 3-foot length of 14 gauge stranded black wire. The wire is double insulated— be sure to strip both layers of insulation. Use only the crimping tool designed specifically for this type of connector. Using any other type of tool could result in loose connections. Insert the barrel of the connector into the crimping tool so that the “W” of the tool presses on the split side of the barrel. The tool will not release until there is sufficient pressure on the crimp.
Run the other end of the wire to the corresponding corner on the next film panel to the right—allow a little slack. Shorten the wire if necessary and strip the end. Also strip the insulation from the end of another piece of black wire. Crimp both wires into a connector clip and crimp the flat end of the clip to the copper strip on the left corner. Make these connections between the film panels until a left corner of each panel is connected to the left corner of the next panel with the black wire.
7. Check the total film resistance When all of the wires have been attached to the film, check the total resistance (ohms) to be sure that the connections are tight and that there is no damage to the film. Touch the ohmmeter leads to the 12 gauge wires that will go from the film to the thermostat and record the reading. Each piece of film is labeled with its resistance specification in ohms. The longer the piece of film, the less the resistance.
9. Cut wire channels in the underlayment mat Channels for the wires and connectors must be cut in the underlayment mat. Use a utility knife to cut the channels, place wires into channels, and cover the channels with duct tape. 10. Cut a notch in the drywall for the wires Use a hammer and chisel to cut a notch in the drywall and wall base plate so that there is room for wires to go from the floor to the thermostat. 11. Install the floor temperature sensor This sensor prevents the floor from overheating.
12. Install the thermostat Refer to thermostat manufacturer’s installation instructions. Wires running within the walls must be NM sheathed cable or be protected with conduit. 13. Install the floor covering Read and follow floor covering manufacturer’s instructions for installation of their product. 14. Place warning labels On the wall near the thermostat: Warning Electric wiring and heating panels installed below floor. Do not penetrate floor with nails, screws or other objects.
Operation When the finished floor has been installed, allow time for the flooring to become acclimated to the room temperature and humidity before turning on the power (see flooring instructions). Turn on the electrical power at the breaker box. Follow thermostat manufacturer’s instructions to set floor and air temperatures. Do not use beanbag chairs, mattresses, solid-bottom chests, or other large solid items that would trap heat in the floor and cause it to overheat.
Customer assistance At Radiant Systems Group we stand ready to assist you in the planning, ordering and installation of RSG IdealFilm. For help call 855-265-5450 between 8:00 am and 5:00 pm eastern time.
