Installation Guide

8
SECTION 2: INSTALLATION UNDER CARPET
NEVER CUT OR TRIM Environ II panels to fi t into a
space that is too small.
BE AWARE of the risk of damaging the heating panels
with sharp tools, gripper rods, stretchers or seaming
irons during installation.
DO NOT drop or carelessly use tools with sharp edges
or points on top of the panels.
DO NOT walk on the panels more than is absolutely
necessary during installation.
DO NOT drop or place heavy articles on the panels.
DO NOT use folded Environ II panels, and care should
be taken not to fold or crease the panels at any time
during installation.
DO NOT use Environ II panels on stairs.
DO place Environ II panels directly on top of the carpet
cushion (The “carpet cushion” is also known as the
“pad”, the “foam” or the “underlay”.)
DO place Environ II panels directly under the
carpet.
ROLL your panel should you wish to move your it at
some later stage.
BEFORE YOU START
Subfl oor Preparation
Prepare your subfl oor as you normally would for a “normal” carpet installation. Ensure the
subfl oor is structurally sound and secure with no movement – screw or nail down any loose
areas before fi tting the underlayment. The subfl oor should be clean and dry.
To prevent damage to the panels, special attention should be paid to ensure that no nails,
screws, staple, tacks and the like are protruding from the subfl oor before the underlayment
pad is installed. Beware of automatic staple guns if you use one to secure the cushion /
underlayment to the subfl oor. A badly installed staple that protrudes from the fl oor can pierce
and destroy the Environ II cable and mat.
Nails, screws or staples should not be installed close to the panels and power supply
cables.
Permanent fi xtures, including built-in furniture and the like, must NEVER be installed on top
of the panels.
It is important to keep an accurate record of where the panels are installed, to assist you (and
a future owner!) to easily locate them should you undertake remodelling work in the room at
some future date. Taking a few photographs during the installation process is a good idea.
COMPATIBLE CARPETS
Most modern tufted and woven carpets are compatible with Environ II panels. Polypropylene,
hessian or jute secondary backings are compatible, but rubber- or foam-backed carpets are
not compatible as they trap too much heat.
The carpet must be at least 1/4” thick, but not more than 1” thick.
For the technically minded, the R-value of the carpet should not be greater than 3. (A study
by the Georgia Institute of Technology School of Textile Engineering, commissioned by the
Carpet & Rug Institute, found that the total thickness of the carpet in inches, multiplied by
2.6, gives a good indication of the R-value of the carpet.)
COMPATIBLE CARPET CUSHIONS
Any type of carpet padding can be used as long as it has a density of 6 pounds per cubic
foot. Most good quality rebounded polyurethane (rebound) and prime polyurethane are 8
pounds per cubic foot or more.