Radiant Heating: Retrofit Radiant

Reviewed by:
Rosemary Thornton

Radiant floor heating is comfortable, quiet clean, but can be difficult to install in an existing home. CarpetMate is an easy-to-insall radiant floor heating system designed to fit under wall to wall carpeting.

The 1/16" thick heated panel can be hardwired (with an optional 7-day programmable thermostat) or simply plugged into a wall outlet. A minimum of 7/16", six-pound carpet pad is recommended.

The manufacturer recommends that the heated panel be glued to the subfloor or underlayment. Steam cleaning won't harm the panels, but dragging furniture across the carpet could cause damage.

Estimated daily energy expense is 30 cents per day (for 225 square foot area). Product warranty is five years and does not cover misuse.

Price range for the CarpetMate is $149 to $399 depending on size (December 2005).

Optional programmable timer is $160 (December 2005).