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The Benefits of Radiant Heat

The Product

Z Mesh, Heatizon Systems bronze mesh heating element, is so advanced that it can be installed under non-conductive roof coverings, ceramic tile, stone, laminant flooring, carpeting, and hardwood flooring. Typical installations for Z Mesh include total space heating, roof snow melt, and floor warming. Z Mesh is made to go on something…like concrete and wood sub-floors and sub-roofs.

Heatizon Tuff Cable heating element is a very durable coated copper cable that is chemical and gasoline resistant. It is designed to be installed in asphalt, concrete, tile mortar bed, thin set, or a Heatizon Heatsink Kit. Typical installations for Tuff Cable include total space heating, floor warming, snow melting, and roof snow melt. Tuff Cable is made to go in something…like asphalt, concrete, a sand bed under pavers or a heatsink kit.

Benefits or Advantages:

Radiant Heat is more comfortable and efficient than forced air or convection heating. In space-heating, occupants feel more comfortable even when the space air temperature is maintained lower than typical forced air heating. Radiant heat results in less heat-loss from a room. Forced air registers and baseboard heat strips are always located on outside walls between windows. These systems heat air that comes in contact with the external windows and walls to temperatures much higher than the desired room temperature. This results in more heat-loss from the space. Heatizon System’s products provide a uniform heat flux from the floor into the space, resulting in less heat-loss from the room.

Mass Warming results in less temperature variations in the space being heated. The flooring material is heated by the element which then radiates the heat into the space. The floor surface can be maintained at a very uniform temperature which prevents the hot and cold temperature swings that occur as other systems cycle on and off. Warming the mass of the floor results in what is called thermal capacitance. This allows the space to remain warm even when extreme temperatures occur. Essentially, heat energy is stored in the mass of the floor and other objects in the space. This applies to any type of floor–wood, concrete, tile, etc.

Efficiency of the Heatizon Systems products is excellent. When compared with a heat pump, forced-air furnace or baseboard heating system, Heatizon Systems low-voltage products are more efficient watt for watt. An article in the July, 1996 ASHRAE Journal, “Radiant Heating for Thermal Comfort” reported on experimental results comparing a heat pump, baseboard heat and radiant heat. The radiant heating system consumed 33% less energy than the heat pump system and 52% less energy than the baseboard system.

Reliability of Heatizon Systems products are superior. The entire system is solid-state, has no moving parts to wear out, and has nothing that requires routine maintenance. There are no water lines to break or crack. Our products have been satisfying the needs of hundreds of customers since 1979. Both z-mesh and Tuff Cable are easy to repair in the event they get cut or damaged. The controls allow for power failures or spikes, yet brings the system back on-line as quickly as possible.

Comfort of radiant heat is superior because the radiant heat flux is uniform throughout the heated space. There are no “point-source” hot spots like there are in baseboard and forced air systems. Thermal comfort is sustained as the system cycles on and off, because the heated mass temperature remains almost constant.

Convenience of installation is superior to any other system. There is no ducting to deal with, no lost floor or wall space. Other than a thermostat, Heatizon Systems products are out of sight. Retrofitting is easy. Adding the system to an existing space is much easier than installing a hydronic or high voltage system.

Safety is a major advantage of the Heatizon System. Heatizon Systems products are ETL listed to UL standards 1673, 1693, and 1561.

Quiet and clean. The Heatizon System produces no more noise than a light fixture. There is no fan starting and stopping, no filter to change or clean, no valves to wear out, and no pipes to rattle.

Life-Cycle Costs are less, especially when heating exterior concrete surfaces. The cost to replace a driveway, sidewalk or patio is many times the cost of the Heatizon Systems products.

Typical Installations:

Finishing a Basement is an excellent application for Heatizon Systems. Z Mesh heating element can be placed directly on the concrete with padding and carpet installed over the top.

Tile is cold to step on in bare feet both summer and winter. The Heatizon Systems Z Mesh or Tuff Cable heating elements can be installed under tile in bathrooms, kitchens, entries, etc. making them nice and warm to the touch.

Hardwood Floors tend to be cold. Z Mesh can be installed between the subfloor and the hardwood floor and maintains the surface at a constant temperature that is comfortable to the touch.

Nurseries or anywhere that babies crawl is ideal to keep warm. Small children are always close to the floor. Heatizon Systems floor warming products keep them from getting chilled.

Driveways, Sidewalks and Porches can be kept clear of snow and ice. Heatizon systems nearly 100% efficiency keeps operating costs reasonable and helps your concrete last longer, because it is not subjected to salt or snow-melting chemicals.

Handicap Ramps are of no value if they are not clear of snow and ice.

Parking Ramps and Loading Docks are often sloped and difficult to clear of snow and ice.

Remote Locations and Moderate Climates where electricity is the only utility available are ideal applications for installing the Heatizon System.

In Construction, Many Things Are Not As They First Appear!

by Steven Bench

One contractor recently received four different proposals, each with different materials and costs, for the same project. “How can this be?” he asked. I listened as he continued to grumble: “I do not understand, my instructions were very clear and the requirements for the project were well documented in the specifications and on the blue prints.”

The answer, upon closer inspection, is that while one proposal was for the specified product, the other three were for products, that were not specified but which could potentially satisfy many of the requirements established by the specification writer.

Upon further investigation it became obvious that my friend the contractor had failed to ask for proposals from more than one vender of the specified product line. This simple mistake left him with four proposals and the inability to make a comparison that made sense. Worse yet it left him with the inability to explain to his customer, the project owner, why he did not have more than one proposal for the specified product and/or why the research preformed by the specification writer was being ignored at best or, worse yet, duplicated.

In business, in general and in the construction business in particular, it is very likely that four different suppliers armed with the same project description and specifications will come up with four different recommendations. How? By making assumptions or taking liberties with the specifications.

While it is the job of the Architect and/or Engineer is to specify the products that are best suited for the project, it is the responsibility of the General Contractor to “police” the process by sorting out which proposals satisfy the exact requirements specified and which do not.

Another problem, my contractor friend pointed out, is: “If only one of the four proposals is complete and satisfies the specifications of the project how can anyone legitimately compare the proposals?” Unfortunately, the only viable answer may be to re-bid the project.

Ignoring the specifications of a project causes a great deal of confusion and extra work on the part of everyone involved, yet it is very prevalent in today’s construction business. Frequently the bidder(s) that failed to meet the requirements of the project is rewarded because his corner cutting proposal is lowest in terms of cost. The ultimate loser? Of course, is the owner of the project who, months or years, down the road discovers that he is not happy with the performance of that portion of his project.

Steven Bench is Managing Member of Heatizon Systems a leading manufacturer of radiant snow melting, roof snow and ice melting, floor warming, in-floor space heating and pipe heating/warming products located in Murray, Utah.

Roof Snow Melt and De-icing Systems

by Steven Bench

“Good grief, the last thing I thought I would need to worry about is a leaky roof!” Said the owner of a newly constructed Class A office building. “Why does my 2 year old metal roof have ice dam problems?” asked a homeowner that recently replaced a 10 year old cedar shake roof with a standing seam metal roof in an effort to get away from leaks. “The snow causes singles from my tile roof to fall off each winter!” proclaimed a home owner that purchased his tile shingle roofed home new 5 years ago. “How can I keep sliding snow from taking my rain gutters off??” inquired a condo complex property manager.

These are just a few of the questions that I get asked each week from people all over North America. Make no mistake; I am not in the roofing business! I am however in the business of warming things up. My company makes products that warms floors, heats buildings, melts now off of paved surfaces, melts snow and ice off of roofs and warms pipes and their contents.

Of course the simplest, but most impractical, solutions to cold weather caused roof and rain gutter problems is simply don’t build in places that experience snow and cold temperatures during the winter or, budget for, yet to be determined, roof and rain gutter repairs. But the best answer is to rely on a combination of design and snow melting technologies to offer long term solutions to the problems caused by snow and ice.

Many different snow and ice melting technologies are available on the market today, some have been around for years, and thus are tried and proven, while others are new and yet to be fully vetted. When selecting which product is best for any given application, it may be helpful to answer each of the following questions:

1) How important is the appearance of my home or building to me? Electric heating cables or hydronic tubing in an extruded metal pan system, electric heat trace, electric heat tape and all other on top of, or replacement for, the roof covering material and will affect the aesthetics of the building. If the unaltered appearance of your home or building is important to you then look at one of the low voltage under roof covering products available from you radiant heating and snow melting professional.

2) How important is product warranty in my decision? Generally roof covering materials have a life expectancy measured in years or decades. As a result, purchasers of roof covering materials usually expect long periods of trouble free service from the materials they select. It only makes sense that products designed to melt snow and ice off of the roof should also have long warranties and the purchasers ought to expect comparable performance from any other product installed under or on top of the roof.

Steven Bench is Managing Member of Heatizon Systems a Murray, Utah based manufacturer and marketer of low and line voltage electric heating and snow melting products.

My Winter Entertainment – Roof Snow & Ice Problems

By Heather Gwilliam

It’s that time of year where I get to sit back, peek out the window at my next door neighbor and enjoy my annual winter entertainment. It’s absolutely fascinating to watch him slowly and painstakingly remove the snow from his roof using a series of long handled rakes, brooms, and shovels.

I, on the other hand, eliminate ice and snow from my roof by flipping a switch and then settling back with a mug of hot chocolate to take pleasure in the show next door. Melting the snow on your roof with the flip of a switch, you say? How is that possible?

With a roof de-icing system from Heatizon Systems.

Cold temperatures and heavy snowfalls can quickly create dangerous and destructive conditions on the roofs of homes and buildings. Sharp icicles, thick layers of ice known as ice dams, and heavy snow slides cause millions of dollars in damage and injure hundreds of people every year.

Cosmetic Damage. The most obvious damage from snow storms is cosmetic damage, including damage to individual shingles, damage to gutters and fascia and other roofing elements. As the snow melts each day, some of the water re-freezes at night. As this cycle continues, ice can accumulate in valleys, gutters and at the eaves of the roof.

Thomas Remodeling says this freeze-thaw cycle is the cause of most of the cosmetic damage they see each year. Ice will expand in the gutters and cause seams to fail and the weight can bend and break the brackets holding the gutters to the home. Down spouts can split especially as water freezes in the down spout.

Structural Damage from Weight of the Snow. Another type of damage can occur from the sheer weight of the snow sitting on the roof and in the gutters. Not all snow is the same. The water content in heavy wet snow will be much greater than dry light snow. One cubic foot of heavy wet snow can weigh up to 20.81 pounds. That’s twelve inches of snow. Keep adding snow, and you can see how quickly the weight can add up. Excessive weight can lead to structural failure. It is no wonder that we see roof failures after major snow storms.

These types of structural failures are most often seen on commercial buildings with flat or low sloped roofing. Some of the worst collapses occurred where a winter storm was followed by a heavy rain some days later. The rain simply has no place to go.

Personal Injury. Every winter, hundreds of injuries result from people trying to deal with winter roof woes.

Although attempting to clear heavy ice and snow from their roofs is a common occurrence, experience shows that it can also be dangerous. The Journal of American Insurance says that they’ve seen people do “some bizarre and even crazy things…over zealous homeowners continue year after year to attack these rooftop glaciers with an arsenal of household weapons that would have left General George S. Patton’s celebrated Third Army running for cover. These include, but are not limited to, ice picks, hammers, chisels, pickaxes, blow dryers, space heaters, shovels and brooms, garden hoses connected to household water heaters, and even panty hose stuffed with rock salt.

These household warriors, while brave and well intentioned, often don’t do themselves or their homes any good. Ventures onto slippery roofs in cold weather can exact a heavy toll in the form of bruises, broken bones and other serious injuries. Moreover, a homeowner armed with an ice pick or pickaxe has been known to cause more damage than if the roof had been left alone in the first place.” “As you can imagine, falls from roofs can cause very serious injuries, some of which are compensated by millions of dollars,” says attorney Michael Bersani. “Take it from me; my law firm and I have successfully won millions for workers who have fallen from roofs.”

Another source of injuries can happen when icicles, ice chunks or large amounts of snow suddenly and unmercifully slide off roofs onto walkways and entrances. One notable example of this type of injury took place in Dallas in 2011 when six people were hurt by snow falling off of Cowboy Stadium. One person suffered head trauma and a concussion, and five others were hospitalized.

Interior Damage from Ice Dams. Although the most obvious damage occurs on the exterior, with ruined shingles, fallen gutters and even roof collapses, some of the worst damage, takes place on the interior when ice and water penetrate roofing materials and create leaks.
”Ice dams are caused by heat escaping into an attic warming the underside of a roof, which melts the snow,” explains Daniel Morrison, Executive editor of Fine Homebuilding & Green Building Advisor. “The water runs down the roof until it gets past where the exterior wall is, and then it freezes — because the roof deck is no longer warm. The ice builds up and forms a dam as more water runs down onto it.”

The water beneath seeps into the cracks and crevices of the roof filling them with water, which expands when it freezes again, spreading the materials the roof is made from and creating gaps in the seal of the roof that keeps the building dry.

When those gaps become large enough, the roof will begin to leak, causing large amounts of water damage within the buildings structural interior which will require extensive repairs. If the damage is not addressed immediately, it can spread, causing a lot of damage to the structural integrity of the building.

Roof deicing and snow elimination systems help prevent the problems of ice and snow buildup around eaves, drains, valleys or entire roofs. These systems not only stop the damage caused by winter stress on a roof, but also remove the hazardous conditions of falling snow or ice and eliminate potential liabilities.

An effective system can prevent ice dams by heating the critical areas of a roof. The system maintains a consistent water flow off the roof or safely diverts melted water into heated gutters that drain into designated locations. This is achieved by having a uniform heat source properly installed.
“It’s important to prevent the buildup of snow and ice around roof eaves, drains, and valleys,” states Steve Bench, Managing Member of Heatizon Systems, based in Murray UT. Heatizon manufactures low-voltage electric radiant roof snow melt and deicing, radiant snow melting, radiant in-floor space heating and radiant floor warming systems.

An investment in a radiant heating system produces the perfect long-term solution to dangerous and destructive ice and snow build up on roofs, diminishing liability issues and increasing peace of mind. The Heatizon roof deicing and snow elimination system is the only way to permanently protect a home or building from winter woes.

Radiant Snow Melting For Sidewalks

by Steve Bench

Over the years, I have had three homes all with different sized sidewalks. My first home had a 3.5 foot wide sidewalk, the second one 4 foot wide and the third, and current, home has a 6 foot wide sidewalk. City and County sidewalks extending along the frontage of home lots are generally 3 feet wide but sometimes they are 4, 5 or even 6 feet wide. In downtown shopping areas it is not unusual to find sidewalks that are as wide as 10 or 15 feet. Needless to say sidewalks come in many different widths and lengths which are designed to handle different amounts of foot traffic and bridge different points.

Since sidewalks come in many different sizes and shapes it seems that the question, “How much does it cost to install a radiant snow melt system into a sidewalk?” has many different answers. Whenever a question has many different answers the potential for any particular answer conveying meaningful information decreases dramatically. So how does one go about finding out how much a radiant snow melting system installed in his or her future sidewalk cost?

The simple answer is to contact a reputable and professional manufacturer or supplier that has been in business for several years and has more resources that just a website, telephone and smooth taking salesman. A true professional radiant snow melting company will seek answers to the following questions prior to giving you a cost estimate.

How wide and long is the sidewalk going to be?
Is the sidewalk going to be made of concrete, asphalt, brick or stone pavers, ceramic tile, or other material?.
How many strike, saw cut, crack control, cold and other joints will be in the sidewalk?
Will insulation be installed under the sidewalk?
Do you want the radiant snow melting system to be manually or automatically operated or both?
Where is the geographic location of the sidewalk?
How much and what kind of traffic is the sidewalk designed to handle?
What energy sources do you have available to energize the radiant snow melting system?

Once a radiant professional has the answers to the above questions he or she can design and price a radiant snow melting system that satisfies the needs of the project. Until a radiant professional, or a website salesman for that matter, understands the answers to all of the above questions the best you are going to get is a guess that is either in or out of the ball park.

Letter to Heatizon from a Happy Customer

Dear Heatizon,

This past summer I had one of your electric snow melting systems installed as part of a remodel project on my home. Since then I have waited with anticipation to see the snow melt as it falls on my new formal entry sidewalk and steps. As fate would have it, we have not had the significant snow fall that we normally get because, the meteorologists claim, the snow storms are trending to the North. Following a dry December, and a very dry 2012 so far, the snow has finally started to fall.

I am happy to report that I was amazed at how well my new sidewalk snow melt system melted the snow and I am happy to report that its performance exceeds my expectations by a big margin. I am so thrilled with the results that I had to write this letter.

The idea of investigating a snow melting system for my project was first presented by my Architect who mentioned that installing electric snow melting cables into new concrete made a lot of sense given our winters in general and for my north facing home in particular. At first I thought that snow melting was a luxury that I probably could live without.

As luck would have it I attended a party a few days later and one of the other guests commented that he was glad that he had installed an electric snow melt system a few years ago because his health would no longer allow him to shovel snow. As an ice breaker I seized the opportunity to ask him several questions pertaining to his snow melt system including; “Where did he purchase it?” and, “How satisfied has he been with its performance?”

During our conversation he told me that his snow melting system was manufactured by a company located in Utah named “Heat is On” or something like that. A quick Google Search for “heat is on, electric snow melt, Utah” lead me to www.heatizon.com.

I feel so lucky to have found your company and to have discovered its products.

Sincerely,

Dean B.
Utah

P.S. The nearest distributor of your products was WarmQuest which was professional and very capable of helping me with design services for my heated sidewalk, the right product selection, and technical support from people that have actually installed snow melt systems.

Designing a Snow Melting System

By Steven Bench

For a Radiant Heating Professional there are few things more gratifying than a well designed, properly installed and correctly operating snow melting system on a cold and snowy winter day. The satisfaction of watching the snow melt as it hits the pavement of the driveway, walk-way, handicap ramp, truck ramp, and/or parking area is difficult to explain. While a correctly operating snow melting system is gratifying to those in the industry and their valued customers, one that is poorly designed, miss-installed or not operating is discouraging and damaging to our industry.

It takes both a good design and correct installation in order for a snow melting system to operate correctly. Unfortunately not all snow melting systems are designed correctly and, equally unfortunate, not all correctly designed snow melting systems are installed correctly. If one or the other is missing, no doubt, customer dissatisfaction will soon follow.

So how does one go about making certain that the snow melting systems they are contemplating for purchase is designed correctly? It is easier than you would initially think. Often times it’s as simple as asking the radiant materials supplier and/or installer a few questions.

How did you determine the amount of energy needed to melt snow for my project?
If the answer includes something along the lines of: “the watts or Btu’s needed was determined using ASHRAE snow melt standards for your projects geographic area and that the materials were selected and the design finalized based on those standards”, keep asking questions. If, on the other hand, the materials selected, energy output determined, and/or design parameters adopted were based on a particular product based on the idea that one size fits all projects then you might want to run as fast as you can from that company and find a qualified radiant supplier/designer.

How far apart have you spaced the radiant heating cables or liquid carrying tubes? If the answer is greater than 9 inches in a 4 inch or less thick sub-straight then expect to have snow accumulation (otherwise known as striping) between the radiant heating cables or liquid carrying tubes.

Does your design include jumpers through or under all joints in my concrete (crack control, expansion, and saw-cut joints)?

A yes answer is good and consistent with the National Electric Code, Canadian Electric Code and ASHRAE. A no answer is a good indication that the designer does not know what he or she is doing?

ALL JOINTS MEAN ALL JOINTS

Given the location of my project do you recommend insulation or a water barrier under the asphalt, concrete, or pavers?A blank stare or an answer without support could mean that you have the wrong designer, material supplier and/or installer.

Steven Bench is Managing Member of Heatizon Systems, a leading manufacturer of low and line voltage electric radiant heating products located in Murray, Utah.

Construct Canada Show – Toronto 2011

By Steven Bench

I recently had the opportunity to visit the city of Toronto to attend the Construct Canada Convention and Trade Show. The flight was smooth for the most part and the time passed by quickly even though I was on a relatively small airplane. As the flight approached Toronto we were warned by the pilot that rain was falling and that it could get a bit bumpy. Fortunately it did not.

I caught a taxi cab from the Toronto airport to downtown where my hotel was located near the convention center. With the clouds and the early darkness, caused by the short winter days, I did not have the opportunity to see the downtown area, or naturally, the area immediately surrounding my hotel and the convention center, until the next day.

The first morning I rose early to take a walk before going to the convention center. I walked between the tall condominium and office buildings and along the shores of Lake Ontario. As I walked I was greeted by several fellow walkers as they hurried to get to work or grab a quick cup of coffee. I thought to myself: “What a friendly city Toronto is.”

My walk continued passed a Ruth’s Chris Restaurant, a Marriott Hotel, several coffee shops, a couple of Subway’s, a few banks and many other buildings, some with names I recognized and others without. My walk ended upon my arrival at the Metro Convention Center. As I entered the convention center I thought: “What a clean city Toronto is”.

Inside the convention center I arrived at the exhibit booth of Power Plant Supply Company, the Toronto based distributor of my company’s electric radiant floor heating and snow melting products. For the better part of the next three days I would stand in the exhibit booth and talk with prospective customers about my company’s products. As the time passed and many prospective customers came and went, I could not help but think: “What a wonderful people the Canadians are.”

When the convention was over one of my associates volunteered to give me a ride to the airport. Of course, I quickly accepted. After a few minutes of great conversation we arrived at the airport and said our goodbyes and I could not help but think: “What a beautiful city Toronto is!”

Its Is That Simple!

by Steven Bench
Managing Member – Heatizon Systems

I recently received a telephone call from a long time, and very pleasant, customer located in the Mid West portion of the United States inquiring about the location of a Heatizon Systems’ Distributor. The customer proudly informed me that she had purchased a new home and she intended to use ZMesh radiant floor heating to warm her home’s floors and melt the snow and ice off of its eaves, just as she had in her two previous homes.

After providing her with the names, telephone numbers, and email addresses of a couple of qualified Heatizon Systems’ distributors, I told her how thankful I was for her business and ask if, She would be willing to tell me why she has repeatedly used Heatizon Systems’ products? She said, “I purchase ZMesh because it is a great product supported by very honest and knowledgeable sales and technical people and anyone that reads the installation manual can easily install it. It is that simple!”

Following our conversation I reflected upon the words the customer had spoken and found comfort in knowing that her words supported many of my basic beliefs as well as Heatizon Systems’ objectives.

Great Products

In 1996, when Heatizon Systems opened for business, it was our objective to provide the absolute finest products possible to our customers. Over the years that objective has guided us very well as our business has grown. So well, in fact, that it continues to be one of our primary objectives and one of the many things that make us different than much of our competition.

Honest and knowledgeable Sales and Technical People

How can anyone expect to have satisfied customers if they have not invested in the human and other resources necessary to serve them? Furthermore, how can anyone expect to have a long term relationship with its customers if it fails to treat them in an ethical and honest manner? The answer to both questions is that they cannot!

Heatizon Systems and its Distributors go to great lengths to be radiant product, design and installation experts and we expect ourselves, and our associates, to be honest and ethical in all of their dealings. A representative of Heatizon Systems’ products may tell you “no” or “I do not know” but they will never tell you whatever you want to hear or fabricate an answer just to make a sale. Sales are very important to our business but customer satisfaction is what allows us to stay in business!

Read the Installation Manual

I have never received a telephone call from someone that both read Heatizon System’s installation instructions and had a problem installing one of our products. I have, however, received several telephone calls from those that did not read the directions and had installation problems. It is that simple!

Category : Blogroll – Archive

The Product

Benefits or Advantages:

Typical Installations: