# Ditra "Heat"



## fourcornerhome

I have a client that wants electric heat under her master bathroom tile. About 120 sq.ft. and a little cut up with a short hallway that goes past the shower and into a toilet room.
First time for at this for me and I will engage an electrician buy am not sure yet what product to use.
The Detra Heat looks like a good option after I watched the Schluter video , but then, I found many other choices for this floor heat.

My question is , what do you guys like to use , and why? Availability, price, ease of installation? Anyone ever had problems with the heat cables not working, getting damaged, or just being defective?

I sure would hate to have to tear up all that tile because the cable got a little nick.


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## tjbnwi

Ditra heat is the fastest I've installed. 

At 120 square feet they should have a complete kit. 

Tom


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## gideond

We've done just about all of them and generally favor loose cable systems. Ditra Heat is the best option at this stage. It's faster and easier to install especially if you need to put Ditra down anyway. No need to deal with leveling pours and possible leaks of the leveler.


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## Tylerwalker32

We just installed a heated floor last week I can't remember the name we got it off amazon, had red wires about all I remember. Was to bad an install till we poured the leveler and it found some holes and made an huge appearance on the downstairs hardwood. Id be interested to try the ditra heat, though I've heard it's quite expensive.


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## tjbnwi

Tylerwalker32 said:


> We just installed a heated floor last week I can't remember the name we got it off amazon, had red wires about all I remember. Was to bad an install till we poured the leveler and it found some holes and made an huge appearance on the downstairs hardwood. Id be interested to try the ditra heat, though I've heard it's quite expensive.


If you were doing Ditra with the install the cost is not that bad. The install of the wire is very fast. You will use about 25% more thin set with heat as opposed to Ditra. 

Tom


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## ohiohomedoctor

Ditra heat takes forever to warm up. I may be tearing a new one out soon because its not living up to the clients expectations. From an installation stand point there is no better product.


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## fourcornerhome

Installation looks easy enough compared to some of the less expensive ones. Doesn't the thermostat maintain the temp once it's warm ? I would think they would leave it on throughout the cooler months.


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## tjbnwi

ohiohomedoctor said:


> Ditra heat takes forever to warm up. I may be tearing a new one out soon because its not living up to the clients expectations. From an installation stand point there is no better product.


Ditra heat system? 

I've never turned a system off once on. As far as I know neither has one of my customers. My set point is 90-92°. 

I'm sitting in a Schluter class right now. Would you mind if I show the DR this?

Tom


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## fourcornerhome

Absolutely, ask away. If not for homedoctor, then for me. This will be my first go at a heated floor under tile and I don't really want to be ripping it out.


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## ohiohomedoctor

Certainly


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## TNTRenovate

I've only used cable systems. Easy to install. I've never leveled on top.


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## tjbnwi

fourcornerhome said:


> Absolutely, ask away. If not for homedoctor, then for me. This will be my first go at a heated floor under tile and I don't really want to be ripping it out.





ohiohomedoctor said:


> Certainly


A few questions they have asked;

Cable supply voltage matches installed cable voltage. 

Is the install over concrete slab?

Tom


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## tjbnwi

TNTSERVICES said:


> I've only used cable systems. Easy to install. I've never leveled on top.


Plastic lath if over plywood with SLC for me before the Ditra heat. 

Tom


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## fourcornerhome

For mine, we will run a 120v dedicated circuit and use 120v cable for about 120sq.ft. bathroom, upstairs 2nd floor plywood sub floor.


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## tjbnwi

fourcornerhome said:


> For mine, we will run a 120v dedicated circuit and use 120v cable for about 120sq.ft. bathroom, upstairs 2nd floor plywood sub floor.


Never had a problem with this type of install. Run 12 ga. wire from the panel. Verify you got the right cable. Perform and record the tests. You'll need a megger for the insulation test. 

The questions are to start helping Matt with his problem. 

Tom


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## ohiohomedoctor

My problem is being handled locally and partially is due to my clients expectations from the last heated floor we installed for them in their last house using cables. 

Without a doubt its slower than the old method with both being on the second floor.


Ill be going back to the cables since I never had a problem there. Keeping them on isnt an option for this client as they dont want to "waste" energy. Having cold feet is apparently far worse however...


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## charimon

Matt consider a hybrid system the ditra 

mat and your choice of Cable


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## GO Remodeling

tjbnwi said:


> You'll need a megger for the insulation test.
> 
> 
> Tom


Do you use the megger or your sparky? I've only come across one cable system that required a megger.


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## GO Remodeling

Matt which matt system did you use?

The one I normally use has two versions,economy and premium. Economy has less concentration of wires.


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## tjbnwi

olzo55 said:


> Do you use the megger or your sparky? I've only come across one cable system that required a megger.


One in the same.

Tom


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## GO Remodeling

tjbnwi said:


> My set point is 90-92°.
> 
> Tom


I don't know what system you use but most systems I installed have recommended set point no higher than 85*.


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## Contractor101

ohiohomedoctor said:


> Ditra heat takes forever to warm up. I may be tearing a new one out soon because its not living up to the clients expectations. From an installation stand point there is no better product.


The Ditra Heat Thermostat has a setting that monitors the current temperature and calculates when the system should turn on so that it will achieve the correct temperature previously set for a specific time. You just need to show your client how to do this.

Ex: You want your floor to be 80°F at 7:am and is been a really cold night the system will calculate exactly when it should turn on so that it will be a warm 80° at exactly 7AM


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## vwovw

I've installed cable systems in the past having to go with the self leveling system. Once under tile and once under finished concrete in a loft. Can someone PM me what I should be charging a sq ft for a install of Ditra under tile? Thanks


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## Golden view

Install docs say 2x2 as a minimum tile size. Has anyone run into this, or disobeyed? I have a client leaning towards small tiles. Should I go with a mat system and self leveler instead?


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## Splinter

If you look at the mat itself, you'll notice it forms little individual piers under the tile with an air space between them. Imagine a point load on the edge of a tile which happens to be over an air space... It compresses, grout cracks, tile de-bonds from Ditra. Unlikely? Probably. But there's bound to be many of these weak spots on a Ditra floor covered in tiny mosaics. I wouldnt risk it. 

I've done plenty using a NuHeat mat covered with SLC instead.


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## Anderson

We just installed the dirt heat mat but we used Nuheat cable system. Works good. Was nice sitting on the floor messing with the vanity with the heat on...


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## jb4211

I just installed Ditra Heat with a NuHeat cable system, and NuHeat wifi thermostat. Awesome. Ditra made running the cable so easy and quick. HO keeps the floor at 80°. 

That's the second cable system I've installed, but first with Ditra. No complaints.


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## Golden view

Why Nuheat cable over Ditra heat mats?


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## Splinter

nicer thermostats...


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## jb4211

Golden, this bathroom was for my brother. 

I actually had the cable left over from a error on a previous install. I sent a helper to pick up a cable for 25 sq ft that the sales guy had set aside for me. When he got to Billows, the guy realized he only had a cable for 50 sq ft, and gave him that at the same price. Way to big. The whole bathroom was only 5x8. I bought the 25 sq ft somewhere else, and intended to return the 50. Never happened.

On these two bathrooms, it was just quicker to buy the cable as I would need custom mats and I think they take two weeks. I can set the Ditra one day and cable and tile the next. I believe an experienced tile setter can even do everything the same day. I'm not that guy.

I bid a fairly large area before that I was going to use the mats. But, never happened. It was for some show dogs.

I'm not opposed to the mats, just haven't used them.


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## Splinter

Just an FYI... you can get some premade NuHeat mats rather quickly... I've ordered up their 2'x10' mats just to run a stripe of warmth in front of a vanity and toilet. I think that size was about $300 for the mat.


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## Golden view

I've been looking at those premade mats. How did you like them? Seem very easy to install. I've done very little electric radiant. Mostly hydronic where it was the heat sourcefor the entire house (or garage, airplane hanger)


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