In summer 2001, ELEKTRA introduced another innovatory product: the installation tape.
This is not to say, that we give up our recommended installation nets. Both methods are equally good. If the concrete floorbase layer was put on the thermal insulation, we recommend to fix the heating cables with the aluminium installation tape.
The installation tape allows for a quick and easy laying the cables with constant distances between adjacent parts of cable, with just a minimum labour input by the installer.
The installation tape is fixed with plugs or hard steel nails to the floorbase, which is laid on the insulation (styrofoam). The advantage on this method is the equal thickness of concrete all around the heating cable. This means: no fear of the heating cable touching the insulation, which would cause the insulation to be overheated and damaged.
The installation tape is fixed every 50 cm, so the heating cables can not touch each other while concrete is being laid. Another very important advantage of the installation tape is the possibility to make just a thin layer of concrete, when required by circumstances, like a renovation of old floor. The installation tape holds the heating cable which results in its perfect contact with the primer.
This again allows for a thin concrete layer, eventually increasing the floor level just insignificantly.
Laying the heating cable in the upper concrete layer results in a quicker response of the floor heating system to temperature variations of the environment and the floor.
The users feel the warm floor comfort much sooner. For the installer, it is important that the installation tape is delivered in small and leightweight packings (legthes of 10 m, 15 m or 25 m). A complete floor heating system – heating cable, temperature controller, installation tape – easily gets into even a small car trunk. During work, the installation tape is easily distributed from the packing: just pull the length you need and cut it. No fuss with unpacking the entire length. The smart design allows to use the installation tape to fix the heating cables on roofs and inside of gutters. We recommend this proven method to all the installers of the floor heating. This method is as good, as the installation net, and sometimes is the only possibility.