Heating cables covered by new vanity

[Bri]

Hi

Well, I installed heating cable system in a bathroom last week..following the floor plans of the house. Now the home owner has changed the vanity..so the heating cables under the tile will now be under the new vanity by about 5 inches . You're not supposed to do this. What could happen?

[David Taylor]

Not much, really.

The wires will heat up to 84 F (29 C) or so - quite often the temperature in a house exceeds that and nothing happens. Heck, even direct sunlight can turn something like a laminate countertop's surface temperature into the 100s with no adverse effects.

You're safe.

[Bri]

Thank David

My worry is that the wire under the vanity will be more insulated and cause a problem for the thermostate...will it try to compensate and make the rest of the floor hotter/cooler(then again it is only 5 inchs of the total area)...I worry to much maybe?

[David Taylor]

No, it won't compensate for it. The in-floor sensor, not the resistance of the wire, determines the temperature of the floor. The heat has a lot of thermal mass to disperse into before it even gets to the vanity, too.

The vanity isn't solid underneath, either. Usually it's made up of 3/4" board on which it sits (perimeter and some bracing). If you really think about it, the total area that supports (contacts the floor) a 2' x 7' vanity is slightly more than one square foot. Hardly anything to worry about.

[Steven Hauser]

Hi Bri,

David is of course correct but I think it is OK for you to worry about the house burnin' down and it was all your fault for not moving the tile and wires. Why?

Think about the time you screamed while drivin' down the road with your wife in the car.

[Bri]

Think about the time you screamed while drivin' down the road with your wife in the car.

Lucky for me I guess....I don't have a wife....or a car!

[Steven Hauser]

Oops wrong Canadian, Sorry about that