Help & Advice

[ferryenthusiast]

Hi Everyone

I was on a job today and found what looks to be a heating mat in the customers loft. As they want me to install an extractor fan in the ceiling of one of the bedrooms, I need to confirm what this is and then move forward from there. Chances are it will be removed, but the customer would like to know what it is first. Likewise to remove, it is going to entail alot of wires being disconnted and insulation moved.

The mat is clear plastic, with silver metal strips inside. The mats are wired up, to what I cannot tell without some major insulation moving. They are laid under the insulation and onto of the plasterboard ceiling.

Has anyone seen these before and if so what are they? Sorry about the quality, I only had my mobile with me.

Cheers Everyone

Paul

 

[EasyFox]

Yep they look like carbon ribbon heating mats to me.

At least you looked, I know of a bloke who slapped in 10x down lights then wondered why the heating had packed up, yes it was all ceiling heating panels for radiated heat.

 

[ferryenthusiast]

Thanks EasyFox.

Are they required?

The house is a bungalow and all the heating is gas.

 

[EasyFox]

Thanks EasyFox.

Are they required?

The house is a bungalow and all the heating is gas.

It's upto the customer, if they don't want them, trace back to source, isolate & remove.

Have to say they dont look like they are designed for ceiling use, look more like under laminate heating pads, but I may be wrong.

 

[Carter]

Don't people have the wierdest ideas, why would anyone want to heat an unused loft space? All the heat goes straight up through convection and very little will be transmitted to the rooms below through conduction. Maybe a previous owner planned a conversion that did get carried through? who knows. Never come across these before my self but connecting these things in if they are of any vintage could be making a rod for your own back as well I reckon. Could be fault finding hell in a boiling loft, no thanks!

 

[spark-doctor]

They should be installed under a insulating reflective mat so the heat goes down. They are used in posh places where the customer does not want any pipes and rads. They are supposed to be quite efficient if fitted properly but can take a long time to recoup the installation costs.

And they are a complete pain in the ar*se to fit as the ones i have fitted come on a long roll that has to be cut to size.

 

[jeremy]

If the punter knows nothing about them, trace back to a safe iso point, isolate them and charge the punter double what you were going to ; you've saved them a fortune