flexible heat ceiling matts

[Rick Souter]

Hey there...

Just inspected a house with flexible electric heat mats in the ceilings, not the panel (rigid) type. Regular thermostats you'd find for baseboard heaters. Does anyone have experience with these? No GFCI's in sight.

Thanks.

[Rick Souter]

OK...

Might be more appropriate to have these mats protected by AFCI's, considering the stuff that some people poke through their ceilings.

Found that Carson Dunlop warns about one particular product;

FLEX-HEAT CEILING HEATING SYSTEMS

Ontario Hydro is warning homeowners that Flex-Heat electric radiant ceiling heating is dangerous and that if your house has such a system you must disconnect it immediately. Ontario Hydro says the system can fail without warning and may become a fire hazard. Most houses with Flex-Heat have a label on the electrical panel box or a label on the thermostat indicating that it is a Flex-Heat system. Some houses with Flex-Heat do not have labels. These houses can be identified as having radiant heat by the fact that the rooms are heated but have no ductwork, no radiators and no electric baseboard heaters. Most houses with radiant heat have individual room or zone thermostats. If the house has electric radiant heat and no stickers indicating that it is Flex-Heat, the attic should be inspected (under the insulation) to determine whether black plastic panels have been installed immediately above the ceiling. Flex-Heat was only installed after 1975.

Stuff I'm looking at is clear plastic....electrodes look black.

From what I've found in the last hour or so, is that it isn't a popular product, however an Aussie firm; Safe T Flex sure pumps their product as being more energy efficient than heat pumps[]

Any takers on this? anybody seen it.....got some ...anybody want it?...I have the lock box number[:-yawn]

[hausdok]

Hi,

I see something like you describe occasionally; have never had an issue with it. I don't know what brand the stuff was.

OT - OF!!!

M.

[Rick Souter]

Thanks Mike,

Ya, just not wanting to steer the client in the wrong direction on this stuff as it is new to me. I've seen a couple of houses where the same type product was decommisioned and replaced with forced air and the other with electric baseboard.

Do you recall if any arc fault protection was provided?

Rick

[hausdok]

No arc fault protection. Those were put in in the 70's and we didn't have arc fault protection then.

OT - OF!!!

M.

[Rick Souter]

Hey

Well, something to be said for that, however there have been a few code changes in the last 30 odd years.....and lets face it...the product may be produced off shore......what isn't anymore?

Rick

[Rick Souter]

Hey....

A bit more finger searching turned up this Canadian recall. One of these happens to be the product I inspected. FlexWatt panels seem to have been installed primarily in BC & Quebec.

RECALL OF FLEXWATT RADIANT CEILING HEATING PANELS

Toronto, Ontario, November 15, 1994: Further to the News Release issued September 26, 1994, Flexwatt Corporation and the Canadian Standards Association (CSA) are extending the recall of the radiant ceiling heating product.

This recall now involves all:

Flexwatt Radiant Ceiling Heating Panels, Product Nos. R13C13H120, R13C13H208, R13C13H240 rated 13 Watts per panel; R17C20H120, R17C20H208, R17C20H240 rated 20 Watts per panel; and R25C30H120, R25C30H208, R25C30H240 rated 30 Watts per panel. Additional testing by CSA has determined that in some circumstances these panels may overheat.

While most Flexwatt installations are in the provinces of British Columbia and Quebec, concerned homeowners are advised to contact their electrical contractor or installer to determine if they have the radiant ceiling heating panels listed above.

For further information please contact:

Flexwatt Corporation:

George Shad

West Wareham, MA

Tel: (508) 291-2000

Fax: (508) 291-2008

All inquiries made to CSA should be directed to:

Name Conrad Tucker

Title Communications Officer

Phone (416) 747-2456

Fax (416) 747-4292