Which Heating Foil Should You Choose? Practical Guide

Winter mornings can be not only cold, but also expensive if you don't have a proper heating system in your home. One of the increasingly popular solutions is the use of heating foils, which not only provide warmth, but also savings. However, choosing the right heating foil can be a challenge. In this article, we will discuss what factors should be taken into account to choose the best heating foil for your house or apartment in a block of flats.

**Various Types of Heating Foils**

There are various types of heating foils available on the market, which differ, among others: performance, application and design.

The most popular types of heating foils are:

1. **Floor foil:** It is used to heat the floor, which is particularly popular and can be used in any room in a house or apartment in a block of flats. Of course, the bathroom is a room where heating mats are the most popular due to the tiles on the floor, but you can also find places where heating foils can be used here. Such as mirror foil. It is also worth emphasizing the advantage of this type of heating foil arrangement, i.e. the comfort of a warm floor.

2. **Foil for walls and ceilings:** It can be mounted directly on walls or ceilings, which also allows for even heating of the entire room. Typically, due to the smaller heating surface, heating foils with higher power are used on walls, e.g. 220W/m2 . The rate of temperature increase also depends on the amount of coverage of the heating surface - the higher the percentage of surface coverage, the shorter the waiting time to reach the set temperature will be.

3. **Mirror Film:** Specially designed to heat mirrors in bathrooms, which prevents water vapor from settling on the mirror surface and adds some warmth to the overall bathroom balance.

Further differences are:

• Power: Heating foils differ in terms of power. Regardless of the thermal power, the energy demand is the same. The only difference is the heating time and the electricity consumption is the same!
• Supply voltage: The heating foil may require different supply voltages, which must be taken into account during installation.
• Width: The width of the foil can vary from 25 cm to 1 m, which allows it to be adapted to various spaces.
• Thickness: The thickness of the film is important for its durability and performance.
• Cuttable heating foil: Some foils can be customized by cutting, which can be useful in non-standard locations.
• Maximum foil temperature: Some foils can reach higher temperatures than others, which may be important in some applications, e.g. saunas
• Shape of the heating matrix: Foils can have various shapes and heating systems, which affects even heat distribution. (so-called ladder and full-surface ones such as TERMOFOL DIAMOND with a 30-year warranty!

Full-surface heating foils are made of carbon "fabric" which is protected with several layers of other materials. This type of foil has many advantages, including:

• Uniform heating of the entire surface

• Short heating time: Quickly reaches the desired temperature.

• High durability and efficiency: It is durable and effective for a long period of use. TERMOFOL DIAMOND are available only in combined sales with the design and installation service provided by Termo-fol Sp. z o. o., and a network of installers certified for this brand. (Are you considering installation? contact us) This allows you to maintain greater control over the quality of both technical advice and the installation process and user training. Thanks to cyclical theoretical and practical training and rigorous compliance with guidelines for the design and construction of installations, we can offer : 30-year warranty! However, the conducted research allows us to estimate it service life of about 100 years!

Ladder heating foils consist of carbon strips that are separated by layers of PET foil. The heating-active surface here is only the one containing carbon. This type of foil is characterized by a slightly longer heating time and usually a shorter warranty. Installed by an Authorized Installer , the warranty for Termofol ladder heating foils is up to 15 years, and in the case of self-assembly, 6 years. Which is a very good result compared to other heating devices that have a maximum 5-year warranty while maintaining strict requirements. Their main advantage is the lower price compared to full-surface foils.

The choice between these two types of foil depends on the customer's individual needs and budget, with full-surface heating foils typically offering higher heating quality and durability.

**Advantages of Heating Foil**
Heating foil has many advantages that make it an attractive solution for many people:

1. **Energy saving:** It works on the principle of infrared radiation, which makes it more effective than traditional heaters.

2. **Comfort:** Creates a pleasant warmth that is felt as very pleasant, similar to solar radiation.

3. **Uniform heat distribution:** Thanks to uniform heat distribution, rooms are heated evenly.

4. **No air convection:** It does not dry the air or raise dust, which is beneficial for allergy sufferers.

5. **Lower installation costs:** Installing the heating foil is simple and does not require complicated renovation work.

6. **Maintenance-free:** The heating foil is extremely durable and does not require regular inspections or maintenance.

**Disadvantages of Heating Foil**
Although heating foil has many advantages, it is also worth paying attention to some disadvantages:

1. **Potential problems with installation:** Installing the heating foil requires proper preparation of the surface and skills, so it is worth using the services of professionals, which can sometimes be expensive, and it is worth agreeing on all the details in advance, for which companies sometimes charge separately. Such as thermostats and their connection, commissioning and configuration of the entire system, connection only to the box and to the switchgear for an additional fee, etc.

2. **Room arrangement:** If you plan to lay heating foil under the panels, it is necessary to precisely determine the location of larger furniture. Massive shelves or cabinets should not be placed in areas where the heating foil will be installed. User opinions often emphasize that rearranging the furniture can be a challenge in the context of installing the heating foil.

3. **Delayed thermal effect:** Infrared heating foil heats surfaces, not the air. As a result, when the system is turned on again, the heating foil needs some time to raise the temperature inside the room.

4. **Need of a power source:** The heating foil requires a power source, so it will not work in the event of a power failure. Although nowadays most systems need power, Prepers avoid this type of heating. ;-)

Assembly and installation

When choosing a heating foil, pay attention to the assembly and installation process. Is this something you can install yourself, or is it better to hire a professional? Make sure you understand the installation process before committing to a specific product.

Warranty and technical support

Finally, do not forget to check the availability of warranty and technical support from the manufacturer. It is worth choosing a reputable company that offers a long-term warranty and the possibility of obtaining help in case of problems.

Choosing the right heating foil can significantly affect the thermal comfort in your home and heating costs. Before making a decision, carefully consider your needs and do research to find the best option that suits your budget and preferences. Thanks to the appropriate heating foil, you can enjoy pleasant warmth throughout many winters, while saving on energy bills.

If in doubt, please contact us