Education Area
X10 Automation and Heated Flooring
Using radiant floor heating along with home automation has great potential. The method for integrating heated flooring with such a system is actually quite simple. The most basic requirement for electrical appliances to be controlled remotely is a common language and transfer protocol. Controllers must be able to exchange data messages from different locations around the home. The most popular technology standard used to fit this purpose is known as X10. Electric floor heating can be easily integrated into a system using this standard.
The main reason X10 has become so popular is that it uses the existing circuitry in your home to exchange data. This means no installation of additional communications wires are needed. Electric floor heating is a perfect product to work with X10 systems. Since old circuits may fall into disrepair and become unreliable X10 works best over newer (1980 and later) electrical circuits. Certain appliances may also add noise into your circuitry and prevent some of the communications from being received. Noise filters can be used to minimize this problem.
There are two main components needed to integrate an appliance with a smart home system using the X10 language. The transmitter is usually a home computer or specialized remote. Receivers are located all around the home wherever an appliance needs to be controlled. There are two main types of receivers. One is used to accept on/off messages. The other can receive continuous signals to control dimmers, usually controlling lights. Larger heated flooring systems would work with the on/off type in conjunction with a thermostat. Smaller areas (below 150 square feet) could work on the dimmer type when the system is programmed to stay on only for two hour intervals.
Easy Warm Floor has been providing factory-direct sales of radiant floor heating for 16 years – all of our products are made in the USA. Full technical support and personalized layouts ensure high system efficiency and straightforward installation for your needs.
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