say “goodbye” to extra blankets this winter and say “hello

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can be with furnaces, heat pumps and even fireplaces, most of them don’t hold heat very well in truly cold weather, and heat distribution throughout the interior may be uneven. And, even when plugged in, most motorhomes still require the burning of propane to stay warm, which, apart from being expensive, can be inconvenient when a refill is necessary. So, if you have a motorhome that you otherwise love and would like to keep, is there a solution? Yes, and it’s a very good one: electric radiant floor heat.

Considered a luxury feature in custom homes and high-end coaches, electric radiant floor heat is prized for its ability to deliver consistent, even warmth without the need for a noisy furnace that constantly cycles on and off. Not to be confused with hydronic heating systems, which sometimes incorporate floor heat via hot-water tubes beneath the subfloor, electric radiant heat uses thin mats located directly underneath the tile, effectively turning the floor into one big radiator. Gold Heat of Hillsboro, Oregon, is the leading supplier of electric radiant floor systems to the RV industry, but what many owners may not know is that its popular product that shares its name with the company can be retrofitted to older coaches to provide

one or more thermostats. For this reason, Gold Heat radiant flooring has become a very popular choice with RV manufacturers and remodeling shops alike. “There’s a reason this feature is so well-received,” said Ken Millard, owner and president of Gold Heat. “It transforms the relationship you have with your coach. It changes your posture, the way you sit, everything. You find yourself just relaxing more. Electric radiant heat is fundamentally more comforting and inviting.”

Installing Gold Heat radiant flooring requires that your motorhome’s existing floor be removed

supplemental heat and warm flooring.Consisting of fiberglass mats with embedded stain-

less-steel wire, Gold Heat mats are designed to radiate 14 watts per square foot, so the largest single mat available, at 113 square feet, takes about 1,600 watts and delivers about as much interior heat as a similarly rated space heater or electric fireplace, according to the company. In a mild climate, that kind of output would be adequate to keep the interior warm on its own, but in really cold weather, the furnace would still be required. However, the addition of Gold Heat makes for even heat distribution and reduces the amount of time the furnace has to run.

Gold Heat is also highly customizable. As mentioned, the largest single mat available is 113 square feet, but can be divided into several mats of different sizes (for the bedroom and bath area, for example) controlled by

[5] Once the mat was completed, it was rolled out alongside the motorhome to double-check dimensions, and then the team at Dave and LJ’s began work on the interior. [6, 7] With the furniture out of the way, all of the surfaces are carefully covered before the old tile and carpet are removed. The only exception is the full-length mirror, which the customers no longer wanted.

5

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[8, 9] The carpet is removed first, followed by the tile. [10, 11] Once the old flooring is completely removed, Dave and LJ’s laid down backer board material over the particle-board subfloor to make for a smooth, even surface.

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INSTALLATION: GOLD HEAT

Say “Goodbye” to extra blankets this winter and say “Hello” to Gold Heat mats

Comfort takes many forms. A well-worn chair. A familiar meal. The company of old friends. But on a more basic level, the thing that makes us

all comfortable is warmth. Like water, it is an essential we can’t live without; we seek it from fire, from the sun, from our homes. As a long, cold winter closes in, our thoughts begin to wander to tropical climes — and as it comes to an end, we can’t wait to be free from heavy jackets, beanies,

scarves and boots. The fact is, we know that the cold is a necessary part of nature, we just don’t want to be in it for too long.

In a motorhome, we have the freedom to go wherever we want, and to live in warm weather year-round. But for those of us who enjoy four-season camping or live in a motorhome full-time, warmth can be particularly important. Because, for as well-equipped as motorhomes

By Chris Hemer

[1] The owners of this Tiffin coach live in the unit full-time, and wanted a more comfortable environment for themselves and their pets. [2, 3] The floor dimensions are carefully measured at Dave and LJ’s before the mat is ordered. This particular customer requested a single mat that would cover the entire living area, bathroom and hallway, but not the bedroom. When measuring, it is important to consider where the customer won’t require the mat to be underfoot, i.e., underneath cabinets or behind the toilet. [4] Once the measure-ments are complete, they are entered into a CAD program that accurately represents what the finished mat will look like, along with all dimensions.

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2

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34 MotorHome December 2019

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can be with furnaces, heat pumps and even fireplaces, most of them don’t hold heat very well in truly cold weather, and heat distribution throughout the interior may be uneven. And, even when plugged in, most motorhomes still require the burning of propane to stay warm, which, apart from being expensive, can be inconvenient when a refill is necessary. So, if you have a motorhome that you otherwise love and would like to keep, is there a solution? Yes, and it’s a very good one: electric radiant floor heat.

Considered a luxury feature in custom homes and high-end coaches, electric radiant floor heat is prized for its ability to deliver consistent, even warmth without the need for a noisy furnace that constantly cycles on and off. Not to be confused with hydronic heating systems, which sometimes incorporate floor heat via hot-water tubes beneath the subfloor, electric radiant heat uses thin mats located directly underneath the tile, effectively turning the floor into one big radiator. Gold Heat of Hillsboro, Oregon, is the leading supplier of electric radiant floor systems to the RV industry, but what many owners may not know is that its popular product that shares its name with the company can be retrofitted to older coaches to provide

one or more thermostats. For this reason, Gold Heat radiant flooring has become a very popular choice with RV manufacturers and remodeling shops alike. “There’s a reason this feature is so well-received,” said Ken Millard, owner and president of Gold Heat. “It transforms the relationship you have with your coach. It changes your posture, the way you sit, everything. You find yourself just relaxing more. Electric radiant heat is fundamentally more comforting and inviting.”

Installing Gold Heat radiant flooring requires that your motorhome’s existing floor be removed

supplemental heat and warm flooring.Consisting of fiberglass mats with embedded stain-

less-steel wire, Gold Heat mats are designed to radiate 14 watts per square foot, so the largest single mat available, at 113 square feet, takes about 1,600 watts and delivers about as much interior heat as a similarly rated space heater or electric fireplace, according to the company. In a mild climate, that kind of output would be adequate to keep the interior warm on its own, but in really cold weather, the furnace would still be required. However, the addition of Gold Heat makes for even heat distribution and reduces the amount of time the furnace has to run.

Gold Heat is also highly customizable. As mentioned, the largest single mat available is 113 square feet, but can be divided into several mats of different sizes (for the bedroom and bath area, for example) controlled by

[5] Once the mat was completed, it was rolled out alongside the motorhome to double-check dimensions, and then the team at Dave and LJ’s began work on the interior. [6, 7] With the furniture out of the way, all of the surfaces are carefully covered before the old tile and carpet are removed. The only exception is the full-length mirror, which the customers no longer wanted.

5

6

7

[8, 9] The carpet is removed first, followed by the tile. [10, 11] Once the old flooring is completely removed, Dave and LJ’s laid down backer board material over the particle-board subfloor to make for a smooth, even surface.

98 10 11



Say “Goodbye” to extra blankets this winter and say “Hello” to Gold Heat mats

Comfort takes many forms. A well-worn chair. A familiar meal. The company of old friends. But on a more basic level, the thing that makes us

all comfortable is warmth. Like water, it is an essential we can’t live without; we seek it from fire, from the sun, from our homes. As a long, cold winter closes in, our thoughts begin to wander to tropical climes — and as it comes to an end, we can’t wait to be free from heavy jackets, beanies,

scarves and boots. The fact is, we know that the cold is a necessary part of nature, we just don’t want to be in it for too long.

In a motorhome, we have the freedom to go wherever we want, and to live in warm weather year-round. But for those of us who enjoy four-season camping or live in a motorhome full-time, warmth can be particularly important. Because, for as well-equipped as motorhomes

By Chris Hemer

[1] The owners of this Tiffin coach live in the unit full-time, and wanted a more comfortable environment for themselves and their pets. [2, 3] The floor dimensions are carefully measured at Dave and LJ’s before the mat is ordered. This particular customer requested a single mat that would cover the entire living area, bathroom and hallway, but not the bedroom. When measuring, it is important to consider where the customer won’t require the mat to be underfoot, i.e., underneath cabinets or behind the toilet. [4] Once the measure-ments are complete, they are entered into a CAD program that accurately represents what the finished mat will look like, along with all dimensions.

1

3

2

4



3MOTORHOME | December 2019



completely and replaced with ceramic tile. The mats are embedded in the thinset (also known as mortar), and the tile laid down like any ordinary tile job. Granted, tearing up your floor to have Gold Heat installed isn’t a quick or easy process, but if you are consider-ing new flooring anyway, having the mats installed at the same time isn’t

[12] The Gold Heat system is designed for 15 watts per square foot on 120-volt AC current. A 113-square-foot mat (the largest single mat available) takes about 1,600 watts and requires a circuit that is sized to service a 15-amp load. This mat was much smaller than 100 square feet, so the available 15-amp breaker in this coach was considered more than adequate. [13] This motorhome is only going to run a single mat, so only one thermostat will be required. A hole is cut in the wall near the other coach controls. [14] Power lead wire from the circuit breaker is pulled through the junction box. The black wire is the temperature sensor for the Gold Heat mat. [15] It is highly recom-mended that a LoudMouth monitor remain connected to the cold lead of the mat throughout the installation process, and again when the thinset and tile are installed. It will sound an alarm if the wire becomes cut or damaged, making it possible to perform a quick repair before the thinset is troweled and tile installed.

particularly difficult. It is, however, a job that should be performed by a professional, and Gold Heat can point you in the direction of a qualified installation center located in your area.

For those customers who would like electric radiant floor heat but would prefer a flooring material like vinyl tile or engineered wood, Gold

Heat offers its Black Gold product. “Black Gold is a thin, essentially printed element that is designed to go under laminate surfaces rated for radiant heat,” Millard explained. “The Gold Heat [branded] product requires thinset to help spread the heat evenly, and also to create a flat surface. For materials that don’t require thinset, which is essentially

[16] Mat should be placed close to, but not underneath, any cabinets. The idea is to have it anywhere your feet would/could go. [17, 18] The open fiberglass mesh of the Gold Heat mat allows it to be laid out and used as a template. Here, the floor was marked where it will be cut with the mat in place, then the mat was folded back. A slot was then cut in the floor for the “cold lead” (unheated power cord) that will go to the cabinet where the thermostat will be installed. [19] The black floor sensor wire must be located between heating wires and away from external heat sources like Aqua-Hot, Oasis components, etc. The “bulb” on the end of the wire is the actual floor temperature sensor.

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4TRAILER LIFE | July 2017


Dave and LJ’s RV Interior Design 360-225-7700, www.daveandljs.com

Gold Heat 877-789-4328, www.goldheat.com

Sources

any other flooring material, Black Gold installs very thin and flat.” It’s also a good option, Millard says, if your coach is near its weight limit, and you don’t want the extra pounds a tile floor can add. Functionally, the only difference to be aware of with the Black Gold product is that it is only available in strips, and cannot be made into irregular shapes like the Gold Heat mats can.

To see what is involved in a typical retrofit installation, we followed along as a Gold Heat mat was installed in a 40-foot Tiffin Phaeton Class A motorhome at Dave and LJ’s RV interior design, an authorized Gold Heat installation center in Woodland, Washington. The process took several days, as the interior furniture and original carpet/tile was removed first while the mat was being built at the Gold Heat facility. When completed, the new tile floor not only looked great, but provided the warm, even heat that the company promised. Gold Heat mats run from approximately $400 for the smallest up to more than

[20] Staples are recommended to keep the mat securely anchored and to prevent it from shiftingwhile the thinset for the tile is troweled. The technician works carefully to prevent damaging any heating wire. [21, 22] The power leads go into the line terminals on the thermostat, and the cold lead connects to the load terminals. [23] A thermal camera was used to ensure that the mat was working properly before the tile was to be installed. Any shorts or dead spots in the mat would become immediately apparent and could be repaired before work commenced. Gold Heat offers repair kits, which should be ordered with the mat(s), just in case. [24, 25] The tiles are carefully cut and fitted before the thinset is spread out and the tiles are laid down.

[26, 27] The final installation looks great and will keep this coach warm and comfortable for many years to come.

$1,000 for the largest. Materials for this installation, including 106 square feet of mat and a thermostat, totaled around $1,165. Installation is extra, and costs will vary depending upon the flooring material used and the layout of the rig. Power requirements vary on the size of the installation, but are basically 15 watts (.125 amps) per square foot. Installation of an AC sub panel may be required if there isn’t an open breaker slot in the existing breaker panel.

If new flooring is in your motor-home’s future, you owe it to yourself to consider having Gold Heat or Black Gold installed at the same time. It is a luxury feature you won’t see, but you’ll definitely feel.

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Consumer demand for electric radiant heat has never been higher. Make sure your tile flooring comes standard with Gold Heat, the RV industry’s most luxurious—and easiest to install—floor heating systems.

Learn more about our design customization, fast installation, and legendary support: 866-935-7782

Gold Heat®

The RV industry’s most comfortable and reliable radiant floor heating systems.866-935-7782 goldheat.com

A tile floor without radiant heat is like peanut butter without jelly.

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say “goodbye” to extra blankets this winter and say “hello

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