Turn Up The Heat"Upgrade your home with Heatizon radiant heat" |
Along with the gentle spray of sprinklers, the smell of fresh cut grass and the sound of bees buzzing, there’s another sign of warm weather in Utah: new homes start popping up like tulips and spring cleaning often turns into spring renovation. A constant trend in homes is updates to maximize efficiency and comfort, areas in which Heatizon Systems and distributor Warm Quest are all too familiar. “Radiant heating systems are a more efficient, uniform heat that is distributed more evenly because the heat radiates from the floor,” says Mike Bench, member of WarmQuest, an official distributor of Heatizon Systems snow melting, floor warming, roof deicing and space heating products. Radiant heat systems offer a handful of other one-uppers to the traditional heating systems—one being that radiant heat is more efficient than forced air systems. An energy-efficient home is only one of many advantages that customer Lindsay Atwood noticed almost immediately. When it came time to replace tile flooring in his home’s kitchens and hallways, Atwood took note of his daughter’s “cold feet” complaints. He called on WarmQuest to remedy the problem, and after only two days, a new Heatizon Systems ZMesh system was fully installed and ready for tile. Installed for six weeks, Atwood says he noticed a substantial reduction in heating costs. “We dropped our thermostat three degrees, and I noticed about a 10 percent decrease in heating utilities,” he says. Describing the new system as “fantastic,” Atwood says his only wish now is to have radiant flooring throughout, vowing to install it whenever he updates floor coverings. According to Bench, snowmelt and interior floor heating systems have been around for many years and are becoming more popular in and outside of Utah. Heatizon Systems, which is celebrating 10 years of business in Utah, manufactures a complete line of low-voltage radiant heating products that keep your driveways clear and your toes warm, a problem year-round for tiled floors and constantly cold basements. “It’s a different kind of heat,” says customer Art Vanderlinden, who installed a Heatizon System in the basement of his Taylorsville home. “You walk in and the entire room is warm, not just the floor. It warms your shoulders and your back. It’s really nice and comfortable,” he says. It’s never too early to install a Heatizon system, according to Bench. “The retrofit ability of a Heatizon radiant heat system has increased greatly. It doesn’t matter how new or old a person’s home is,” he says. Heatizon’s radiant heat systems use one of two products, Tuff Cable or ZMesh, that can be installed in new construction or retrofitted to existing applications. How it Works: The Tuff Cable, a copper cable, is used in snowmelting systems for new pour or existing asphalt, concrete or paver driveways or sidewalks. In an existing driveway or walkway, technicians cut thin, inch-deep channels that are 6 inches apart into the pavement, which is where the cable is laid and then closed with a sealant. In new construction, the cable is installed just before the concrete is poured or the pavers are installed. The Tuff Cable is also used under metal roofing material for invisible ice dam protection from snow and ice on the roof. In what is probably the most recognizable local project WarmQuest has carried out, the TRAX system is protected by the Tuff Cable snowmelting system. It was installed on all passenger-access ramps to keep the areas free of snow. One of their largest projects includes installing cables under nearly 20,000 square feet of sidewalks and stairs at the LDS Conference Center. As far as snowmelt is concerned, Heatizon is “absolutely the best value on the planet,” according to Bench. “It’s far less expensive to operate and maintain than hydronic,” he says. Also, Heatizon’s products are solid-state and are not comprised of moving parts. Paired with its unique and lengthy 25-year warranty and its ETL Listing, a nationally tested laboratory, Heatizon Systems products are arguably the most reliable in the industry. On the rare chance that Tuff Cable or ZMesh is damaged, problem solving is easy. “Our products are easy to repair,” says Bench. “Both the Tuff Cable and the ZMesh can be easily repaired using a butt splice or copper splice and solder with a relatively simple process.” Heatizon Systems products also feature a self-diagnosing control unit that will essentially “tell you what’s wrong with it,” according to Bench. “They require very little, if any, annual maintenance and they last for years,” he says. Heatizon’s technology is unique because it uses low-voltage electricity, ranging from 8 to 30 volts AC with ZMesh and 8 to 62 volts AC with Tuff Cable. While this eliminates many safety concerns, it also makes reducing your heating bill feasible. Unlike hydronic snow melt, Heatizon doesn’t need to cycle or idle constantly, making it more cost-effective from an operation perspective. And when it comes to being a friend of the environment, radiant heat is the kindlier option because no pollen, dust or other particles are circulated. This also makes the system more comfortable to everyone, particularly those with allergies or asthma. Reflecting on the past 10 years and anticipating the future of WarmQuest, Bench is confident that “continued success and growth will be realized by delivering exceptional products and services to each customer.” Heatizon Systems products are available nationally and manufactured in Salt Lake City. For more information on Heatizon Systems products, call WarmQuest at (801) 293-0137 or visit the Web site at www.warmquest.com. |