Looks like no one is chiming in. where I live in NJ it cost more to use electric then gas. hydronic water is the way to go. more even heat in house and cheaper then baseboard. only thing that would be better would be solar.

under carpet. Huh.

"Over pad." What the wha?

In the bathrooms forum, everyone loves electric heat. There's tile or stone being heated.

I don't believe yo going to put cables on top of the carpet underpadding.
No way!

Yes, way!

Actually, I have saved considerably on my heating bills since I started using Speedheat's Rug Buddy. I started with one in the living room and then put them in all of my bedrooms, too. I used to keep my house a toasty 74 - not very green, I know, but I've always ran cold... but now, I only heat the rooms I'm using and keep it at about 68... it's a much different heat than blowing ones... it's like it heats you all the way to your bones or something...

It takes about an hour to get the room up about 20 degrees or so if you cover about 50% or so of the room... about half an hour in the rooms that are 85% covered. Of course, your feet are warm within about 5 minutes, so that's helpful. I use the plug-in stat they have now in the baby room because I care more about the control, but the others, I just put them on a timer.

They have an electrical cost calculator on their site. Just remember that you will use it less than other heaters because of the comfort level difference... and of course, you don't have to heat rooms you aren't using if you don't want to, which saves, too. - I think there are some that were on the market before that were more expensive to run - and I know hydronic is REALLY expensive. My uncle has it in NY, and it takes a pretty penny... I told him to just do this, but I haven't convinced him yet. lol

Here is a link that might be useful: Speedheat's Running Cost Calculator

penguin tulip registered for Garden Forum today to shill for these mats. As the Italians would say, Stronzata!

Totally agree with Bus Driver - what do these people think? Do they think people are that gullible? Do they think that knowledgable people will not call them out on their crap?

Hydronic is far better than electric resistant mats and far more expensive (but far cheaper to run...)

You're right. I'm a shill... and everyone else is that says how they love the heaters on Facebook and all over the Internet, too. - and of course, simple math won't tell you how much energy they use either.

Here's another energy cost calculator if you would like to use a different one... of course, they may be in on the master plan to fool you, too... so you might try Google.

Ok... off to shill some more... it's exhausting, really.

Here is a link that might be useful: Generic Electrical Energy Cost Calculator

Hey penguin thanks for your info. I'm not getting such a strong warming effect but I'm still "learning the system". With the thermostat controlling only the floor temp, it spends 50% of the time 'off' during a given warming period. Like if I set the floor to 95 degrees, it will heat it to around 100, let it cool to about 92, then cycle again. I think I'm going to switch over to a thermostat that targets room air temp as opposed to floor temp (it does have a max floor temp sensor so I don't burn the place down). Obviously this will require more energy, but as long as I am breaking even with the heat pump turned off I'm happy.

Hey rileysmom17, how have the speedheat mats worked out for you? We are considering doing the same thing in one bedroom that is colder than the rest. I have heard they are expensive to maintain. Do you think that is true? Are you happy with your mats?