FAQs

STEP HEAT is a strong, flexible, thin plastic heating mat. It is made of an innovative polymer blend that heats when electricity is passed through the material. Unlike other types of radiant floor heating, STEP HEAT has the unique ability to self-regulate. So by design it cannot overheat. STEP HEAT operates on low-voltage and is normally connected to a 24-volt power supply, but can also be run by solar or wind-power source. To provide power continuously along its length, a flat bus braid is embedded in the plastic sheet heater along each edge. Our system is energy efficient when continuously energized, allowing the self-regulating nature of the heating elements to control the floor temperature. STEP HEAT is a very safe product and ideally suited for bathrooms and other wet environments. Because it is mainly a polymer it is unaffected by moisture. STEP HEAT is a low voltage system (24 V). Further the product has met the stringent international ETL listing protocol and conforms to the ANSI/UL-1693 standard.

STEP HEAT has won several awards including: Flooring Magazine Top 10 Products, 1996 1st place Most Innovative Product for the New Home Show, 1997 Innovation Award Silver Medal at Batimat/Interclima, 1997 Editors Top 50 Popular Home Automation, 1998 11th International Construction Award, 1999 Radiant Panel Assoc. Electric Commercial and Residential Award, 2000 1st place for Electric Residential – RPA, 2003 1st place for Electric Commercial – RPA, 2003 Building Products Top 100 Products Award, 2003.

The self-regulating polymer technology was developed in 1981 and first used to provide heated seats for automobiles. Since then the technology has been used in a variety of applications, including the floor covering area. Hundreds of thousands of square feet of STEP HEAT have been installed globally.

STEP HEAT is great under sidewalks and driveways to prevent snow and ice build-up. No more shoveling walks or using salt to melt the ice. STEP HEAT is ideal for those hard to heat places such as basements, 3 and 4 season sunrooms, and living spaces above garages. STEP HEAT can be used as radiant wall heating. STEP HEAT can be placed behind mirrors to keep them from fog-up. STEP HEAT can help plants grow in greenhouses.

You can either contact: Local Distributor International Distributor STEP HEAT Directly.

Please ask your installer to give us (or one of our distributors) a call, or give us your installer’s name and phone number so we may contact them. Toll-Free Phone: 877-783-7832 Toll-Free Fax: 877-781-1982 Phone: 314-426-3555 (from outside US) Fax: 314-426-3556 (from outside US)

Because of its polymer design, STEP HEAT cannot overheat. As the material gets warmer, less amount of electricity passes through the plastic and therefore less heat is generated. It is as if you had a sensor over the entire floor. STEP HEAT is even approved to be used in hospital beds, as it adapts to the temperature generated by the body heat.

to create the “self-regulating” nature of the STEP HEAT heating element. When the STEP Heat heating element is exposed to a cold temperature, on a molecular level, the conductive particles embedded in the plastic get shoved together. This creates many current paths between the bus braids, the current flows through the semi-conductive plastic, and heat is generated. When the temperature warms up, on a molecular level, the conductive particles get spread apart. This reduces the amount of current paths between the bus braids, causing the current flow to decrease, and less heat is generated. This “self-regulating” nature allows our heaters to respond to local conditions at the floor, providing a much more comfortable environment. The heaters will self-regulate up in heat output in front an exterior door that has been opened and closed. The heat output will decrease in locations where sunlight is warming the floor.

The STEP HEAT heating elements are unique in that they DO NOT use metal heating elements. Our heating element is constructed primarily of a plastic that becomes semi-conductive. It is the electricity passing from bus braid to bus braid through this semi-conductive plastic that generates the heat.

STEP HEAT was granted it’s first US patent in 1999 and has other European and US patents.

The technology has been used in a variety of areas: On Alaskan tug boat decks to prevent ice and snow build-up in -40°F weather In the Antarctic to help keep delicate electronics working By veterinarians to keep animals warm In the North Sea to keep living areas on oil platforms (100 feet above the ice cold ocean) warm and comfortable These are only a few of the applications that the product has been used for. To see more, please visit our parent company, Electro Plastics, Inc.

During shipping, handling and installation of the STEP HEAT system, care must be taken to ensure that the heating elements are not damaged. With that said, our heating elements are a rigged plastic sheet. Once placed on the floor, they can be walked on without fear of damage. Just don’t drag equipment or construction supplies over the exposed elements. With the other electric systems that are on the market, their heaters are fragile thin wires and cables that can be easily damaged. Because of that, extreme care and caution must be taken to ensure that damage does not occur.