Main product range

Reality: like with all products, there are several brands of UFH in the market and they come at different price tags as well as different performance levels. Warmset is a premium product due to its advanced technology and innovative use of materials. Warmset is ethically and entirely produced in Italy, which adds to the manufacturing cost. Most brands of UFH are produced in China and India. Other brands claim to be produced in Europe, however in reality they are only partly assembled in Europe from components (like electric heating cables) that are made usually in China or India. We don’t regard Warmset as a luxury product but rather as a smart investment for your home thanks to the savings over the life of the system in terms of running costs and complete absence of maintenance. Compared to force-air systems and hydronic systems, Warmset is also very competitive because it does not require any maintenance or replacement costs, ever.

Reality: the only thing in common with other electric UFH systems is the electric cable at the end of the system that connects to the electricity. Warmset is a genre on its own and has superior performance compared to any other electric UFH system and forced-air system. The core of our heating technology is in the 17mm. wide and flat heating element, which combines highly conductive and resistant materials to deliver a form of heating (called far-infrared) that travels through the floor and radiates evenly across the room. In contrast, electric cable UFH systems rely on a very simple and thin (usually 2mm) copper cable, that creates heat by electrical resistance. This heat warms the floor, and subsequently the floor will radiate heat in the room. Warmset superior technology and design delivers unparalleled running efficiency.

Reality: Warmset comes in pre-assembled heating mats, no on-site assembling is required. This minimises installation time, labour cost and the chance of human errors because mats simply need to be rolled on the surface based on the layout provided. Other electric UFH products are often assembled on-site, which makes the installation cost and risks higher. In recent years, most electric UFH brands in Australia have begun offering heating mats as well, particularly for the DIY, which make electric UFH installation in general much faster than that of traditional systems or hydronic systems.

Reality: Warmset is the name given to the Heating Division of Filmcutter SpA, which was established in Italy in the ‘90s. Filmcutter is a world leader in engineering and producing insulation materials for electric motors, generators and transformers. We produce electric insulation and thin thermal insulation with extraordinary, customizable converting capacities to meet even the most demanding of needs. At Filmcutter, we are able to laminate and resin cast polyester film, non-woven fabric and other flexible materials to enhance their physical and mechanical characteristics and ensure a high level of insulation. Filmcutter serves some of the largest industrial groups in the world, governments and government-owned institutions.

Reality: far-infrared waves are not only 100% safe but also good for living things, including plants animals and human. While FIR technology is not very well known in Australia yet and is predominantly associated with saunas, in the rest of the western world, particularly Europe, FIR technology has been very common across many applications for decades. Apart from heating, we find important applications in medicine, agriculture, biotechnology, wellness, cosmetology, physiotherapy, fashion, and many other sectors. There are many published medical papers available for consultation on Google.

Reality: Warmset can be retrofitted into existing buildings, over the existing floor. Thanks to its 3mm thinness, it can be easily installed under any new floor. This eliminates the need to demolish the old floor, which can be expensive. Warmset can also be installed in-wall if the floor is not an option.

Reality: Warmset has been used for nearly 15 years under a variety of floor coverings, including tiles, stone, wood, vinyl, polished concrete and carpet. It is also used under bitumen, roofs and grass in freezing climates to melt the snow or ice. The correct application varies depending on the floor type, but it can be easily positioned directly under the tiles glue, screed, in-slab, cement or floating boards.

Reality: Electric underfloor heating systems have earned a bad rep in the past due to cheap products that made it into the Australian market, and a lack of proper testing and regulations. Things have changed fortunately. Modern and higher-quality systems make electric heating systems far more efficient than any ducted or split air system. However, Warmset is a genre on its own and has superior performance compared to any other electric UFH system. The core of our heating technology is in the 17mm. wide and flat heating element, which combines highly conductive and resistant materials (such as carbon fiber, aluminium, nickel and silver) to deliver far-infrared (FIR) heating, which then travels through the floor and radiates evenly across the room. In contrast, electric cable UFH systems rely on a very simple and thin (usually 2mm) copper cable, that creates heat by electrical resistance. This heat warms the floor, and subsequently the floor will radiate heat in the room. Warmset superior technology and globally patented design deliver unparalleled running efficiency and heating comfort.

Reality: Warmset has been sold in Italy since 2008 and exported globally since 2012, both directly and through country distributors. Every winter, we heat thousands of homes, office buildings, schools, hospitals, lobbies, hotels and even airports around the world. Underfloor heating is still in its infancy in Australia, but with recent push from industry and government around sustainability and reducing carbon emissions though electrification, we believe this is a great time to educate the Australian market on more advanced and established heating technologies.

Reality: Underfloor heating works very differently from forced-air systems. While it may take longer to warm up a room initially compared to instant hot air, UFH maintains a consistent room temperature for longer. Hot air immediately rises towards the ceiling and dissipates very quickly (literally in minutes), therefore to maintain a comfortable room temperature, ongoing on-off adjustments are required, resulting in a system that works harder and therefore is more expensive to run. In the UFH system category, Warmset has been proven through controlled laboratory testings to be the fastest at reaching both floor and room temperature, working with the least amount of variance. In addition, because Warmset radiates far-infrared heating, heat is retained within the floor, walls and objects of the room, which will then release heat gradually. As explained before, the wider heating strips, closer to each other, guarantee a higher thermal radiancy.

Reality: Contrary to popular belief, in-slab is probably the most inefficient form of underfloor heating in this day and age so much so that Europe has abandoned this type of application a long time ago to prioritise more efficient applications. Some architects and builders in Australia believe that the great advantage of in-slab UFH lies in the concept of thermal mass. This is the heat energy that accumulates within the mass of concrete that sits above the heating system. This energy is slowly released regardless of whether a heating system is switched on or off. However, with modern and responsive technologies such as Warmset, that operate on-demand only when you need it, there is no reason to build thermal mass. In fact, on a milder winter day thermal mass becomes detrimental to the point that one is forced to open the windows because it’s too warm! The advantage that we may have in some parts of Australia is a higher temperature excursion; this means that day temperatures can easily drop by 10 degrees by the time it’s evening. This means that your heating system will not need to work as hard during the day, hence why thermal mass is not needed. The best and most efficient application of any modern UFH system is as close as possible to the floor. In-screed, under-tile/wood/carpet heating have a faster warm up and cool down time compared to in-slab heating, allowing you to manage your temperature and energy usage more efficiently.

Reality: Just like electric cables within your walls do not “tend to break”, it would be extremely unlikely for Warmset to simply break out of the blue. Usually, faults with underfloor heating systems are caused by poor design and incorrect installation. That’s why using pre-assembled heating mats and a reliable and expert installer is very important. Warmset product warranty comes with a lifetime guarantee and each single heating mat is tested and tagged in our manufacturing plant in Italy prior to being released and dispatched. With full transparency and traceability of each single mat, we sleep sound at night knowing that you do too.

Reality: Unless you live in tropical Australia, it’s easy to debunk this one! Australia is a big country with mountains, hills, deserts and lakes and a diverse climate. Even the milder winters in SA, WA and NSW see temperatures drop in the lower range (4 – 8 degrees) at night during winter. It is undeniable that winters are also getting colder lately. In VIC and TAS, winters can get pretty cold, comparable to those in Europe. The advantage that we may have in some parts of Australia is a higher temperature excursion; this means that day temperatures can easily drop by 10 degrees by the time it’s evening. This means that your heating system will not need to work as hard during the day, reducing your heating bill.

Reality: The short answer is NO. It is true that electrical UFH heating systems create some far-infrared waves, but nowhere near as much as Warmset and not enough to make it the core of their heating capability. In addition, the quality of FIR, measured in micrometres, wave length and other criteria, is substantially lower in electric UFH, delivering a different end-result. For the more adventurous ones, refer to the Stefan-Bolzmann law in quantum physics.

Reality: Regardless of what type of heating you use, heat is dispersed through the walls, the roof and the floor. Just like you would insulate the walls and the roof, why not insulate the floor as well? In fact, in Italy and other European countries it’s mandated by the building code. Unfortunately, because it is still not a common practice, floor insulation boards can be quite expensive in Australia, ranging from $40-$70 per sqm, compared to $10-$15 per sqm in Italy. It is worthwhile calculating the return on investing on floor insulation, depending on the geographic location and floorspace.

Reality: Hydronic and electric heating work in very different ways. Generally speaking, in Australia hydronic is regarded as being more efficient than electric cable in terms of running costs. Warmset’s running costs are similar or better than hydronic, with a similar overall COP (coefficient of performance) of hydronic. What is important to understand is that hydronic is significantly more expensive than Warmset because it requires expensive equipment such a latest-generation electric heat pump and manifold. This equipment have limited time warranties, require yearly maintenance and usually must be replaced every 10-12 years. On top of that, installation is quite laborious and expensive as well. They also break, which adds to the cost. With an advanced UFH system like Warmset, there is no reason to prefer a hydronic system to heat the modern home.

Reality: It is important to set the floor temperature at a maximum of 26°C or 27°C (check with the wood floor manufacturer), however how a UFH system arrives and maintains that floor temperature depends on the system itself so we cannot speak for the category as a whole. However, we can assure that Warmset is 100% safe with wood floors, because our heating element never goes over 35°C. This temperature is considerably lower compared to the water in hydronic systems, which heat the water to about 50°- 55C°. Electric cables can have quite unstable temperatures, with spikes up to 100°C. Timber floors applications are very common in Europe.

Reality: Zoning is one of the most effective ways to efficiently heat your space. All modern underfloor heating systems come with advanced thermostats and control systems, making it easy to set and maintain the desired temperature in different zones of the home and at different times of the day/night. Warmset can be purchased with its own thermostat but it is also suitable with almost all thermostats available in the market.

Warmset is entirely produced in Filmcutter’s manufacturing plant in Italy. The transformation process begins with raw materials and ends with a finished product on the other side of the line. With the exception of the fiberglass mesh, which holds the heating element in place and plays no role in the heating functionality, every component that goes into a Warmset heating mat is the result of a transformation process that happens under the monitoring and quality processes of our ISO9001 and ISO45001 factory. This level of transparency is not easily matched by others. For example, most electric cable heating companies in Australia purchase their product from a large-scale producer in China or India that sells to many others. The Australian company will then place their brand on the product and re-sell it in Australia; the Australian consumer will have no idea where the product really comes from and how it is manufactured. With hydronic systems, there is better transparency in our opinion because you actually know the brand of heat pump and manifold that you are buying. But you rely on an installer that combines different products from different companies and the quality standards may differ.