Underfloor Heating Wire Construction – PVC Insulation

PVC is an insulation material widely used in the manufacture of underfloor heating cables. PVC stands for Polyvinyl chloride and it is the third most commonly used thermoplastic in the world. When it is used for underfloor heating cables a plasticiser is added to ensure it remains reasonably soft and flexible.

PVC is particularly suitable as the outer insulation layer of heating cables as it can be made remarkably tough and resistant to crushing or cutting during installation, therefore protecting the delicate heating wires within the cable. Another benefit of some forms of PVC is that they are UV resistant and can therefore be used as the outer insulation layer for heating cables that are exposed to the sun. Heat Mat’s 7mm cable can be used in this way for frost and snow protection in gutters and on roofs.

PVC can be effectively used as the inner insulation on cables where their thickness is not important, such as in-screed cables or snow melting cables.