Most heating mat elements are wrapped in a stainless steel braid that is grounded, actually connected to a GFCI in the thermostat control assembly. Thus there is little chance for electrocution with that type of product.

I've looked at some of those eBay sites, and some of them look to be made outside of North America and to who knows what electrical standards? IMO, I'd stay with a name-brand product from a reputable manufacturer for a heating mat.

Hello ChrisKelly,
Stick with a reputable brand:
Watts "SunTouch"
Warmly Yours "TempZone"
"NuHeat"
Laticrete "FehrenHEAT"
These are all self-contained heating systems which are relatively simple to install safely. Of these four, only "NuHeat" is a mat which is custom built to fit your room exactly. The rest are rolls of woven material which is flipped, split, and unraveled to fit your space.
It is important to test the heating mat at several stages during installation
Out of the box
After it has been fixed to the floor
After tile has been installed
Before control thermostat is connected
The resistance should read similar on all tests and if there is a variance beyond the manufacturer's allowance then you've got a problem. But most are built tough and designed to protect the elements from the sharp teeth of notched trowels while tile is being installed over them.
Piece of cake!,
Shaughnn

Stick with American manufacturer. The beauty of that is they are subject to our laws and the litigious culture we live in. They are pretty careful about potential product-liability.

Your husband is worried about being electrocuted by a heating mat and mine is worried about a wall mounted TV falling into the bathtub with me :o MEN! (g)
I was thisclose to getting a warming mat till I decided I wanted 20" tiles and DH doesn't think he can get those tiles level with the mat underneath. It wasn't going over the entire room, just in front of my vanity.
Enjoy your toasty new floor :)
Monica

Thanks, I guess I will go with the American version (wonder if they actually are "made in America?")

also, I notice the mats are 120v or 220v. We have 220 service; should the mats be in that category? It will just be a small mat...

I used thermosoft electric radiant mats in my bathroom. they are made in America. They specify a GFCI ciruit in kitchens and bathrooms. The programmable thermostat they offer has the GFCI built right in.

I installed system late spring so I haven't had it through any cold weather yet, but I cranked the temp up about a month after the install to make sure it still worked (I made sure the mats would heat up before I installed them and I checked the resistence several times before/during/after the install).

The mats have a lifetime warranty, and shipped promptly.

http://thermosoftinternational.com/thermotile_home.htm

I put a skim coat of thinset over the floor and let it sit a day before I installed the tile but they say it can be done in one step. If I had to do it again I think I would have covered the mats with self-leveling cement and then installed the tile on top of that.

Monica,
You can have your electric radiant heat AND your 20" porcelain tiles!! After the mat is installed you can either pour self-leveling compound over the entire floor and set on top of that or you can simply use a 1/2"x1/2" square-notch trowel and medium-bed mortar (sometimes sold as "Marble & Granite" or "Big Stone"). This mortar works like other modified thinsets except that it's got more "body" and it will support more mass without sagging.
ChirsKelly,
Generally, the 240V systems are for larger areas. Depending on the manufacturer, the cut off can be between 100 square feet and 150 square feet before you have to upgrade to 240V. The heating components are usually any different in price though the electrical service might cost you a little to upgrade and run the circuit?
Best of luck,
Shaughnn

shaughnn, is that an offer to come to Texas to do my bathroom floor? :)) DH just isn't that comfortable doing the heated mat )he's afraid the product will fail), add to that the 20" tile. Plus, (someone) forgot to mention the need for an extra GFI when he was doing the electrical a couple weekends ago. So, I think this is something I'm going to have to let go of UNLESS you're willing to drive from Washington :) Thank you for the information. If DH has a change of heart, I'll show him your reply.
Monica

Another question.....should the tile guy use self leveling cement with 12X12 tiles?

tnx everyone.....

Hi ChrisKelly,
That would depend on a whole passel of factors.
What's the tile (flat?, square?, cushioned edge?)
What's the joint (tighter joints are less forgiving)
What's your heating mat?
What's the condition of the floor?
Who's your tile guy?
I prefer to pour self-leveling compound over most of my heating mats.
Shaughnn

I was thisclose to getting a warming mat till I decided I wanted 20" tiles and DH doesn't think he can get those tiles level with the mat underneath. It wasn't going over the entire room, just in front of my vanity.
Enjoy your toasty new floor :)
Monica

Maybe he needs someone to show him how to set tile! LOL

Chriskelly-- I've installed several heat systems, and not one person has called to complain that they've been electrocuted. :-)

On the serious side, I can't add anything to what Shaughnn has said. Stick with a reputable company and system like the ones Shaughnn mentioned above, and you'll be fine.

"Maybe he needs someone to show him how to set tile"

That sounds like an offer to come to East Texas if I ever heard one! :)) While you're here you could help with setting the air tub too (g) Seriously, I think it's more a "I don't want to get back up in the attic and wire another GFI, I don't want to install it, it's another expense we didn't count on and last but not least, we're in TEXAS for goodness sakes, not Minnesota" (lol)

You don't have to run a GFI circuit, many of the thermostats have GFI in them.

Don't give up!! We installed a heating mat in our last place. Can't remember the brand, but I do know they came in a range of standard sizes, plus custom sizes at additional cost. My hubby installed ours under large format quartzite tiles. We used it for around 2 years before selling our condo, and never had a problem. My MIL has had hers installed now for nearly a decade. Again no problems.

It is SO worth it!!! This is one thing you will probably regret not doing. A bit more hassle on your hubby's part will pay off with years and years of enjoyment.

Nice and cozy on cold mornings plus floors dry super quickly after messy husbands, wet dogs and kids!! :-)

We are just beginning the process of remodeling our bathroom and I am wondering how one decides how much floor space to cover with a heating mat. I played around with the "get a quote online" and it was over $900. No way will that fit into my budget! Unfortunately we have a lot of wasted space in our bathroom. Is it possible to just run the heating mats in front of the shower entrance and in front of the vanity? Do the mats have to be connected to each other and would there be noticeable cold spots if we did only heat the areas we actually stand on?

you would definately notice cold spots, but if you rarely stand on those areas of the floor then maybe you can live with that

the wire leads from the matts wouild be conntected together at the thermostat

We had a small bath, so we just put in a 3 x 5 mat, which worked for the area in front of the vanity, the toilet and in front of the shower. The others areas were definitely colder, but it didn't matter because they weren't "prime" real estate! LOL.

Now, many of the newest models are just wires and not mats, so you can string them around the areas where you regularly sit/stand.

Our 3 x 5 mat, with thermostat, etc, came to around $500 CDN.