3 Ways Professional Electricians Detect a Damaged Heated Floor Wire

Getting up in the morning and stepping onto a cold floor signals that there may be a problem with your floor heating system. And while damaged heated floor wires can easily be fixed by electrical contractors in Toronto, finding the faulty spot is another challenge on its own. In this blog, we will cover the ways licensed electricians in Toronto use to detect a damaged heated floor wire.

How do professional electricians detect a damaged wire in the heating floor systems?

There are several ways to identify the faulty area:

• Thermal Imaging Camera
• Dielectric Stress Tester Method
• Variable AC Transformer Method

Below is a short review of each of them. 

Thermal Imaging Camera

This is probably the most reliable and fastest method of detecting a short-circuit or a damaged heating floor cable. The key to this method lies in ensuring the room where the inspection is held is dark enough. The faulty areas will show up on the screen as darkened spots. The best time to do the inspection is when the heated floor is off and cooled down. 

Dielectric Stress Tester Method

The dielectric stress tester method involves sending a range of high voltages through the core wire and thus bears high risks of electric shock. It is crucial to keep in mind that this procedure should never be attempted on your own. Always remember to call professional licensed electrical contractors in Toronto to conduct a dielectric tester method, as they have the necessary equipment and experience to carry out this procedure. 

Variable AC Transformer Method

This procedure allows the master electrician to identify short circuits or physical damage in the cable. An AC transformer sends AC voltage to the floor heating cable. The current that flows through the cable is measured with a clamp meter. The current and voltage results are then graphed on the screen of the measuring device. Just like the dielectric stress testing method, the variable AC transformer procedure should not be attempted on your own. Always inquire from licensed electrical contractors in Toronto about spotting a faulty heated floor cable with a variable AC transformer method. 

Fixing damaged heated floor cable is a task for a licensed electrician in Toronto. Do not try to fix it on your own. A licensed residential electrician in Toronto, like A.S. Electrical Ltd., has all the qualifications and experience to locate and fix the damaged heating floor cable.