Heating cable: underfloor heating, frost protection and de-icing
Heating cable suits four jobs: underfloor heating beneath the floor covering, frost protection of pipes, de-icing of gutters and snow melting on driveways and paving. It must not be cut or extended, so its length must be chosen to match the heated surface or the pipe run.
In brief
- Heating cable suits four jobs: underfloor heating, frost protection of pipes, de-icing of gutters and snow melting on paving and driveways.
- For underfloor heating use the 20 W/m LIKEWARM cable; for frost protection of pipes the 15 W/m PHC15 frost protection cable.
- Heating cable must not be cut or extended: its length must be chosen to match the heated surface or the pipe run.
- Outdoors, a controller that monitors moisture as well as temperature (Elektra ETO2) is more economical than a thermostat that switches on temperature alone.
- The connection is made by a qualified electrician, with a separate supply for each outdoor circuit.
Which heating cable is for what?
Four typical jobs, with the matching product, place of installation and control.
| Job | Product | Where does it go? | Control |
|---|---|---|---|
| Underfloor heating | LIKEWARM heating cable, 20 W/m | laid on fixing tape, into self-levelling compound or tile adhesive, under the floor covering | room thermostat with a floor sensor |
| Pipe frost protection | PHC15 frost protection heating cable, 15 W/m | directly on the pipe, in its lower quarter, under closed thermal insulation | outdoor thermostat with an external probe (e.g. Elektra ETN4) |
| Gutter, downpipe | frost protection heating cable | along the whole bottom of the gutter, and also run down into the downpipe | Elektra ETO2 controller + ETOR55 gutter sensor + ETF-744 temperature sensor |
| Paving, asphalt, driveway | Likewarm Iceguard outdoor heating mat; heating cable for curved routes | into the layer build-up of the paving, together with the paving work | Elektra ETO2 controller + ETOG56 ground sensor |
Source: manufacturers' descriptions and installation guides for LIKEWARM, PHC15, Likewarm Iceguard and Elektra (on the product pages of the web shop).
Heating cables in our web shop
Floor heating cables, frost protection cables, self-regulating cables and outdoor surface heating are available in our web shop, which you can also browse by subcategory. All heating cables in the web shop (Hungarian-language shop, delivery within Hungary).
How large an area does a floor heating cable cover?
The area covered follows not from the cable length but from the laying pitch. With the 20 W/m LIKEWARM cable:
- at a 10 cm pitch about 10 m of cable go into 1 m², which is 200 W/m²;
- at 15 cm about 6.7 m, 133 W/m²;
- at 20 cm 5 m, 100 W/m².
So the 50 m version covers roughly 7.5 m² at a 15 cm pitch. The actual pitch is set by the heating design.
The advantage of the cable is that it follows an irregular floor plan, such as an L-shaped bathroom, a curved wall or a stair step. For a regular, rectangular surface a heating mat can be laid faster and more reliably.
What to watch for with heating cable
The most important rules from the manufacturers' installation instructions. You can order heating cable from the web shop; on request we also install it. Installation is available in Hungary.
- 1
No cutting, no extending
The cable length is fixed at the factory. If the surface does not take the full length, order a shorter version; it must not be left coiled up either.
- 2
Layers of underfloor heating
Subfloor, vapour barrier, an insulating underlay of at least 5 mm (ideally XPS), the cable on fixing tape, then self-levelling compound or tile adhesive and the floor covering. It must not be laid over an underlay faced with aluminium.
- 3
For frost protection, pressed against the pipe
The cable must be in direct contact with the pipe, fixed with aluminium adhesive tape, under closed thermal insulation. It must not be folded back on itself or crossed.
- 4
In a gutter, down to the downpipe
It must run along the whole bottom of the gutter and also be lowered into the downpipe, otherwise water refreezes in the downpipe. The weight of the cable must be carried by a load-bearing point, not by the connection.
- 5
Into paving only with the paving work
Heating under paving or asphalt must be built in when the surface is built; afterwards it is only possible by demolition. Meltwater is drained by the slope and the drainage channel.
- 6
Connection by an electrician
The connection is made by a qualified electrician. For outdoor circuits the manufacturer prescribes a separate supply for each heating circuit, together with a residual-current device.
What makes outdoor heating economical?
A heating cable uses as much as the time it is switched on: the control decides when.
By temperature only
The Elektra ETN4 outdoor thermostat switches with an external probe, up to 16 A (3,600 W). It does not measure moisture, so it also heats on a frosty but dry night.
Részletek →By temperature and moisture
Besides temperature, the Elektra ETO2-4550 controller also monitors moisture, which makes it more economical. Its sensor goes into the paving (ETOG56) or the gutter (ETOR55).
Részletek →Indoors: floor sensor
Indoor floor heating cable needs a thermostat with a floor sensor; the sensor goes in a protective conduit between two heating strands.
Részletek →Questions about heating cable
How much heating cable is needed per m²?
The length of heating cable per square metre depends on the laying pitch: of the 20 W/m LIKEWARM cable you need about 10 m at a 10 cm pitch (200 W/m²), about 6.7 m at 15 cm (133 W/m²) and 5 m at 20 cm (100 W/m²). The 50 m version therefore covers roughly 7.5 m² at a 15 cm pitch; the actual pitch is set by the heating design. Products: heating cables in the web shop (Hungarian-language shop, delivery within Hungary).
Can heating cable be cut?
Heating cable must not be cut, shortened or extended, because its length is fixed at the factory, so the length must be chosen to match the heated surface or the pipe run. If the surface does not take the full length, a shorter version must be ordered; the remainder must not be left coiled up either. With a heating mat only the carrier mesh may be cut: heating mat.
Heating cable or heating mat: which is better for underfloor heating?
Heating cable is better for underfloor heating when the floor plan is irregular: it also follows an L-shaped bathroom, a curved wall or a stair step, because the laying pitch can be varied freely. For a regular, rectangular surface a heating mat can be laid faster and more reliably. Both need a thermostat with a floor sensor. More: heating mats.
How much electricity does heating cable use?
At full load a heating cable uses its rated power every hour: the 50 m, 1000 W LIKEWARM cable uses 1 kWh, the 8 m PHC15 frost protection cable 0.12 kWh. The thermostat and the outdoor sensor switch it on only when needed, so actual consumption is lower; outdoors, a controller that also monitors moisture is the more economical. Estimate: electric heating calculator.
How is a frost protection heating cable fitted to a pipe?
A frost protection heating cable, for example the 15 W/m PHC15, goes directly on the pipe, in its lower quarter, fixed with aluminium adhesive tape, under closed thermal insulation; it must not be folded back on itself or crossed. To control it you need an outdoor thermostat with an external probe, for example the Elektra ETN4, which switches up to 16 A (3,600 W). Controls: thermostat for electric heating.
How does gutter heating work?
In gutter heating the frost protection heating cable runs along the whole bottom of the gutter and must also be lowered into the downpipe, otherwise water refreezes in the downpipe. For economical control you need an Elektra ETO2 controller with an ETOR55 precipitation sensor and an ETF-744 temperature sensor, so the heating runs only when there is something to melt. The weight of the cable must be carried by a load-bearing point, not by the connection. Cables: heating cables in the web shop (Hungarian-language shop, delivery within Hungary).
Can I put heating cable under existing paving?
Heating cable cannot be put under existing paving or asphalt without demolition, because surface heating must be built into the layer build-up when the surface is built; with an existing surface, demolition and re-paving are part of the job. For paving and driveways the Likewarm Iceguard outdoor heating mat is the right choice, with heating cable for curved routes, together with an Elektra ETO2 controller and an ETOG56 ground sensor. Outdoor heating: heating cables and outdoor heating mats (Hungarian-language shop, delivery within Hungary).
How is heating cable connected?
Heating cable is connected by a qualified electrician, always through a thermostat or controller: indoors with a room thermostat with a floor sensor, outdoors for example with an Elektra ETN4 thermostat or an ETO2 controller. For outdoor circuits the manufacturer prescribes a separate supply for each heating circuit, together with a residual-current device. Controls: thermostat for electric heating.
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Request a quote — installation anywhere in Hungary
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Sources
- LIKEWARM heating cable 50 m / 1000 W — manufacturer's description, installation guide (20 W/m, layers) (September 2026)
- PHC15-8 frost protection heating cable — manufacturer's description, installation guide (15 W/m)
- Likewarm Iceguard outdoor heating mat — installation guide
- Elektra ETN4 outdoor thermostat — manufacturer's data sheet (16 A, 3,600 W)
- Elektra ETO2-4550 snow and ice melting controller — manufacturer's description
- Elektra ETOR55 gutter sensor — manufacturer's description