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No. Insulation slows the flow of heat from the ground into the freezer but does not stop it. With no heat added below, the ground under a long-running freezer keeps cooling until the soil freezes. Insulation delays frost heave; it does not prevent it.

Rooms held below 32 °F on a slab on grade: freezers, blast freezers, cold storage warehouses and ice rinks. Coolers held above freezing usually do not need it, though large rooms near 32 °F should be reviewed.

Usually one to several years after the freezer starts, depending on room temperature, insulation, soil type, groundwater and floor size. By the time movement is visible, a large volume of ground is usually frozen.

Conduit protects the cable during construction and allows it to be pulled in after the slab is poured. If a cable is ever damaged, it can be pulled out from the junction box and replaced without cutting the floor.

Its output increases as it gets colder and decreases as it warms, along its entire length. The coldest ground receives the most heat, and the cable cannot overheat itself in the base.

The setpoint is adjustable at the panel and cannot be set below 32 °F. It is chosen to keep a margin above freezing in the base between the heating legs.

Each circuit has far-end voltage sensing and each cable run has an end-of-run relay. Loss of voltage or continuity on a call for heat raises an alarm that identifies the circuit or run. Ground temperature is monitored separately as an independent check.

Yes. The panel provides dry alarm contacts or a 24 VDC alarm output, and Ethernet with Modbus is available.

Multiply the design load in kW by the hours per year the controller calls for heat and by the utility rate. The design load for a typical floor is roughly 0.5 to 2 W per square foot of floor; actual run time depends on the setpoint and the floor, and peak setback can shift use away from demand periods.

The electrical contractor installs the conduit, cable and wiring from our layout and electrical details. We supply the control panel, heat cable and accessories, instructions and checkout form, and provide phone support during installation and startup.

If a floor shows cold spots or early movement, heaters can be installed into the base from above at the problem area by drilling through the slab and insulation. This works best on small areas and each floor must be evaluated.