Another Bathroom question

[starjj]

Well I swore I posted this yesterday but I sure can't find the post.

Our very old tile floor needs to be replaced in the main bathroom. Problem is we have radient heat under the tiles. Question is if we rip up the tiles will it destroy the heating? Any thoughts?

[bill not in oh]

Electric or water?

Depends mostly on how it was installed. I'd start pulling tile up in a corner if you can, then work away from that first one. If you find that the tile isn't coming up easily (which it probably won't), you may need to break them with a punch or cold chisel - just use as little pressure as possible. It'll seem to take forever, but you may save the [electric] heating element. If it's over 10-15 years old you should replace it anyway - they don't last forever. It'd be a real drag to have it "wear out" six months after installing a floor over it.


If it's water-based it probably was installed in concrete (assuming it's not retrofitted under the sub-floor). In either of these cases it will probably be fine.

Good luck - either way it's a hard messy job.