Residential · 2023

A storm-damaged ceiling, restored

A tree crashed through a kitchen ceiling and destroyed a 1960s cable heating system. Nobody would replace it, until radiant ceiling panels did.

Radiant Ceiling Heat

Room: Kitchen and dining room
Replaced: A ceiling cable system from the late 1960s or early 1970s
Installed by: The homeowners, with an electrician for connections

Finished kitchen with maple cabinets and a smooth new ceiling — The finished kitchen.

The challenge

Nancy and Ed had loved the ceiling cable heat in their home for years. In August 2023, a large branch from their maple tree came through the kitchen and dining room ceiling in a storm, destroying the ceiling and the heating cable in that room.

A new roof went on within days, but the ceiling stayed open for months. Nancy spent three months calling electricians, HVAC firms, builders and remodelers. Nobody installed ceiling cable anymore, and everyone suggested baseboards or mini-splits instead.

The system

Because ceiling heat runs room by room, only the kitchen and dining room needed replacing. Nancy and Ed sent the room dimensions, truss spacing and light locations, and Premier Energy USA sent back a panel layout.

They cut back the old drywall, cleared the insulation, ran the support straps and wire, and placed the panels themselves. Their electrician connected the panels to the service and checked the readings.

The result

The new ThermaRay radiant ceiling panels went in, the drywall went up, and the room was warm again.

“Your product is really quite simple, easy to install, and puts out a warm comfortable heat … I think if more people had a chance to experience radiant ceiling heat, they would opt for the more efficient, less expensive, healthier and more comfortable radiant heat.”

Nancy, homeowner

From the project story on premierenergyusa.com. Read the original post