CAA Habitation recommendedHome › Guides › Wiring and electrical safety
Heated floor not working: what to check
The panel, the thermostat’s GFCI, the sensor, the cable: what you can check yourself, what takes testing, and when to call.
In short
This guide covers an electric heated floor that stopped heating: what you can check yourself, and what takes an electrician.
- Look at the panel first: a breaker may have tripped.
- If the thermostat’s GFCI has tripped, the manufacturer says to stop the system and turn off its power supply.
- The sensor and the cable are checked by an electrician’s testing, including a test with a 1,000 V megohmmeter.
- For us, a floor that stopped heating calls for a diagnostic.
Jump to a section6
First, the panel
A heated floor has its own circuit, reserved for heating. If that circuit has tripped at the panel, the floor has no power.
A tripped breaker is reset: handle fully to OFF, then back to ON. If it trips again as soon as you reset it, don’t keep at it: call an electrician.
A breaker that feels hot or smells burnt should not be reset: call an electrician.
If a GFCI breaker protects the floor, remember that a GFCI trips when current leaks through a break in the cable’s insulation: read the next section before resetting it.
The causes of a tripping breaker are in our guide Breaker keeps tripping: causes and what to do.
The thermostat’s GFCI
That GFCI, housed in the thermostat or at the panel, shuts off the floor as soon as current leaks through a break in the cable’s insulation.
If the cable is damaged or the thermostat’s GFCI has tripped, the manufacturer Stelpro says to stop the system, turn off its power supply and stop using it.
How the thermostat and its protection work is in our guide How a heated floor thermostat works.
The floor sensor
The thermostat controls the floor based on a sensor placed in the floor.
To find out whether the sensor is at fault, an electrician measures its resistance and compares it with the manufacturer’s table. If there is a second sensor in the floor, it can serve as a backup.
A floor that stays cold?
We look for the cause: it’s a diagnostic. The price of the diagnostic is in the written quote, at no charge.
Send my quote requestThe cable
The manufacturer has the cable measured at several stages of the installation: its resistance with an ohmmeter, continuity, then the insulation with a 1,000 V megohmmeter, a reading that must reach at least 1 gigohm.
That last test is done at high voltage.
Renovating or modifying the floor can damage the cable if proper care isn’t taken; the manufacturer prohibits nails, screws or anything similar in a heated floor.
According to the manufacturer, the cable can be repaired with a kit made for that purpose; never in a wet area, where its technical service has to be contacted.
The diagnostic
If there’s a problem, the manufacturer advises calling the installer first, then its technical service.
For us, a heated floor that stopped heating calls for a diagnostic: we look for the cause.
Our electric floor heating page explains what we usually do: the hookup.
In Québec, electrical work of any kind is reserved for electrical contractors.
Frequently asked questions
The floor stays cold: where does the problem come from?
From the circuit at the panel, the thermostat’s GFCI, the sensor or the cable. You can check the panel yourself; the sensor and the cable are checked by an electrician’s testing.
The thermostat’s GFCI has tripped: what should I do?
The manufacturer says to stop the system, turn off its power supply and stop using it, then call the installer.
Can the cable be repaired?
According to the manufacturer, yes, with a kit made for that purpose, except in a wet area. Before any repair, the cause has to be found: that’s a diagnostic.
Can I test the cable myself?
No. The insulation test is done at high voltage, with a 1,000 V megohmmeter, and in Québec, it’s an electrician’s job.
How much does the diagnostic cost?
The price depends on your installation and is in the quote, written and at no charge.
A heated floor that stopped heating?
We look for the cause: it’s a diagnostic. The price of the diagnostic is in the written quote, at no charge.
4.9 from 469 Google reviews · RBQ licence 5815-0137-01 · CMEQ members · Free detailed quote
Get a quote: heated floor not working
Sources
Consulted on October 30, 2026.