Heated mats are mats that are placed either indoors or outdoors for the purpose of producing heat. Unlike a standard floor mat, a person can use these mats much like she might use a space heater. When placed on a floor, heated mats can warm up the entire surface area of the floor. This is especially helpful in homes that have floors covered in stone or tile, which tend to stay on the colder side. Another benefit of mats that are heated is that they tend to keep heat contained, which is unlike other types of heaters that allow heat to rise.
Many people use heated mats outdoors as well. Heated mats for outdoor use are popular in areas that experience lots of snowy, icy weather. When placed outside in front of an exterior door, the heat from these mats can keep snow and ice from building up in front of the door. As the ice and snow fall onto the heated mat, it will typically melt away. This can make it much easier for a person to get in and out of her home during extremely snowy weather, because the burden of shoveling snow away from an exterior door will likely be eliminated.
Heated mats are also popular for use in cars and underneath desks. People who have problems keeping their feet warm at work or in the car may benefit from heated mats placed in these areas. Many people who suffer from poor circulation in their legs and feet actually experience improvement in circulation after using heated mats throughout the day. It is common for people to stand in front of fireplaces and heaters during the winter to quickly warm themselves up. A mat that is heated may be useful in much the same way as a heater or fireplace to warm someone up in a hurry.
Some types of heated mats must be professionally installed. Many people use these mats to warm up their entire houses rather than investing in other types of heating systems. These mats can be professionally installed underneath a person's floor so that the heat rises up from the floor continually throughout the day. Many people find that these mats are much more energy efficient than standard heating systems, although it may be more expensive to have this type of heating installed because the mats often have to be customized for the size and shape of the floor for each room.