Ceiling Radiant Heat Questions, electricians, please help...

One of the little non-contact electrical detector pens will probably work a lot more reliably. One with a wide range of sensitivity adjustments can get you within an inch even through thick drywall. In some installations the heaer wires are spaced

we moved into our current house a few years ago, which is all electric. When we moved in, the heat in one of the bedrooms didn't work. Luckily there was a company nearby that had a specialist for ceiling heat. Even for him it was tough finding the break in the wire (without otherwise damaging ceiling plaster everywhere).

I live by the phrase "if it doesn't stink, don't stir it". Our living room doesn't have a fixture in the center of the ceiling. All of the other rooms do. Although it'd be nice to have a ceiling fixture in the living room, I don't want to screw up the heat, so we use a switched wall socket and table lamps.

If you do decide to try your lamp, check to see in advance that you have an electrician who is experienced in ceiling heat issues.