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Original poster

How to heat a kitchen extension - kick-space heaters?

21 replies

furryfriends57 · 16/09/2013 01:07

Wonder if anyone has come across a good way to heat a kitchen extension that doesn't involve rads. My new kitchen will be in a separate extension at the back of the house. There isn't room for a wall radiator and the plumber has suggested using kick-space heaters under the floor units of the kitchen. I haven't come across the before and would really appreciate any experience with them or suggestions for some other type of heating as I am a very cold creature and dread the idea of a cold kitchen.

OP posts:

Ilovemydogandmydoglovesme · 16/09/2013 01:11

We had some in our old house but they were quite old. They were just little warm air blowers that you had to turn on independently. Gave a nice warm draft across the floor.

Original poster

furryfriends57 · 16/09/2013 01:21

Oh wow I didn't expect a reply at this hour - love your name . Was your kitchen large or small, mine is aprox 15ft square so quite large and has a vaulted ceiling (seemed like a great idea when drawing up the plans and now not so sure with questions like this, oops!)

OP posts:

PrimalLass · 16/09/2013 08:25

Under-floor heating?

feelthis · 16/09/2013 08:27

It would be easy yo install electric underfloor heating. That would be my choice. Silent too.

OddBoots · 16/09/2013 08:29

I have one in my kitchen, it's in front of the sink so I get toasty toes when washing up! It's on an open plan floor of my (town) house though and there are rads in the lounge so it's hard to know how much heat alone it would make.

Underfloor heating is another option maybe?

AlphaBetaOoda · 16/09/2013 08:39

We have one , doesn't spread the heat much.

Daisybell1 · 16/09/2013 08:40

We're going for underfloor heating in our new one. But it will be boosted by a log burner in an adjacent room.

OddBoots · 16/09/2013 08:46

Oh, and it may just be because mine is old but mine is quite loud ask your plumber how much noise modern ones make.

Original poster

furryfriends57 · 16/09/2013 10:06

Thanks for all your replies, unfortunately its already built so underfloor isn't an option. I can see now why they say that your third house build is the best as this has been a v steep learning curve . I think I'll ask plumber to install a few of these heaters and run them on a separate circuit to the rest of the house so they are on more frequently than the rest of the central heating.

OP posts:

OddBoots · 16/09/2013 10:09

Again it might be that mine is old (or badly installed!) but I don't think mine heats up unless the central heating is on...

I'm going to go check that now in case I've mis-remembered.

(Oh, a quick google tells me there are differenttypes - mine must be hydronic, you want electric only or duo.)

ILikeBirds · 16/09/2013 17:44

I've only seen them used as supplementary heating, are you not having any other heating in the room at all?

Original poster

furryfriends57 · 16/09/2013 17:58

No other heating in the room as kitchen units on the available walls, now that I am planning out the kitchen I'm getting concerned about this, there isn't even a place to dry tea towels. Why oh why didn't I think about this sooner ......

OP posts:

OddBoots · 16/09/2013 18:03

I wouldn't be too worried, assuming you will have a fridge/freezer in there then you will get some heat from them and obviously when you cook you will heat the room too.

fossil971 · 16/09/2013 19:32

My friend has plinth heaters but they don't turn them on because of the noise of the little fan.

Can you fit a vertical radiator in - we have one like this which is quite high output.

Electric underfloor heating is very thin and can go under flooring, it's just wires rather than pipes. Hopefully if it's an extension it will be brilliantly insulated so might not need too much heating.

CoTananat · 16/09/2013 19:36

We're going with underfloor and a wood burner, but we seriously considered Redwells

I think kickstand heaters would make it feel draughty?

MummytoMog · 16/09/2013 19:50

We have sod all wall space too - having two vertical column radiators to heat our kitchen diner. Considered underfloor heating but got a bit chary of extra running costs and our woodburner is quite close to the kitchen anyway.

Ilovemydogandmydoglovesme · 16/09/2013 22:16

Hello furryfriend yes that was a late one last night, wasn't the slightest bit tired so stayed up lurking reading.

We've got a vertical radiator in our kitchen. It's quite a stylish thing and it's wavy! Doesn't actually give out a lot of heat but it looks nice.

Is your house built yet? Have you got wall cavities and are they filled with insulation? We found that this made the biggest difference to our heating. Kept the rooms lovely and warm without having to use the heating so much.

NotGoodNotBad · 17/09/2013 08:11

We have a kickspace heater, which is great for us and heats well, but the kitchen is only small. You can also get ones which run off the central heating (you switch them on separately, but they use the hot water from the central heating pipes. I think they're cheaper to run).

Original poster

furryfriends57 · 17/09/2013 13:09

Hi all and thanks again for all your replies (luvmydog least its daylight hours this time !! Cota thanks for the link I really like the idea of those heaters as would fit behind the door from the utility room, just wonder how efficient they would be. The house is built and will be very very well insulated and I'm asking for more to be added to the kitchen wall and ceiling, its just the kitchen is in a separate extension and if we don't generate heat in there its going to be cold anyway Kick space heaters will be run off the CH so maybe if they are a separate zone it will be sufficient. I'll kick my own ass if its cold as building was an escape from a cold damp house .....

OP posts:

mootime · 17/09/2013 13:24

I'd really steer clear of kick space heaters. They are inefficient and noisy.
I would look at electric underfloor heating. If the house is well insulated it wouldn't be that expensive to run. If your floor is down already its a pain, but it can be done.
Hope that is of some help

MrsAMerrick · 17/09/2013 22:41

We have a plinth heater in our kitchen/ diner. There are 2 radiators in the dining area, and the plinth heater in the kitchen area for extra heat. Ours is basically a fan heater so we can turn it in and off as needed. It doesn't make too much noise but i wouldn't want to rely on it as the only source of heating.

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