Where should I place a hydronic toe-kick heater in my kitchen?

newtonkid88

According to the slant fin heat loss app, I need 12,915 BTU for the kitchen/dining area. I can only fit a 12 ft HWBB on the bottom wall @ 580 BTU/foot = 6960 BTU. I still need about 6000 more BTU.

I'm thinking between the sink and stove aiming at the island. Or in the island aiming at the space between the sink and the stove.

I don't want more baseboard on the right side of the dining area nor on the right wall near the stove as floor space is already tight.

The overall kitchen / dining area is about 15' x 19'.

Thanks

hot_rod

under the kitchen sink cabinet is a common location. Puts some heat around the plumbing also.

Jamie Hall

I'd go under the sink -- that area is where whoever is doing the cooking is going to be standing and working most of the time, after all.

EdTheHeaterMan

I would go for the cabinet between the sink and stove. If the boiler room is close then I would do a home run to the boiler room and find a tee on the supply and the return (where the circulator will cause flow thru that loop) and connect there. If the boiler room is to far away then i would connect on the series loop with diverter tees to insure there is flow thru the kick space convector as shown here

hot_rod

One some new construction installations the cabinet makers would install a removable bottom in the kitchen cabinet for easy access for cleaning the coil fins, etc. The do not typically have filters so the coils need to be cleaned, especially if you have pets🏡 Hydronic hose or braided flex connectors makes it easy to lift out also.

HomerJSmith

I usually put it under the kitchen sink cabinet. I cut out the floor of the base the size of the toe kick to access the heater's coin vent and for motor repairs in the future. I put a ledger under the base cut out and screw it to the floor of the base so the piece that I cut out won't fall thru when I replace it. I then go to Home Depot and buy the plastic beaded panel that you see on the walls of the bathrooms at Home Depot and cut it to the size of the floor of the base cabinet and place it over the toe kick cut out. It is a nice finish and allows access to the heater.

The toe kick heater has 1/2" tubing. You don't want to connect 3/4" tubing directly to the 1/2" toe kick tubing. Do as Ed says. Use Monoflo tees or as I have done with success. I have taken two 3/4" X 1/2" X 1/2" copper tees and connected them with a 1/2" bypass with the side ports going to the toe kick. You have to have a pressure differential for water to flo thru the toe kick.

DanHolohan

I say the cabinet next to the sink. We had one in the kick space of the sink and the family did just that. It went it about four inches. 

hot_rod

DanHolohan said:

I say the cabinet next to the sink. We had one in the kick space of the sink and the family did just that. It went it about four inches. 

Long toed Holohans

DanHolohan

Too many tap lessons. 

mattmia2

You could get that output out of a 12' section of 3 or 4 section Runtal or out of a couple standard panel radiators.

JimP

I’d favor trying to get the required radiation from larger wall panels if possible. What’s the heat loss in the door vestibule area? Maybe something bigger there and/or in the dining area ( Where you may want it more comfortable).

newtonkid88

mattmia2 said:

You could get that output out of a 12' section of 3 or 4 section Runtal or out of a couple standard panel radiators.

JimP said:

I’d favor trying to get the required radiation from larger wall panels if possible. What’s the heat loss in the door vestibule area? Maybe something bigger there and/or in the dining area ( Where you may want it more comfortable).

I’ve thought about the panel radiators but I really dont want to take up anymore sqfootage. I believe they are really expensive too.

The mudroom area calls for 2800 BTU or 5 ft of baseboard. Am I really gonna miss 1000 BTU? Again, i dont want to take up too much floor space.

mattmia2

European style panel radiators are around the same cost as the toekick heater. Runtal panel radiators are much more expensive but you might be able to get the btu you need in 12 ft under that window depending on how tall the window is. Might be able to get 2 conventional panel radiators on either side of the window.

MikeL_2

  I always installed them in the island when available, directed towards an outside wall; it made more sense to me to have the warm air moving towards an exterior wall.
  I once saw a unit splattered by cleaning supplies in an overloaded kitchen sink base cabinet.......

Captain

Just a warning. If you put the toe-kick heater under the sink be sure to keep your supply water temperatures up. A friend of mine put one there in his house and had an aggressive outdoor reset programmed. In mild weather his wife complained the air felt cool on her feet. She didn't care how much gas they were saving, she wasn't standing there.