How to properly install toe kick heaters under a cabinet.

bender1227

When your installing toe kick heaters under a kitchen cabinet and will be tapping into an exiting baseboard heating loop what are some things you need to consider. We are updating a kitchen and will be losing a bunch of baseboard heat due to the fact that we're installing cabinets. Our baseboard lines are 3/4" inch and the toe kick heater is 1/2". I know generally people install monoflow tee's; are there any concerns we should have with pressure drop?

Jamie Hall

Is the rest of the system monoflows? If it is... yes, Ts, but you may have quite a bit of difficulty getting adequate flow through the toe kicks. It would be much better if you could pipe them on their own independent loop which you would then have some hope of balancing.

dko

Is it a whole kitchen remodel? floor too?

Imo toe kickers should be the very last, bottom of the barrel, hate yourself later option.
Majority of toekickers in peoples home no longer function as the blower is done or electrical related issues. Or is too noisy and turned off.

hot_rod

Radiant floors are a nice option for kitchens, do you have that option?

MikeL_2

  I'm not a fan of toespace heaters, but when I do connect them I prefer to install them in an interior cabinet moving warm air on low fan speed towards an exterior wall.
  I use 2 monoflow tees, with the branch connections horizontal if possible; less chance for an air bubble to get in the unit.
  I always isolate the piping with full port bleeder ball valves for easy purging. I also leave an access panel in the cabinet for service, repair, & cleaning.

hot_rod

I installed them with the hydronic rubber tube so you could slide them out for service.

Even at low SWT, ORD systems, etc, a forced convector gets you some good output.

bender1227

Thanks for your comments everyone and sorry for the late reply. Radiant flooring wasn't considered as were doing a hard wood flooring. I was under the assumption it wouldn't work well with this flooring type. Also, the added costs we were thinking of using that money to put in a mini split system for AC which can also do heat if needed.

Zman

How is your system piped and controlled. Is it zone valves or zone circs? Are there heaters on this zone that are remaining?

HomerJSmith

From a previous post in 2022.
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.

https://forum.heatinghelp.com/discussion/188780/where-should-i-place-a-hydronic-toe-kick-heater-in-my-kitchen