kitchen extension - heating

andrewf75

Hi,
about to build a kitchen extension with bi-fold doors and large roof lantern. Obviously concerned with the area of glass that we need to minimise heat loss.

We won't be skimping on insulation and will get maximum insulation in the walls and the best u-value doors and lantern.

My question is though, theres only really one wall free for a radiator as the rest will be kitchen units/bi-fold doors etc. Is that going to be enough if its a big radiator? What other options are there. We've decided against underfloor heating but really want to make sure it isn't a cold room.

Rodney_Trotter

How big will the room be?

Output of the radiator will define if it's enough. You can add plinth heaters to you central heating if it's not enough.

8.5x6.5 I have 3 rads.

andrewf75

Cheers

Its about 4.5 x 6m and I should have mentioned its almost north facing

Yes I guess we'd add plinth heaters under the kitchen units but are these really enough to heat a room efficiently?

Would a high output radiator along most of the 4.5m side wall do the job or should we try and design the kitchen so that we can incorporate another one on that side of the room as well?

Rodney_Trotter

It's all about btus I think that's the term. Size of room, number of outside walls compared to rads. I'd ask your plumber.

ariba10

Google "Kick Board Heater"

Fits behind the board below the units and runs off wet central heating.

andrewf75

Rodney_Trotter wrote: »

It's all about btus I think that's the term. Size of room, number of outside walls compared to rads. I'd ask your plumber.

Yep will obviously get advice when we get to that point. Just trying to get a head start.

ariba10 wrote: »

Google "Kick Board Heater"

Fits behind the board below the units and runs off wet central heating.

But these don't seem to be rated very highly and not to heat large rooms efficiently.

diable

Underfloor heating an option?

sweaty_betty

We have had an extension very similar to that you are describing. We have managed with one vertical radiator. I believe it kicks out around 8000 btu, which is enough for us. It is cooler in there than in other rooms, but not enough to be a problem and it is a much larger room, without carpet etc, so probably inevitable.

Check out this website for some ideas:
http://www.hotinteriors.co.uk/productList.php/38/high-btu-radiators-over-6-000

and this one for a rough calculation of the btu you'll need for the space:
http://www.theradiatorcompany.co.uk/index.php?aid=88

mandm65

diable wrote: »

Underfloor heating an option?

+1 for above

Rodney_Trotter

diable wrote: »

Underfloor heating an option?

mandm65 wrote: »

+1 for above

Doesn't really help the OP.

andrewf75 wrote: »

Hi,
about to build a kitchen extension with bi-fold doors and large roof lantern. Obviously concerned with the area of glass that we need to minimise heat loss.

We won't be skimping on insulation and will get maximum insulation in the walls and the best u-value doors and lantern.

My question is though, theres only really one wall free for a radiator as the rest will be kitchen units/bi-fold doors etc. Is that going to be enough if its a big radiator? What other options are there. We've decided against underfloor heating but really want to make sure it isn't a cold room.

andrewf75

Well, its not too late to reconsider underfloor heating as we haven't started building yet. But my thoughts were that it is unresponsive i.e. takes ages to heat up and is expensive to install and run. If possible we want to make do with radiators. Guess we'll try and squeeze another one in somewhere and make them the most powerful available.