heating a cold kitchen advice

kokolino23

Hello,
We bought our house about 5 yrs ago and had brand new combi boiler and radiators fitted at the time. The house was built around 2000 and is fairly insulated but the ex owners extended the kitchen by 1.20m x 2.30m. The old kitchen space is 4.50m x 3.10m.
When we moved in, we had brand new kitchen cabinets and flooring and opted for Amtico Vinyl tiles and asked the builder about the floor insulation because I had in mind underfloor heating. He said is not needed because those houses are well insulated.
Anyway, year by year is getting colder in the kitchen even though our radiator is 1400 x 600 (double panel & double convector). I wish we had underfloor heating but is too late now and would mean to strip off ourlovely flooring.
Can I ask for what alternative options we could consider, please?
I was looking at the bar heaters

https://www.suryaheating.co.uk/indoor-outdoor-bar-heaters/3000w-remote-controllable-infrared-bar-heater.html
https://www.suryaheating.co.uk/indoor-outdoor-bar-heaters/1200w-aurora-infrared-bar-heater-4002.html
because I can install one up the wall (as high as possible, near the ceiling) but then I came across this
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/5124132/infrared-heating-panel-is-no-good
and I'm not so convinced anymore.

I think the source of cold is the flooring but I can't see any solution of getting that worm except underfloor heating and new flooring ?!
The kitchen has one walls joint with the garage and there is really worm because was converted to a room and insulated all around. Another wall is towards the living room and the other 2 are just outside walls.
Thanks a lot

RelievedSheff

Could you fit a plinth heater just to give the room an occasional boost of heat?

You wouldn't want to use it all the time though as the costs would start to stack up.

Gerry1

Somehow I can't see the Advertising Standards Authority agreeing with any of this rubbish:-

'it’s a lot more efficient than the old convection type of heater and a method that will save you a great deal of money when you switch to it.'

> 'Not only do infrared heaters cost significantly less to run than using your gas or electric central heating...'

> 'Furthermore the medicinal properties of infrared radiation are well known...'

> 'The abbreviation kW/h stands for the number of Kilowatts of electricity that each heater uses each hour.'

You'd be paying about 14p/kWh for electricity instead of about a mere 3p/kWh for gas. :eek: What could possibly go wrong???

coffeehound

It's possible to get plinth heaters that are part of the wet radiator circuit, but again the plumbing might be disruptive to the new kitchen installation.

coffeehound

Gerry1 wrote: »

Somehow I can't see the Advertising Standards Authority agreeing with any of this rubbish

Yes there's a similar one being peddled on TV shopping channels with similarly questionable claims. I do actually like IR heating in some circumstances, but such heaters (without wifi) can be bought for a lot less than >£300

matelodave

You've got two alternatives, a hydronic plinth heater like this https://www.heatpumpsource.co.uk/blog/best-plinth-heaters/ which will use hot water from your existing heating system.

I replaced a radiator in a previous house with one of these, which takes up less space but shoves out a lot more heat than a conventional radiator https://www.myson.co.uk/products/slim_line_rc.htm

Alternatively electric plinth heaters also available https://www.wickes.co.uk/Wickes-Electric-Stainless-Steel-Plinth-Heater---2kW/p/143845 which will cost more to run but are easier to install as they dont require plumbing, just a mains supply. Unless you are going to spend hours in the kitchen then a hour or so a day shouldn't work out too expensive.My mum had one and she just switched it on when she was in the kitchen

The advantage of a plinth heater is that it doesn't take up any space and it blows warm air across the floor

Rodders53

Rough calculations suggest the radiator you have should be sufficient - provided the correct flow and return temperatures are correct to provide a delta T of 50C. (Water flow 70C for room temperature of 20C).

You may need to raise the boiler temperature, re-balance the flow to get the correct delta T, adjust any TRV on the kitchen radiator to max and that may be all that is required?

I remember when Mum used to light the gas stove to warm up the unheated kitchen when I was younger. That may be another option (use the oven with door open)?

My large kitchen-diner underfloor heating (single storey 3 outside walls lots of glazing) has to be supplemented by the air to air heat pump on cold mornings. The oil boiler is too noisy to run all night in its location under our bedroom.

kokolino23

coffeehound wrote: »

Yes there's a similar one being peddled on TV shopping channels with similarly questionable claims. I do actually like IR heating in some circumstances, but such heaters (without wifi) can be bought for a lot less than >£300

This company (I'm sure others are available) also have heaters without wifi but I'm not sure about the energy cost. As someone mentioned already, I'll be end up paying much more compared to the existing central heating.

https://www.suryaheating.co.uk/indoor-outdoor-bar-heaters.html

Gerry1

kokolino23 wrote: »

I'm not sure about the energy cost. As someone mentioned already, I'll be end up paying much more compared to the existing central heating.

https://www.suryaheating.co.uk/indoor-outdoor-bar-heaters.html

Just look at your electricity tariff. You'd be paying about 14p per hour for each kilowatt at which it's rated, so a 3kW model would cost around 42p per hour to run. Gas can be as low as 2.5p/kWh.

kokolino23

matelodave wrote: »

You've got two alternatives, a hydronic plinth heater like this https://www.heatpumpsource.co.uk/blog/best-plinth-heaters/ which will use hot water from your existing heating system.

I replaced a radiator in a previous house with one of these, which takes up less space but shoves out a lot more heat than a conventional radiator https://www.myson.co.uk/products/slim_line_rc.htm

Alternatively electric plinth heaters also available https://www.wickes.co.uk/Wickes-Electric-Stainless-Steel-Plinth-Heater---2kW/p/143845 which will cost more to run but are easier to install as they dont require plumbing, just a mains supply. Unless you are going to spend hours in the kitchen then a hour or so a day shouldn't work out too expensive.My mum had one and she just switched it on when she was in the kitchen

The advantage of a plinth heater is that it doesn't take up any space and it blows warm air across the floor

The radiator should be sufficient and I had the BTU in mind when I bought it, I had to chose between quinn, myson and stelrad, I went for quinn because has the highest BTU (9284) for the same size.

It's occured to fit plinth heaters because the cabinets are in U shape so the rest of the kitchen won't benefit.
I'm wondering if should I replace the radiator with a bigger one 600 x 1800 and the BTU output would be 11937. Oops, looks like Quinn went into administration and they don't manufacture them anymore ?!

kokolino23

I'm wondering if I can improve the situation by installing a bigger radiator.

I found this one @ 12,830 BTUs
https://www.bestheating.com/milano-compact-type-22-double-panel-radiator-600mm-x-1600mm-56708