I’m a cabinetmaker and a new customer is getting ready to put in-floor heat in the kitchen they’re remodeling. They said they were told to go ahead and run the tubing under where the cabinets will go and asked me my opinion. I told them that while I had no experience with that type of heating I couldn’t imagine what benefit they’d get. They were told the cabinets would radiate the heat that was released under them. Personally, all I picture is a nice, cozy toe space under the cabinet with very little actually affecting the room. He already has pressure treated 2x4s nailed flat at the line of the cabinets and was just going to pour up to them. Should he rip them up and go to the walls or is he just being fed a line?
Discussion Forum
Discussion Forum
Up Next
Video Shorts
Featured Story
Smart construction decisions and material choices can significantly improve occupant safety and survival in the event of a fire in the home.
Highlights
"I have learned so much thanks to the searchable articles on the FHB website. I can confidently say that I expect to be a life-long subscriber." - M.K.
Fine Homebuilding Magazine
Fine Home Building
Follow
-
Fine Homebuilding
Dig into cutting-edge approaches and decades of proven solutions with total access to our experts and tradespeople.
Start Free Trial Now -
GBA Prime
Get instant access to the latest developments in green building, research, and reports from the field.
Start Free Trial Now
- Home Group
- Antique Trader
- Arts & Crafts Homes
- Bank Note Reporter
- Cabin Life
- Cuisine at Home
- Fine Gardening
- Fine Woodworking
- Green Building Advisor
- Garden Gate
- Horticulture
- Keep Craft Alive
- Log Home Living
- Military Trader/Vehicles
- Numismatic News
- Numismaster
- Old Cars Weekly
- Old House Journal
- Period Homes
- Popular Woodworking
- Script
- ShopNotes
- Sports Collectors Digest
- Threads
- Timber Home Living
- Traditional Building
- Woodsmith
- World Coin News
- Writer's Digest
Replies
Maybe he wants a plate warmer.
Seems like a bad idea to me. Any food stored in the cabinets will be kept warm, causing it to spoil faster. Having the tubing under there is a hazard for future plumbing and electrical work.
happy?
I just installed electric radiant heat under the tile floor in my bathroom (suntouch) - the instructions stated specifically to not put the heat mat under the cabinets, but to keep it two inches back.
I can't belive the cabinets will radiate heat. All the tubes will do is heat the dead space under them. On top of that, the heat on the floor feels so good on your feet, you wouldn't notice cabinet heat anyway.
Edited 2/24/2006 12:07 am ET by TTF
Hi....where did you find the Suntouch system? I'M getting ready to install mats or wires under an entry way and a bathroom and I' m open to any info you may have..Bob
Lowes sells it right off the shelf, or you can order it from HD. I installed a 10 ft mat in front of the cabinets and 6 foot one in front of the tub. Cost was about $500 for the two mats and the high-end thermostat.
The installation is pretty straightforward.
I agree on not running it under the cabs. However, I would run the tube right up to the toe kick line. If not, the cool line on the tile (I assume ceramic) will be right where the toes land. Not a comfortable transition. I've found this to be true on an inslab installation.
A great place for Information, Comraderie, and a sucker punch.
Remodeling Contractor just outside the Glass City.
Quittin' Time
Per the instructions, keep it a couple inches back from the toe kick. The heat radiates up and outward from the wires - the documetnation says the range is two inches.
I ran the mat so that the heating wires were up to the front face of the cabinet, and the toe kick area is warm.
I agree with everyone who said not to run heat under the cabinets. Heating food stored there doesn't sound like a good idea, and I would think the change from heating season to not heating in the summer would cause more seasonal movement and be hard on the cabinets.
Putting tubes under the cabinets is a waste of tube and heating capacity. As long as they are calculating it this close, though, they SHOULD get the tube right where feet will be when standing next to the counter. I get a warm fuzzy every morning when I grind coffee, 'cause there just happens to be a tube and plate right where I stand.
If the heating designer recommends tube under the kitchen cabinets, I wonder what else might be true, or untrue, about his design work.
I agree with the others that there is no reason to run the tubing under the cabinets. I would say that if there are cabinets that are on feet (more furniture style) I would run the tubing about 1 or 2 inches further than the feet. I have such a cabinet in my bath, and I wish I had run the NuHeat mat about 2" more.
Is this a system that actually provides heat for the space, or just takes the chill off the tile? The later might be ok under cabinets, but why waste the tubing?
I'd be reluctant to run the tubing past the toe kick at all. Too much danger of a nail going through it during cabinet installation.
If ignorance is bliss why aren't more people
happy?
The type of cabinet I'm talking about doesn't have a toe kick. It just sits on legs/feet. I don't know how common they are in kitchens. It's really nice in a bathroom though. Gives a lighter feel. But there is a tendancy to put your feet a little further underneath.
If it's open underneath, you will get some output from it. However I would insulate the bottom of the cabinet to avoid "hot storage".-------------------------------------
-=Northeast Radiant Technology=-
Radiant Design, Consultation, Parts Supply
http://www.NRTradiant.com
Excellent idea. I havent installed the toekick cover board yet - I am going to insulate that space first.
Makes no sense. Minimal radiant benefit.
In addition to what has been said, one would think that you would generally not want to warm up goods stored within the cabinets if they could be perishible.
Maybe they should consider radiant countertops to get the effect they are looking for.
reports I've heard say that radiant countertops are even worse. Moldy bread and melted butter...-------------------------------------
-=Northeast Radiant Technology=-
Radiant Design, Consultation, Parts Supply
http://www.NRTradiant.com
sounds like a waste to me... what does the mfr say to do?
I was in a house where radiant tubing was in the concrete slab and ran under cabinets. The advantage was that the granite countertops were not cold. They had a huge pantry so no food was stored in base cabinets. Keep in mind that cabinets on radiant heated floors will be warmer. Heat will radiate 4-8" so tubes along cabinets will still heat them up.
Use European faceless cabinet boxes on adjustable feet where heat build up in cabinets is a concern (like pantry cabinets). You can leave toe-kicks open or vent.
I definitely would run tubing under bathroom cabinets. Leave a small air gap between the wall and carcass to direct warm air to the mirror. I like to run tubing up the wall and behind the mirror and up shower walls, especially if tiled. You don't get mold growth on grout and mirrors don't fog - at least on days the boiler runs.