I’m in the process of renovating a kitchen and the new cabinets cover virtually all the available wall space. Consequently, the existing HVAC supply ducts need to be blocked and/or removed. Since it’s a kitchen I am not eager to suggest to the owner that she have flush floor mounted Reggio Registers. Instead I think the best approach will be to install toe kick registers but was wondering if anyone has installation suggestions. Assume the process will just be to cut out the subfloor and the toe kick and lift the cabinet over the ductwork.
Correct?
Jon
Replies
In our kitchen the heat duct just empties into the area below the floor of the sink cabinet (but above the rough kitchen floor) and then finds its way out a gap above the toe kick. Not the most elegant approach (we didn't do it, the builder did), but it works fine. We did install a manual damper in the duct (which is conveniently in the utility room below) so that we could control the volume of air.
You could probably improve on the technique a tad by sealing the below-cabinet-floor area with tin or rubber or maybe just caulking well, and then caulking the floor where the edges will rest when the cabinet is set (or maybe just set the cabinet on strips of mud sill foam or some such).
I wouldn't advise this below a cabinet used for food storage, but it's fine below the sink (and actually helps keep the area dry).
I've done this. I usually put a piece of duct over the floor register and take it to a box in the toe kick. If you have room, put some foam board between the duct & cab bottom. Otherwise, the cab can get kinda warm. Not good for storing food items.
Mike Hennessy
Pittsburgh, PA
Dan and Mike: Thanks, you have given me some ideas for an easy and effective solution. I like the idea of building the tin ductwork into the bottom of the cabinet and then just foam it to the floor duct when the cabinet is set in place.
Jon
Not only does food get warm, but I've had liquid soap overflow. Not quite as serious as botulism, but still kind of messy. I've since insulated the bottom of the cabinet.
We've never had that problem.
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