I Wish We'd Gone For Under-Floor Heating In The Kitchen
By Janey1966
@Janey1966 (24170)
Carlisle, England
December 7, 2011 5:05pm CST
Usually, I like going into the kitchen what with all this baking and cooking I've been doing lately.
However, in the winter-time it's an unpleasant experience even making a cup of tea.
Why?
Because it's bloody freezing, that's why!
When John bought a new fridge/freezer some years ago it meant the radiator had to be removed from the wall in order to fit it into the space. Unfortunately, there is no-where else a radiator can be moved to so the kitchen hasn't had any heat in there, even before our new kitchen was put in way back in the summer of 2008.
Now, if we'd had the money we would've had under-floor heating put in underneath the ceramic floor tiles but it wasn't to be. All the money went on the kitchen, which I'm glad about as it needed modernising urgently..but having no heating in there isn't good. Granted, the oven heats it up but I can't leave that on all the time. Also, the kitchen door leads directly into the living-room and it's nice and warm in there...fortunately!
Oh well, roll on spring!
Do you have any under-floor heating? Is it any good?
When John bought a new fridge/freezer some years ago it meant the radiator had to be removed from the wall in order to fit it into the space. Unfortunately, there is no-where else a radiator can be moved to so the kitchen hasn't had any heat in there, even before our new kitchen was put in way back in the summer of 2008.
Now, if we'd had the money we would've had under-floor heating put in underneath the ceramic floor tiles but it wasn't to be. All the money went on the kitchen, which I'm glad about as it needed modernising urgently..but having no heating in there isn't good. Granted, the oven heats it up but I can't leave that on all the time. Also, the kitchen door leads directly into the living-room and it's nice and warm in there...fortunately!
Oh well, roll on spring!
Do you have any under-floor heating? Is it any good?3 people like this
11 responses
@mr_pearl (5018)
• India
7 Dec 11
Hi Janey.. It is winter here in India and it is cold... But am sure it is not as cold as Europe.. Here we never need the heating aperatus erc. The early morning hours are real cold, but a jacket is good enough for that...
I wish I could experience the cold in UK or in Alaska, USA... :-)
2 people like this
@Hatley (163772)
• Garden Grove, California
7 Dec 11
oh no you dont Mr pearl in the state I was born in the US, south Dakota is co uld go down to 20 below zero Fahrenheit so thats
'too cold for anyone. here today in California its not really warn,either we are having an odd cold spell here.
1 person likes this
@mr_pearl (5018)
• India
8 Dec 11
Wow... 20 below zero.. Must be amazing cold... I know that CA isn't really cold, but its atmosphere is healthy... I know that there'll be a lot of snowing in the upper half of eastern coast... I'd love to be in NY, or S Dakota (thanks to you), or Alaska... I have not seen snowing yet... I wanna enjoy that...
Thanks a lot Hatley... Have a good one... :-)
@Janey1966 (24170)
• Carlisle, England
8 Dec 11
Our Sir Richard Attenborough was on telly last night all wrapped up in the Arctic (or Antarctic, one of the two lol) and he's 85. He was so funny when he said, "It's currently -40 degrees but I tell you now, it feels a LOT colder than that!"
Aww, so cute.
@Robswife2006 (1208)
• United States
7 Dec 11
No we don't. Truth is I never knew there was such a thing. This is the first time that I've ever heard of that. Although we have heat in every room in our house the back bedrooms stay freezing cold no matter how high we turn up the temp. which of course we don't do in order to save on our heating bills. Instead we use a little heater in our bedroom, but we have to turn it on two hours before we go to bed because that's how long it takes to heat up the entire room.
2 people like this
@Janey1966 (24170)
• Carlisle, England
8 Dec 11
I don't mind not having heating in the bedroom as I went for years at Mum's not having it. Occasionally, whenever I stay there the radiator in my room will be on..but not when I'm actually in the room itself as I get too hot, funnily enough.
Unlike my kitchen! Mind you, it's not as cold today but it's VERY windy. It won't dry my clothes fully but even 1/2 way I'll be happy because then it's less time in the dryer!
@GardenGerty (169477)
• United States
8 Dec 11
No, I am afraid I do not. My heating and cooling, like everything else in this house is in very sad shape. I know that some people in your predicament get baseboard radiant heat, putting it right on the kick boards under the cabinets. It still gets the heat from the hot water boiler, but it is not a big radiator. I do think under floor heat would be awesome, though.
@Janey1966 (24170)
• Carlisle, England
8 Dec 11
I suppose the cost would play a factor as - to be honest, it's rarely VERY cold in the kitchen. Like today, for example. Despite it being extremely windy it's actually milder than yesterday (when I felt miserable because I couldn't get warm at all) so in that instance I'm glad I haven't got it..if that makes sense, which it doesn't.
Haha!
@Hatley (163772)
• Garden Grove, California
7 Dec 11
hi janey I ha ve heard of it but when we did have a house we could not afford it. right now its so cold here in Southern California
its really something, not generally cold this early more like in February or March. I am thinking why not just get a space heater as they will heat up a room. turn it on a while before you want to
cook. I too am wondering if the under the floor heating really
does work. hope someone can answer the question.
1 person likes this
@Janey1966 (24170)
• Carlisle, England
8 Dec 11
Hi Hatley! Mum had under-floor heating in the previous kitchen where she worked as it was new, so when it was constructed under-floor heating was put in automatically. She didn't like it because it made her feel a bit sick 'cos her feet got so hot!
Anyway, at least it's a bit milder today and I want the snow to STAY AWAY. I was miserable last Christmas due to the ice and snow and I worry whenever my Dad goes outside in it as he's not very good on his pins at the best of times. This is why I wish they'd get online because a lot of stuff can be ordered on there can't it?
Right, I'm off to make sausage, mash and peas..not forgetting the gravy. It's DEFINITELY sausage, mash and peas weather. Comfort food I call it.
Anyway, at least it's a bit milder today and I want the snow to STAY AWAY. I was miserable last Christmas due to the ice and snow and I worry whenever my Dad goes outside in it as he's not very good on his pins at the best of times. This is why I wish they'd get online because a lot of stuff can be ordered on there can't it?
Right, I'm off to make sausage, mash and peas..not forgetting the gravy. It's DEFINITELY sausage, mash and peas weather. Comfort food I call it.
@leeloo (1492)
• Portugal
13 Dec 11
We looked into it when we did some remodelling a while back as we removed the carpets and replaced it with wood floorboards and tiles in the hallway but it did not work the house wasn't set up for it. The wood and tile are lot better, it is easier to clean, easier to maintain, no more having to ask for a carpet cleaner to wash them, fewer allergy reactions etc. BUT it is much colder, it seems that my feet sometimes turn into popsicles. Have you looked into those smallish heaters, they are relatively cheap and you could have a timer on it to switch on in the morning an hour of so before you generally wake up, it will heat up the room and you can then switch it off after, not the ideal solution but it may work for you.
@Janey1966 (24170)
• Carlisle, England
13 Dec 11
We may get one if the temperatures go below freezing like they did last year..but I'll just have to bake more and grin and bear it lol.
Thanks for the suggestion though.
@BarBaraPrz (51819)
• St. Catharines, Ontario
8 Dec 11
You could always put down a couple floor mats -- low tech, but it does help.
(I don't have heating in my kitchen either, apart from the stove.)
@Janey1966 (24170)
• Carlisle, England
8 Dec 11
Thanks for that. The area in question is quite small but we do have a mat for the cat's food and one in front of the back door..the rest is bare, ceramic tile. Nice tiles but cold in the winter!
I've put some thicker socks on and whaddya know it's milder today!
1 person likes this
@derek_a (10873)
•
8 Dec 11
I know exactly what you mean there Janey. Underfloor heating would be great, but it's vrey expensive to get fitted I believe. We have a tiny radiator in our kitchen too but it's quite warm with he fridge and freezer pumping out heat and then even warmer when the cooker goes on, but my feet are always freezing on the floor. Last year my wife bought me some fur-lined Ugg Boots - well indoor ones that are full of furry stuff, but in very cold weather, I can feel the cold from the floor slowly seeping through those too. In our old house we had wooden floors - the type with joists underneath and they were much warment to the feet, but here it is all concrete which doesn't creak quite so much, but I think I prefer the creeking! _Derek
_Derek@Janey1966 (24170)
• Carlisle, England
8 Dec 11
Yes, I was miserable with my cold feet yesterday. Even in the centrally-heated rooms my feet were suffering and it's something I can't stand!
Today I've felt much better due to my longer, thicker socks. It's also milder outside, despite the wind.
We have wooden floorboards all over the house apart from the kitchen, where it's tiled. In fact, half the living-room is concreted due to it being split into two flats some time ago. This is why it's open-plan and looks a bit weird. Why that had to happen is anyone's guess but if we had a new fire installed (the present one is broken so we rely on central heating) there would be major disruption due to the new pipes being wider than our old ones..or narrower, can't remember which. We were told that there's a way round it (in other words, use the original pipes) but I told John that if we ever get a new fire I want it done properly, and if that means new pipes, so-be-it.
How I would love one of those energy-efficient gas fires. Mum has one in the back and it's amazing. If my Dad had the same fire in the front the heating (along with the central heating and combi-boiler) would be even more efficient. Currently, Mum wants the roof re-tiled as it's slipped. Once that's done the free loft insulation they had done will do its job properly!
@bounce58 (17380)
• Canada
13 Dec 11
We don't have underfloor heating.
Our house is a bit on a hill, so our living room and kitchen is a floor above the garage. And the bedrooms are a floor above the living room and kitchen. This winter, I don't have any heat opened up in the 2nd and 3rd floors. But I have the heat up at full blast at the garage level. Since all the heat goes up, it's warm on the upper floors. This is my version of 'under-floor' heating.
@163Mandolingirl (1052)
•
11 Dec 11
I have a similar problem to yours as my radiator in the kitchen is stuck behind the washing machine! It doesn't really throw out any heat. Added to that, the floor is concrete and freezing to the tootsies in the winter! It's a good job I like cooking and washing up at the same time, and wear fleeces!
@Janey1966 (24170)
• Carlisle, England
13 Dec 11
Well, I've found an absolutely awesome recipe for iced fingers (a food that I love from our local bakery) and I'm bloody well determined to make them. Apparently, it's from "The Great British Bake Off" and Mum adores Paul Hollywood, the Pastry Chef presenting the show..and it's one of his recipes so I'm gonna go for it. I've got some instant yeast and strong white flour left which is why I want to give it a go. May not be tonight as I've got to ring Mum up..but DEFINITELY tomorrow!
Apparently, it's from "The Great British Bake Off" and Mum adores Paul Hollywood, the Pastry Chef presenting the show..and it's one of his recipes so I'm gonna go for it. I've got some instant yeast and strong white flour left which is why I want to give it a go. May not be tonight as I've got to ring Mum up..but DEFINITELY tomorrow!