It is one of the most important rooms in the house and also one of the most challenging to manage in terms of temperature. Let's take a look at the best tips to ensure the right thermal comfort in a kitchen, without it being too hot or too cold.
What is the most cost-effective way to heat the kitchen?
On one hand, there are the countertops that generate heat. On the other hand, there are open windows to circulate air, with the risk that the room may quickly become too cold. Finding the right thermal balance in the kitchen is not easy, but it is very important, especially if it is an open space with the living or dining room.
As the heart of the home, the kitchen should be welcoming for both those who work in it and their guests. There are some heating options that can be considered to achieve an ideal microclimate, economically.
Underfloor heating is a valid solution, especially if you plan to renovate your home.
- The uniform heating distribution is its main strength.
- Furthermore, it allows for space saving since radiators are no longer necessary: this is another advantage. But if the kitchen is small, underfloor heating may not be suitable: the furniture, occupying a significant portion of the surface, can prevent the heat from spreading.
- Energy consumption is significantly reduced compared to traditional heating methods and is further increased if the system is combined with a heat pump or condensing boiler.
- It prevents the formation of dust and mites, keeping the air clean and healthy in an area where they can come into contact with food.
At the same time, it requires a high initial cost because the installation may require the creation of a support layer.
The full efficiency of underfloor heating also depends on a specific level of flooring to avoid impacting performance. For this reason, it is recommended in new homes, where the work is done from scratch.
In older homes, raising the floor to install the radiant system, even by a few centimetres, can make it problematic to accommodate custom-made furniture that was previously installed.
How much does the wood-burning range cooker warm up?
Another option to consider, with a look to the past and tradition, is the wood-burning range cooker, commonly known as AGA. These are updated and advanced versions of cast iron wood stoves that were used to heat meals.
The range cooker is still used for this purpose, but at the same time it works as a real boiler:
- it produces hot water for sanitation purposes;
- it accumulates the heat distributed to other areas of the house.
The use of a combustion material such as wood or pellets instead of fossil fuels results in significant savings on gas and electricity bills.
Furthermore, it adds an aesthetic element to the environment, a touch of style to personalise a space dedicated to a passion for cooking and culinary preferences.
However, it is not suitable for homes where it is impossible to install a ventilation system for combustion fumes: a crucial step to prevent the kitchen from filling with annoying and dangerous smoke.
Additionally, it is not recommended for small spaces, not only because it would be bulky. During the warmer months, the heat generated during cooking would become particularly unbearable in a small-sized room.
How to heat the kitchen in winter?
Among the efficient heating systems for the winter season, we find the more traditional radiators. Their contribution can be significant, especially if they are of the latest generation, regularly maintained and paired with smart control and regulation systems.
Radiators do not take up space like a wood-burning stove and do not require as complex installation as underfloor heating.
The kitchen is a space that is inhabited at certain times of the day, including breakfast and dinner. At lunchtime, it can happen that no one is at home, and therefore, it is not necessary to activate the heating or increase the indoor temperature.
Smart systems, including thermostats and thermostatic valves, are specifically designed to ensure proper heating and optimised energy management. You can set the heating on and off times so that the kitchen is adequately warmed up before you start cooking.
Technology allows for the setting of multi-zone functions. Thanks to it, rooms can maintain different temperatures depending on their use and the time of day.
All of these features can help avoid unpleasant surprises when returning home, finding yourself in a cold and unwelcoming kitchen.
In addition to smart devices that can be controlled remotely via a smartphone, proper maintenance of radiators becomes an added value.
Sometimes, a direct intervention is enough to ensure they operate correctly, such as venting them of excess air that disrupts hot water’s flow. On other occasions, it is essential to seek the expertise of an experienced technician, especially in the presence of pressure problems.
How many degrees in the kitchen?
As mentioned earlier, the temperature in the kitchen is subject to the activities taking place inside it. Turning on the cooktops or the oven leads to an increase in temperature.
If we consider 68°F as sufficient for thermal comfort, in the kitchen it can drop to 64,4°F, as long as it is not in a single area with the dining room and taking into account its size.
The heat generated by the gas stovetops or the functioning oven adds to that emitted by the radiators, raising the perceived temperature.
