On Mon, 14 Aug 2006 13:12:59 +0100, Christian McArdle wrote:

Not if your spouse suffers from serious cramp in her feet as a
consequence of arthritis. Why do you suggest that a kitchen requires
instantaneous heat? We spend more waking hours in our kitchen and
breakfast room than in any other part of the house.

There is an advantage in having rapidly responding heat output in a kitchen.
This is because the kitchen can hold other considerable heat producing
devices, such as ovens, microwaves, washing machines and hobs. A responsive
system can rapidly shut down, whilst a slow acting system may overheat the
room.

Ovens and hobs (used intensively) yes, but microwaves and washing
machines? These should produce a negligible contribution to space heating.

Also because UFH produces radiant heat whereas ovens & hobs heat the air I
wonder whether the excess heating would subjectively feel as much as if
the central heating were an unregulated radiator or fan heater producing
the same comfort levels. I think an argument could be made for UFH as
primary heating in a kitchen because of its greater efficiency in areas of
more frequent air changes (such as kitchens and bathrooms).