Newb

[rsdambrosio]

Hello, this is my first post to this forum. I am a homeowner and I am receiving contradicting information from my contractor and plumber. I have radiators throughout the house. We would like to convert a radiator to toe space heater and I am told the cabinet must be at least 24 inches to accommodate the heater? Is that correct? I did some research and I am seeing units that are only 12-13 inches deeps. Also, can someone explain to me why the unit needs to be hardwired?

Oh yea, what is everyone's thoughts on tankless or tank hot water heaters?

Thanks in advance.

Randy

 

[Matt30]

The amount of space you need for the toe kick heater varies by brand. Open up the literature to what you buy and it will tell you the clearances that model requires. Some require some air space around the heater so the electrical doesn't over heat. For warranty purposes, do what the literature suggests. The plumber may be requesting more room so he has room for piping. The units need to be wired because they have a fan that's on a temperature sensor. When the sensor senses the heated water, the fan turns on. When the zone cools down, the fan shuts off.

As for the tankless heaters, I only have experience with electric tankless, and they are junk. I cannot speak for natural gas or propane.