HOW TO INSTALL PLINTH HEATERS – Installing Plinth Heaters in your Kitchen is a fairly straight forwards job. Plinth heaters come in packs which contains all the items you will need to fit them, and most contain templates so you can cut out the openings in the plinths with ease. A kitchen can be a pretty cold place first thing in the morning and even more so if you have a natural stone floor, so fitting plinth heaters are a really good idea. In this guide we provide practical advice and instructions on fitting a plinth heater.
Step 1
Once you have purchased your plinth heater remove all the contents from the packaging and lay them out so that each piece is easily accessible. Read through the manufacturer’s installation instructions carefully.
Once you have everything organized you can remove the section of plinth where you want to install the plinth heater. Almost all kitchen plinths are fitted in place using clips that attach to the legs of the kitchen units. The plinths can be easily removed by gently pulling them away from the base of the kitchen units.
SAFETY NOTE: Think carefully where you are going to fit your plinth heater. It is NOT recommended that you fit it where it might get covered or where you stand in front of it most of the time, for instance, the kitchen sink. A plinth heater should not have any obstructions nor should it be covered up. Read the safety instructions and advice on the plinth heater for more information.
Step 2
Once you have removed the plinth it will be easier if you remove the clips that are attached to the back side. You can remove these using an appropriate size screwdriver. Once you have removed the clips you can lay the section of plinth on a flat surface ready for marking out the opening for the plinth heater.
Step 3
If your plinth heater came with a template, place this on the plinth and mark around the section as indicated. This will be the section you will need to cut out. If you do not have template then follow the instructions for the size of the hole you will need to cut out to accommodate the plinth heater. The sizes can vary from manufacturer to manufacturer so follow the instructions provided in the pack carefully.
Step 4
Once you have marked out area to be cut out you can cut out the opening by firstly drilling a large hole, inside the lines you marked, and then insert a Jigsaw or other handheld saw. Work your way around the line that you made until you have completely removed the section. You can tidy up the opening with some fine grade sandpaper, either by hand or using an electric sander.
Step 5
You can now slot the plinth heater into the plinth and from the back side secure it in place with the fixings supplied. Once the plinth heater is firmly fitted to the plinth you can reattach the clips that you removed earlier.
Note where you have a socket as you will need to plug in the plinth heater and then replace the plinth. Note that there are a variety of plinth heaters, some that run off the electrics and some that fit into the central heating system.
Step 6
Now that the plinth is back in place you can turn on the plinth heater and test that it is working. If you do have any problems you should refer to the manufacturer’s instructions.
