Moving floor vent to toekick area

13 years ago

Hello. We are renovating our kitchen as well as baths and new flooring. Our house builder put the floor vents in several poor locations. There are two I'd like to move, but the one in the kitchen is the focus of this post.

The vent is currently just inside the door to the garage in the kitchen right in front of the built-in pantry. Vent runs perpendicular to the garage door toward the hinge side of the door. Vent runs horizontally to the (tiny) pantry just in front of the pantry door.

I am removing the (tiny) built-in pantry and replacing it with larger pantry cabinets. I'd like to move the vent 8-10" to under the cabinets and put a toekick vent on the front of the cabinets.

My GC says that usually people just have the vent dump into the space (plenum) under the cabinet and have the vent cover on the toekick. He says this isn't very efficient, and also heats up the pantry. I understand his point. (Is this a valid point?)

Is there a good way to do this venting? Could most of the opening under the cabinet be blocked off so it has a smaller opening to force the air out of the vent. Or is there a small 90 degree venting solution to connect to the toekick opening so the are is directed into the kitchen rather than under the pantry?

I've searched the internet, but haven't seen pictures or good ideas for this solution.

Thanks for any advice!

Featured Answer

NHfinch

13 years ago

Hi, I've read your post and if you have not found a solution, you can ask your contractor to run a 4x10 or 4X12 supply duct under the cabinet, then connect the boot in the floor with the under cabinet toe kick ducting kit you can view in this picture.

Here is a link that might be useful: Toe Kick Under Cabinet Ducting Kit

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Comments (9)

mike_home
13 years ago
If understand your description correctly, I don't understand why your general contractor is making such a big deal out of your request. Why can't the vent be routed from below so that emerges from underneath the cabinet? It can then be connect with a 90 degree elbow to a 3.5 inch high vent. This would terminate at the cabinet toe kick.

You may have a any opportunity to route the vent to a more central location in the kitchen depending how the cabinets are configured.
cathy725
Original Author
13 years ago
Thanks. Kitchen isn't too big so there's not a lot of places to put the thing. I'm going to readdress the issue with GC.

The builders seemed to pick the worst places to put the vents. This one is in front of the garage door. The one in the den is in front of the sliding glass door--I have to have my rug shifted over so it doesn't cover the thing and so we have to step in sideways to step on the rug rather than the vent when we enter--that one is getting moved to the right to get out of the door entry.
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Kim Schoenherr
11 years ago
NHfinch, you are a lifesaver. This is exactly what I was looking for!
Elmer J Fudd
11 years ago
last modified: 11 years ago
What your contractor is saying is that most people are lazy/cheap and inattentive to a detail that won't be seen. I agree.

Even with the approach shown in the link, the metal box will give off a lot of heat if it's uninsulated. I'd put an oversized wad of fiberglass insulation on the underside of the cabinet, to minimize heat transfer upward.
Vith
11 years ago
I have a toe kick vent, I made a custom plenum of sheet metal and foil tape to route from the opening in the floor to the toe kick. That toe kick ducting kit would have been easier though ^^
John Hall
4 years ago
I have a similar issue. Mine ducts right in front of the range in the kitchen. We are changing the floor and putting new cabinets in so I will be moving the duct to a spot under one of the cabinets and I found this kit on Amazon for $99 to make it clean and not have problems with mold or dust under the cabinet. It's called Toe Ductor, Floor Vent Under Cabinet Toe Kick Ducting Kit
Stax
4 years ago
last modified: 4 years ago
Looks like the one linked to above in this eight year old thread...

Only eight years ago the suggestion was helpful because the responder posted a link...

Did you read the thread? lol

Sheesh
HU-82689326
last year
Ive done this many times. i learned this working in a manufactured home factory. you minimize the opning ubder the csbinrt if possild then insulate the entire space with 1 inch foam insulation panels. then cut toe kick and install vent cover