It is a common problem that the kitchen floor remains so cold that you cannot even easily walk on it barefooted.
This situation is suitable for the summer, but in winter it proves awful, and you have to use the heaters.
The kitchen is the area that has to withstand frequent visits daily, and for that, it should have perfect flooring.
Why is My Kitchen Floor So Cold? Your kitchen floor can be so cold due to lack of insulation. The type of flooring matters a lot because most of the building materials can conduct heat. Tiles, stone, hardwood, laminate, and vinyl flooring can cause this problem. Poorly encapsulated and non-insulated crawl space under the kitchen and in the basement area leads to this problematic situation. The warm air is not dense, and it allows the cold air to sink into the floor at the first floor-located kitchen. In addition, the cracks in windows and doors and high ceilings make the floor cold.
The kitchen’s floor consists of tiles, cement, stones, seamless chemicals, vinyl, wood, and terrazzo foundations.
I have to face the same problem at my place, and some technical issues in the flooring and natural phenomenon are the most common reasons.
Type of flooring
The kitchen floor consists of different materials, but tiles are the most commonly used material in modern-day society.
This feeling of cold belongs to the conductivity of the materials that is its property to conduct heat.
As tiles are a conductor of heat, therefore, tile flooring remains the coldest of all other types.
The porcelain or non-porcelain tiles transfer the cold effect quickly compared to your capacity to transfer the heat from feet to the tiles.
Natural stone-like slate helps you feel cold while walking with bare feet, and it is free of germs because of its non-porosity.
The hardwood is also a conductor of heat and usually remains cold all year round, and apartment-type homes mostly have hardwood ground.
Laminate and vinyl floors also offer coldness because they look like hardwood and conduct heat quickly. Many people also add bathroom tiles in the kitchen to match the home decor.
You can cover the tiles by spreading carpet all over it as carpet is a poor conductor of heat, and it feels no colder.
When you want the beautiful look and durability associated with tiles but do not want the cold effect of tiles, then using rugs is crucial.
By pairing tiles with a heating system, you can feel warmer in the cold months of the year, but it is not workable at every place.
You can add under layers like cork and form the insulating material with the laminate and vinyl material.
I had a tile floor with a similar situation in my home, but now I have covered it with a carpet that stays warm.
Lack of insulation
The foundation under the floor requires proper insulation to keep it warm and cool in the homes.
The kitchen grounds and other areas remain cold if the insulation is poor or absent from the foundations.
The insulated foundation inhibits the movement of air and heat from one place to another place in the home.
Poor insulation causes the outside temperature to build inside, and you will feel cold floors in your kitchen.
The inside heat is transferred to the outside environment as it is cold outside.
In this way, the lack of insulation can prove non-beneficial for yourself and the material inside because cracks can appear on tiles and hardwood due to low temperatures.
To overcome this problematic insulation, you can add a layer of insulating material like polyfoam if you are using real wood flooring in the kitchen.
You can add an insulating layer of mineral wool and glass under the surface if you access the voids in the basement.
Due to its high R-value, sheep wool secures its importance as an insulator as it hinders the movement of heat.
You can also use loft and wall insulation if insulation under the floor is not working because you do not access it.
These insulations are easy and less expensive to operate, but wall insulation, but try to use according to the construction time.
Tiny leaks from the windows and doors
One of the reasons behind the cold floor is the leakage from a place in your kitchen.
Most kitchens are present aside to have cabinets and windows facing the outside environment.
Any hole in the wall and floor that is non-apparent to the naked eye can cause this problem, and you will remain unaware.
The windows can create an issue if they are closed too because any crack and break lead to the open space.
Your exhaust fan area is equally responsible because these are the places that allow the outside air to enter inside and permit inside heat to move outside.
You have to identify any cracks in the cooking area and apply some sealant to these visible cracks.
The draught-proofing strips are helpful in the inspection of the cracks around the chimneys and letterboxes.
You can use hinged excluders that are beneficial in covering the gaps between the door and its frame in your kitchen.
You can cover these cracks and gaps by inducing putty in the cavities to maintain the inside temperature.
I have faced a similar situation at my place, and by inspecting came to know that the problem was with my door that had a tiny hole in it.
You can use loft insulation and wall insulation like cavity insulation and solid insulation, but these may vary according to the interior design of your home.
Location of the kitchen
The kitchen on the first floor feels so cold because it is present above the improperly insulated basement.
Many people love to make it at a side having an open place behind that helps in ventilation, and any crack in the wall facing the outdoor leads to the low temperature inside.
You have to design your kitchen at a suitable place for sufficient ventilation, but at the same time, it should have exposure to the sun’s rays.
You have to make sure to inspect the floor for adequate insulation and avoid any tiny leaks or cracks on the first floor.
Outside temperature and airflow
One of the reasons behind the cold floor in the kitchen is a mechanism of science that the heat or air moves from higher concentration to lower concentration.
Since the temperature outside is lower in winter and a cool breeze blows, the cool air will attempt to enter the house.
The inside warm air becomes less dense, moves to the above side, and cool air starts to take its position and goes to the ground.
You can try to be covered by some warm clothes, and wear shoes while walking on the ground to avoid the cold.
You cannot challenge this natural process but try to reduce its effect by using radiators and heaters in your area to feel warmer.
High ceiling
Many people love to keep the ceiling at more height than the standard one because this high ceiling makes a cold environment inside.
If the ceiling in the kitchen is high, then by walking on the floor you will feel that it is cool and sometimes you cannot even walk without socks in winter.
You have to keep it at a suitable and perfect height, for enjoying a soothing effect in summers but not so cold in winter.
Poorly encapsulated crawl spaces
The basement and underground areas of your home contain crawl spaces that require adequate insulation and encapsulation.
Most of the time, people come with the problem of the cold floor in the kitchen, and they come to know that the actual reason is the poorly encapsulated crawl spaces.
My friend had faced a similar situation, and when he came to know the exact reason, he tried to access these crawl spaces.
The need is to address that issue at the time of construction and try to fix it quickly because it is worth taking, and this problem demands more money after construction.
Why is your kitchen floor cold in one spot?
If your kitchen floor is cold in only one place, there is a water leak in the underground pipelining.
This water leakage leads to a change in the temperature of the above-ground flooring and sometimes proves to be hazardous for the tiles as they start losing their place.
You have to check it quickly, and you should repair it immediately by a professional technician for a warm and safe foundation.
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