elisbrown's Profile
Author's Posts
September 22, 2009
Radiator Valve Rec?
Over the summer we had our floors redone, and the super removed the radiators for us so we could repair some of the boards under the radiators. We're ready to put them back on, but one of the valves is broken and needs to be replaced.
The super said we should hire a plumber, but the one recommended to me gave me what seemed like an outrageous quote. I'm tempted to do it myself, but the consequences of doing it wrong make me think twice.
So my question is: What should I reasonably be expected to pay for a new valve to be installed, and can anyone recommend a good plumber to do it? Thanks!
July 31, 2009
source for new radiators?
Our apartment is completely overheated in the winter, and our radiators are also large. We'd like to replace them with smaller new (or stripped) radiators. I would love to get them myself, and then have a plumber install them.
Does anyone know where to get new or paint free radiators in Brooklyn? Thanks!
August 7, 2008
painting radiators
We live in a pre-war building and our radiators are old but functional and not too noisy. They are, however, covered in dirty old paint.
We'd like to repaint them, and wonder if there's a right or wrong way to do it. The paint guy at the hardware store said that you can just use regular latex paint, as long as the radiator wasn't on and that there was time for it to cure.
Is this true? We'd rather have radiators that at least blended in with the room and weren't that sprayed on silver color that they seem to come in.
Thanks!
August 1, 2008
Is there a difference in floor stain brands?
My husband and I are planning to have our floors sanded and refinished in the next few weeks. We've hired a contractor to do it, but now find ourselves faced with having to decide how to finish them.
The apt is pre-war. The floors are probably oak and currently have acrylic poly on them.
Our contractor recommends that we use an oil based poly, which I'm fine with. But we also need to pick a stain. My cousin, who is an architect, seems to think that Minwax stain is terrible, and that we should use some high end stain that she uses for her clients. Our contractor uses Minwax, but said he'd use whatever we wanted to. I feel torn between the ease of Minwax (which I've never heard anything negative about up until now) and trying to find another brand which is supposedly better.
Does anyone have experience (negative or positive) with Minwax or other stains? Since this is probably our only chance to redo the floors, I'd like to it right.
Author's Comments
isn't there a risk of unscrewing the pipe down below the floor? The plumber quoted me $275, which is just ridiculous, as far as I'm concerned. (Makes me wish I was a plumber.)
Posted by: elisbrown at September 22, 2009 2:26 PM in response to Radiator Valve Rec?
Well, what about the fact that I turn off all the radiators for the whole winter, since it's so hot in my apartment?? Doesn't this have a similar (or worse) effect than installing a smaller radiator?
I understand the need to buy the right sized radiator, but this building is crazy-- I have a room that is 10x10, with a radiator that is 4' long by 2' tall. It's way too big for a room that size, and it takes up most of a wall.
In any case, I think we're just going to get radiator covers for now, so I don't need to do this anymore.
Posted by: elisbrown at August 5, 2009 4:13 PM in response to source for new radiators?
it sounds like a really wonderful practice! I'm expecting my first, and wish there was something like this closer to where I live (Crown Heights). Getting to the Boerum Hill office wouldn't be so bad though...
Posted by: elisbrown at August 5, 2009 4:08 PM in response to Streetlevel: Tribeca Pediatrics Opening in the Slope
well that makes things easier!
Thank you all!
Posted by: elisbrown at July 31, 2009 2:29 PM in response to source for new radiators?
Interesting. Can anyone buy something from a plumbing supply (ie not a plumber)?
Posted by: elisbrown at July 31, 2009 1:56 PM in response to source for new radiators?
I don't see the course listed in the catalog...
Posted by: elisbrown at January 12, 2009 11:58 AM in response to Green Roof Course at CityTech
I just called a contractor about doing an in-shop restoration job that I'd gotten an estimate for in August. Of course, I assume that summers are busier than early January, since people go away and want work done while they are out of town.
Anyway, the contractor was able to do the work in less than a week, after telling me this summer that it would take 2-3 weeks. Sounds to me like he's less busy than he was...
Posted by: elisbrown at January 5, 2009 3:22 PM in response to Contractor's Business Down 50 Percent
we've just hired him to do work for us next week. I can't answer your question now, but the guy who recommended him (also on Brownstoner) said that he was very clean.
Posted by: elisbrown at August 7, 2008 10:34 PM in response to Sean O'Sullivan, floor refinishing
Thanks for the posts. Not sure how I missed the link to painting the heat pipe; it was very informative. Looks like if we prep it well we can paint it with just about anything, according to that post.
Posted by: elisbrown at August 7, 2008 10:30 PM in response to painting radiators
I would also like info on Sean O'Sullivan. broeliza at gmail
Thanks
Posted by: elisbrown at August 7, 2008 5:04 PM in response to Reasonable quote? Water or oil based finish?
Thank you for all of your advice.
One more question: are all oil based polys created equal? Should I request that the contractor use a specific brand?
And how long would it take to amber, if we didn't use a stain?
Posted by: elisbrown at August 1, 2008 3:57 PM in response to Is there a difference in floor stain brands?
At the moment our floor is so badly finished that a clean, beautiful floor is hard to imagine.
The thing is, I'm a little worried about it being too light. I'd like it to amber, but wish I could see what that would look like before committing to it. (Unfortunately we'll be out of town while the floor is being refinished.)
How long would it take to amber?
Posted by: elisbrown at August 1, 2008 2:40 PM in response to Is there a difference in floor stain brands?
househunt,
I'm not sure why you think the common areas are not well-maintained. I know this building well and it is gorgeous and very clean inside. The gardens are immaculate.
pclem: I wonder if you witnessed my husband's mugging in early April? It was near the S overpass on EP.
Posted by: elisbrown at July 28, 2008 5:41 PM in response to Condo of the Day: 255 Eastern Parkway, #C16
Responses to Author's Forum Comments
We stained our pine sub-floors with Jacobean Minwax and then polyurethan. The wear and tear is horrible and although we should probably lift the floors and put down new ... we would like to avoid it for another 5 - 10 years. What options do we have? Can we sand and then restain/poly? Help.
Posted by: 107 at October 6, 2008 8:42 PM in response to Is there a difference in floor stain brands?
I found his name on this site and used him to refinish the floor in my Park Slope coop earlier this month. I can't recommend him highly enough.
My existing floors are "utility grade" oak which use planks of uneven color and have plenty of knots and dings. Because of time pressure, we decided not to lay down new boards, just sand and refinish the existing floor with a light stain to pull together the color.
His team sanded three times and used some kind of round buffing machine before applying a coat of stain and two coats of polyurethane. The results are simply gorgeous. The floors just glow. We have rounded moldings where the walls meet the floor and they got way up under the edge. There was a little dust on the shelves and in the hallway in front of our door afterwards, but not much at all considering how much work they did.
Posted by: john at November 21, 2008 4:24 PM in response to Sean O'Sullivan, floor refinishing
elisbrown : As long as your money is green you can.
Posted by: SenatorStreet at July 31, 2009 2:03 PM in response to source for new radiators?
well that makes things easier!
Thank you all!
Posted by: elisbrown at July 31, 2009 2:29 PM in response to source for new radiators?
If you change the size of the radiators it will effect the heat in other apartments in the building. A plumber will need to go around to each radiator and change the steam vents as necessary.
Posted by: JoeBushwick at July 31, 2009 4:44 PM in response to source for new radiators?
you might want to consult a heating specialist or plumber with heating experience like gateway before buying new radiators...appropriate sizing in relationship to the rest of your building is pretty important..think of a steam heating system (which i am assuming that you have) as a big balloon..if you squeeze it in one place, it will become larger in another, i.e. you will be driving more heat to other areas of the building..it is a gestalt, where the whole is more than the sum of its parts, and you can really fuck things up by making changes that seem rational to you
Posted by: eman1234 at July 31, 2009 8:06 PM in response to source for new radiators?
OP, unless you have plumbing/heating knowledge and experience, leave the purchase to your plumber. Search the Forum archives for long and detailed discussions about heating issues, balancing systems, changing vent sizes, etc.
Posted by: vinca at July 31, 2009 8:58 PM in response to source for new radiators?
If you purchase a replacement (steam) that is similar in size to the original (size of fins / number of fins), shouldn't that work?
Posted by: SenatorStreet at August 1, 2009 10:50 AM in response to source for new radiators?
Radiator output is best expressed in square feet of equivalent direct radiation; the amount of surface area exposed to the room air.
Once you've got that value, either by manufacturer's literature or measuring height/tubes/sections, you need to know the temperature of the heating medium that will fill the radiator which is normally steam or hot water.
We all know steam is formed at atmospheric pressure at 212 degrees, but when we pressurize steam in a boiler its temperature at 1.5 psi rises to about 215 degrees (multiply by 240).
Circulating hot water systems are often designed to heat the water to 180 degrees (multiply by 170). Pressure is irrelevant to temperature rise in this system.
Using an established multiplier for that temperature and radiator's square footage, you will come up with the radiator's BTU output.
Yes, it's a process best left to those who do it regularly, but it's not rocket science and you can use this method to size a replacement radiator.
Posted by: Master Plvmber at August 1, 2009 4:58 PM in response to source for new radiators?
Thank Master Plvmber. Now the truth is out. I need to quickly run and calculate the output of my radiator. But how to calculate the area (squere footage) of radiator. I tried "brute force" integral by width of integral by height. But I tripped on the bottom part where two pieces connect.
I can try to paint it and divide volume of the spent paint on the thickness of the paint. But then my calculations could be off by far.
Oh I can weigh the radiator and divide it by the thickness of the walls.
Probably I can look at the pictures and find new radiator specs of the same size and assume they have the same area.
Or I can build a hear proof box around it, start the heating and measure heat output directly.
Seriously, how to calculate the area of existing radiator.
Posted by: bobjohn at August 1, 2009 11:38 PM in response to source for new radiators?
no need to be snide.
I tried taking the valve off this morning, and it wouldn't budge. I called another plumber and got a similar quote. So I think I'm just stuck hiring someone.
Posted by: elisbrown at September 23, 2009 2:42 PM in response to Radiator Valve Rec?