Radiator Size
I am searching for a heating professional who can come to my house and evaluate the heating system. I was just told by my boiler technician that making changes to the sizes of radiators in my house will directly impact the heat, which sounds logical. From others I have also been told that new radiators…
I am searching for a heating professional who can come to my house and evaluate the heating system. I was just told by my boiler technician that making changes to the sizes of radiators in my house will directly impact the heat, which sounds logical. From others I have also been told that new radiators are more efficient and have greater surface area so they can replace larger old radiators. My oil/steam boiler in my three story brownstone is working fine, but now I have concerns about the radiators. I would appreciate any contacts for heating specialists or advice with regard to radiators. the last thing I want to do is dimish the heat capacity of my house.
thanks, slopefarm. my original question simply had to do with asking if installing smaller radiators was a good idea in terms of cost of heating. I was told I could do this, giving me more space for furniture (and in small rooms this is important) and I wouldn’t be causing my boiler to work harder (costing more) to heat my home. That’s all. I will look into heatinghelp.com. thanks.
modsquad, cmu, I understand your points.
Just was pulling your legs.
OK, this efficiency debate is inane. Wouldn’t a layperson (non-plumber) be sufficiently correct in a common usage sense to say that a radiator that took up less space and yet heated the room just the same was more “efficient”? This post isn’t about finding a way around the second law of thermodynamics, it is (probably, I’m inferring here) squeezing a couch along a wall where the radiator is.
OK, I’ll go along with that cmu. That’s the number I came up with.
modsquad, there will only be reverse airflow until the steam has been replaced, ie the volume of the steam pipes from the boiler to all radiators. A 2″ riser with a 4″ main is still not much heat loss compared to steam, as air has a considerably lower specific heat than steam. SO let’s say the radiator is 97.3% efficient 😉 ?
however, having said all of the above I would agree with MP. Absolutely no point in changing out a working radiator!
not really cmu, the returning air would continue to rob the inside surface of the raditor until both atmosheres balance. I guess it depends on how long via the total air vents it takes to eliminate the surplus 3.5 psi or so.
I should b texting while driving BUT the point is the returning air REMOVES some of the heat back down the riser therefore making the radiator less than 100% efficient.
Sorry bobjohn, see previous on the difference between efficiency and effectiveness. I did try to explain it.
modsquad, that’s possible, but now we’re getting into angels dancing on the head of a pin, the amount of heat lost that way would be very small, it’s the amount in the air volume of the radiator, approx. And even a “bad” radiator would lose this heat.