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Baseboard dimension

Bob Forand
Bob Forand Member Posts: 305
in THE MAIN WALL
I am involved with a retrofit boiler where there is no real heating history. New owners of a house on a lake, frozen boiler replaced with a Baxi 310P. Now the customer has a complaint that the first floor zone never heats up to design on cold days. The heatloss on the home is approximately 52,000 at -20 conditions. There is adequate baseboard in the home to do the job. However, they have been remodeling the home which has included new carpet and pad. As I walked through the home, I noticed in a couple of rooms that the clearance under the bottom of the B/B has been reduced to less than an inch. I have gone to the baseboard manufacturer to ask for a letter that would establish that reduced air flow would reduce BTU output. They have not been able to supply that letter to date. So I am hoping that someone on the wall will have some input, or be able to send me in the right direction.

Comments

  • Ken_40
    Ken_40 Member Posts: 1,320
    There is a direct

    relationship between the slot opening at the bottom of the HWBB and the carpet. One inch is the smallest you can go with most brands of HWBB without seriously diminishing the chimney effect - and the resulting BTU output.

    You get down to 3/4" or less, you can diminish out put by 50%!

    Same with the bladeon top. Close it, reduce output by 50%.

    You can always crank up the limit aquastat to make up the "loss."

    A nominal setting for the aquastat is 190F. That presumes 190 out, 170 back - making the average temp 180F. That WAS the standard for many years. As long as the boiler is not a condenser, you can run the aqustat up to 220F without fear. That is if you're "pumping away." If the pump is on the return, maybe 200F may work?

    Also of some note, dog hair, lint, cobwebs and dust in the HWBB vanes can also reduce output by as much as 50%.

    If the carpet is jammed up to the edge of the fron panel, the louver is closed and they have three golden retrievers, the boiler will run backwards and the HWBB melt into new pennies before you ever heat the place(;-o)
    Let us know how you make out
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