Recessed baseboard

Jerry_17

I have a situation where a customer wants to install a patio door in the same wall that currently has the only radiator, a 5 foot cast iron baseboard. heating is single pipe steam. There is no other place for a radiator in this room (kitchen). In theory there is enough room below floor level between joists to 'recess' the baseboard and then install some sort of grate or floor vents along the wall with the propossed patio door. The space below is a semi finished basement. Is this approach totally insane?

Brad White_9

Only partially insane, Jerry

In order to be effective you need convection and to do that you have to have a clear inlet different from the outlet. Dividing the "pocket" between the joists with a sheetmetal baffle is one way. Face it though, you do not have much "height" which is key to chimney effect.

I take it you are sticking with cast iron, right? Not going down the fin-tube road are we? No? Good.

Might you consider having the air intake (one floor grille in one joist bay) and the outlet with radiator in the adjacent bay, with a sheetmetal plenum joining the two. The dividing joist would be the baffle. Return air would drop through the return grille joist bay, go under the joist divider and rise through the radiation bay for the supply to the space. Sort of poor man's indirect heating.

Given that you have steam your pitch may be limited.

Here is another thought but it would take up much more space and more pitch than you have unless you use a condensate-based water system:

Install a salvaged cast iron radiator in a plenum below the door. Duct up to a supply grille with a return grille ducted in low. A take on the old indirect pin radiator indirect heaters.

You think you are totally insane? Not compared to me!

Best,
Brad

Plumdog_2

how about

find a long, narrow cieling radiator and put it over the slider near the outside wall; come up with way to conceal or integrate the pipe into the molding, with matching molding on other side of door; for balance.

EBEBRATT-Ed

How about making a hot water zone off the boiler?? You could then use Beacon Morris "Floor Vector" which drops in flush with the floor.


ED

J.C.A._3

Ed,

I was thinking the same thing...but without the fan ! (God I hate those things!!!)

Maybe a simple staple up with plates system running off the boiler, with a mixer of course.

Steam "converters"/"indirects" will take up lots of floor space with grates and the like. Gold mines for floor droppings and a veritable archive when cleaned out. (ask me how I know)

Will there be enough space for a nice hot water radiator next to the door? Definately something to think about. Chris

Jerry_17

Thanks for the thoughts

I thought about the hot water radiator approach. There may be enough room for a built-in unit in the wall. The problem is that the boiler is at the complete opposite end of the home and the piping would be difficult. I also looked at a recessed slimline steam radiator. That is still an option but the wall is 2x4 framed so it will stick out a few inches and that is the side where the door will swing. I will continue to look at options. Thanks for your input.

Ted_13

no fan on flor vector

There is no fan on the Floor Vector it is just a convective unit. I'm not sure weather or not you can order it with a steel pipe element or not but you could order a steel element and make your own enclosure as long as you could get the return to work out.