Radiator spec help requested

Al Letellier_9

No offense intended, Gene, but I see this all the time. Why are you as a builder trying to design a heating system? Now is the time to match up your client with a quality, professional heating contractor. I, for one, refuse to even price out a new home heating system until I have a long talk with the owner and future occupant of the home. It is such a critically important system to the overall quality and comfort of a home, that it deserves the attention of a pro from the get go. You certainly must have a good P&H sub that you work with. Get him involved ASAP. It will serve you and your customer very well in the long run, and after all, as the builder, it's your name that goes on the finished product.

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Gene Davis_2

What radiators to specify?

I am a builder quoting on a new house for a client, and unfamiliar with heating with hot water radiators.

The project is a "vacation type" house, large wall of floor to roof windows facing south on large gable end, total footprint 30' w x 40' l, about one half of house as greatroom area with full-height cathedral ceiling, kit, DR, and LR combined space, other half has bedrooms and bath down, master BR up under roof with two gables, full bath in master.

Client wants hot water radiator heat, with Weil MacLain Ultra LP-fired boiler for heat source, but is unsure of radiator specification.

We see Myson "Select" series steel radiators at about one fifth the price of Myson's steel 2- to 4-tube radiators.

What should we specify here? The house will be occupied year round.

Brad White_9

If it were my house

and with that large relatively open floor plan, I would choose radiant floors, hands-down. Comfort is incomparable and for modest additional cost. No furniture placement issues (the floor is the radiator and a gentle one at that).

Using a condensing boiler, even LP, the efficiencies are as high as they can be. (It is a sin to burn gas conventionally; save oil and wood for the higher temperature systems, IMHO)

If the heat loss exceeds what the floor can emit, I would supplement it with panel radiators or cast iron radiators (operative word: radiate). They Myson types you mention are fine.

Paul Pollets

I Agree!!

Radiant floors are best. And the condensing RF load will be more efficient (require lower temperature) and save $$ when compared to the med. temp radiator load.

I use the DiaNorm or Buderus steel wall panel radiators as an alternate.

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