Steam Radiator Under Window Seat

JJ_4

Building the "box" with metal registers in the front and top to allow for convection. Reggio Registers has many sizes and the "scroll" style might fit in with the age of your home. I bought some years ago and they are of high quality.

Here is the website: http://www.reggioregister.com/

I know that I have seen on HeatingHelp a drawing that shows the best way to construct a "box" that will actually increase the efficiency. Can't find it in the Library...maybe someone else can.

SynrG

So I had an idea....

We're almost done renovating one of our upstairs bedrooms and -- since this is going to be our "master" bedroom -- on one wall I'd like to build built-in closets with a window seat between them. The only complication is that I'd have to build the window seat around/on top of the radiator.

I've read the information on building radiator covers and realize that many of them reduce the radiator's efficiency. I'm thinking that lining the "inside" of the seat with that reflective insulation/radiant heat barrier stuff might help some, but I'm not sure if I need to take other things into consideration?

Oh, this is a one-pipe steam system in a 100+ year old house. We removed the radiator to repair some damaged plaster behind it and will be reinstalling it once we've installed new shoe moulding around the baseboards. I'll try to attach a photo of the "project" wall after I get home tonight.

Thanks for your input.

Lorree

Jamie Hall

or...

in our big house there is a window seat with a radiator (actually about 40 feet of iron pipe with fins) under it. Has no front -- just the top to sit on. Works fine. The cats love it!

mark ransley

Consider you are wasting heat heating an exterior wall, so there is more to consider.

SynrG

A Pic

Here's a pic of the "project" wall, sans radiator right now.

Lorree

SynrG

Considering...

Yes, I know I'm heating an exterior wall, but aren't rads supposed to be located under windows? I thought I'd read that on this site.

Anyway, that's why I was thinking of putting a radiant heat barrier on the wall behind the radiator (and on the sides of the seat/closets).

So in what way would the rad's location on an exterior wall complicate my window seat plans. Should I consider adding some sort of blower or circulating fan?

Lorree

SynrG

I've printed off the drawing of the different enclosure designs and the analysis of their effect on heating efficiency. Here's a question: do I need to have two grates (one top and one bottom, with some sort of solid separator) or would a front that is "all grate" provide enough convection?

Oh, and the cats *love* the radiator covers; I'm sure a window seat would keep them in ecstasy.

Lorree

SynrG

No Pics :-((

I keep trying to attach a pic of the project wall, but the "add" button doesn't do anything. Sorry!

Lorree

Jamie Hall

ours

has no front at all -- just the bench top. Works fine. But if you do want to put a front on, it should either be all grille or grilles top and bottom, otherwise the cold air can't get in at the bottom, get warmed, and flow out at the top...

Your cats are gonna love it! So will you!

Wouldn't worry about the heating the exterior wall problem, although a reflecting panel behind might make some difference. You're really heating the air, not the wall anyway.

SynrG

I think maybe I'll go the two-grate route since I'm not going to leave the front open to show off a multicolored radiator. Yes, I know I can paint it -- but that requires an extra set of hands to get it downstairs and the extra set of hands has refused to discuss that particular idea.

I'll probably also go ahead and do the radiant heat barrier -- just to make myself feel better about boxing in the rad. Guess I'd better also plan on making a removeable seat cushion cover since laundering is the easiest method of removing cat hair from fabric.

And I'm sure I and the cats will love the window seat-over-the-radiator. I've always wanted a window seat anyway and having it "heated" will make it that much more decadent. LOL

Lorree

JJ_4

Here is a site with the old diagram from Hoffman

I found the diagram I was thinking about on a website....G.W.Gill Plumbing and Heating in Cleveland...I hope they don't mind me posting it. Their site is pretty cool all around and this is just one tid-bit of information:

http://gwgillplumbingandheating.com/webapp/GetPage?pid=238

The way I read this you would want to use the "no change" or the deduct "5%" or deduct "10%" arrangements to either have no effect on the output or actually enhance the output.

For a window seat it looks like the "deduct 5%" would be the best arrangment or the "no change" if the radiator is low enough to allow for the added height of dimension "D".

Hope this helps.

Billy_13

what about no covers?

I had similar questions about the whole cover/no cover issue. When we moved into our house 2 years ago, all our cast iron radiators had covers that were consistent with the "add 20%" design. If we remove the radiator covers, that should theoretically increase the heat efficiency. I dont know that I agree with the increase in efficiency because the heat output would go straight up to the ceiling (chimney effect?). Let me know if you agree or disagree. I personally would like to remove our radiator covers and get them redone... just dont know if removing them will drive the gas bill up even higher.