true story ...

jpf321

So I'm at my local supply house .. a very reputable place well stocked .. in business for 3 generations ...

a tradesman walks in and tells the counter man .. "I need a couple of vents"

the counter man replies.. "What floor?"

Charlie from wmass

The gorton chart does list them that way

This is a case of a little bit of knowledge. Their manual lists the radiator size by the floor and room they feel it best suits.

Big-Al_2

Given the lack

of other information, "what floor?" seems to be a pretty good starting question to me.  Some people seem to think that if the main is vented well, the radiator venting should be pretty even . . . however . . . unless there are separate riser vents, the upstairs radiator vents can have plenty of extra work to do.  Plus, in many buildings, the first floor is already overheated from uninsulated basement mains and uninsulated risers going through the rooms . . . and the top floor has a higher heat loss through the ceiling.  "What floor?" doesn't provide nearly enough information, but it doesn't seem like an entirely stupid thing to ask.



Laugh if you will, but following Gorton's diagram for faster vents on the second floor and a slow vent on the radiator nearest the stat went a long way toward evening up the temperature in my house.

FJL

You Have Described . . .

the heating situation in my apt building to a T:  "Plus, in many buildings, the first floor is already overheated from . . . uninsulated risers going through the rooms . . . and the top floor has a higher heat loss through the ceiling."

Charlie from wmass

I do not laugh at gortons chart

I am just saying it is a starting point. The employee was actually quite right to ask what floor. If you go by what they say it will get you close to right. AND that is far better then many systems are running. The thing is the diagram works if you do the whole thing.

jpf321

glad...

i'm glad I started such a nice little discussion ;-)

Big-Al_2

Yep,

I'm feeling a bit grumpy today.  Nice of you to provide an outlet for me to "vent." :-)

Charlie from wmass

It january Its cold

good time of year for folks to be grumpy. Unless you got good steam heat. well nice hot water heat is good also.

Big-Al_2

It IS January. Thanks for cutting me some slack. Sigh.

Actually, the cold Wisconsin winter makes me long for my old house . . . It had no charm whatsoever and the neighborhood was in decline, but it was half as big, half as old, twice as insulated, with a really, really efficient, low maintenance, hot air furnace.  I lived there for 22 years without ever having to buy a heating book, replace a vent, re-pack a valve, blow down a boiler, lug a radiator up a flight of stairs, repair a water leak, disassemble a LWCO, or consult an online heating forum.  Balancing the heat was as easy as moving a handle on a duct. (I even had enough money left over to run the built-in central air in the summer.)   Gotta go! . . . The boiler is on.  It's time to write out another check to the gas company . . .