Baseboards don’t produce heat – replace with Runtal UF Series or SlantFin Multi/Pak 80?

docancho

I have 3 family house / 3 zone with water heating. Boiler seems to be functioning well as water supply and return are very hot (cannot touch it for more than a split second). Water temperature is set to 180 degrees.



Issue is that apartments do not get over 62-63 degrees each at best. I have Slant/Fin Fine/Line 30 Baseboards installed throughout the house.



When you touch each baseboard radiator, it’s warm but return copper pipe to boiler is much hotter (cannot touch for more than second). Couple of weeks ago, system was bled properly to get all air out.



I have brought in 2 different plumbers and here are their suggestions:



#1 - one is under impression that Fine/Line 30 series need to be replaced with Multi/Pak 80 ones (which should increase HTU output 30%)



#2 - other is suggesting to install Runtal baseline radiators (smaller/more expensive but HTU output  would be significantly better than  any Slant/Fin).



Please share your opinion if you have had experience with either of these radiators and your thoughts on what you think I should do.

Ironman

My Opinion

Find another contractor.



Did the house heat correctly in cold weather before? What has changed?



It's a good possibility that you're air bound, particularly if the system has been opened or drained.



You haven't provided any info about the type of system or piping arrangement, but some are particularly difficult to purge of all air.

Bob Gagnon plumbing and heating

Check The

pipes inside the radiators, at each end, to see if the pipe is real hot, if it is, you probably need more baseboard and insulation/air sealing.



Thanks, Bob Gagnon

Unknown

call a real

Call a real hydronic heating company... sounds like a air bounded zone due to incorrect pipings at boiler.

docancho

issue from before

Not sure of system/piping setup but it’s been always an

issue as temperature in apt shown on thermostat never goes over 62-63 degrees

(and it feels as not too hot) hence heat/boiler must be on all the time

Zman

pictures?

Some pictures of both  the boiler piping and the radiators would help.

How big are the apartments? How many feet of base do they have?

Carl

nicholas bonham-carter

In hot water-can't touch it for more that a few seconds

An inexpensive IR thermometer would be more accurate for tracing the flow of hot water here. This system surely must have worked at some point., and the job is to find out what has changed to prevent it from working now.

If you get to the point where the baseboard rads are putting out all the heat they were designed for, and it is still cold, then there may be some reason to increase the radiation.

For the moment, just focus on why they are not getting enough hot water.--NBC

Mike M

temps?

What is the temp of the pipe entering the slant fin vs the temperature leaving the slant fin?   Are the circulators on the supply side?  If not, move them, it cures 90% of the air bound problems.  When the zones were power purged, (we assume they were), was it done one zone at a time??? also...has the pressures been measured on both sides of the pump....lets make sure its really pumping...

docancho

pictuers

Here's the floor plan for 1st and 2nd floor -- position of baseline radiators are noted in RED and windows in BLUE.



also I have included picture I have of boiler with piping.



I appreciate everyone's help!

Unknown

another

Another good boiler is piped in wrong

docancho

what do you see wrong with piping?

do you think that could be the problem with heat not being sufficient?



thanx

Unknown

weil Mclain

Its a eg Weil Mclain boiler.. may be oversized for your building.. this boiler must be piped in and out on left side where the air scoop is... pump on return side , pumping toward tank.. any air in the system will surely go into the zones, hence, lacks of heat..

docancho

is it necessary getting re-piped?

if so, what type of cost would I be looking at?



Thanks.

Unknown

good

Good day work... where are you located?

docancho

location

New York City



thanx

Unknown

many

Many good hydronic heating companies there.. have you check the contractor list here??

docancho

have not - not sure where exactly

do you have any reputable that you could recommend?



thank you

Unknown

look at

Look at top of this page " find a contractor" and I'm sure others here will find you a good one.

docancho

good contractor to recommend?

if anyone has contractor in NYC to recommend that is

experienced/knowledgeable in water heating and its system, pls let me know.







I am located in Queens, NY.







Thanks.