hot water convector covers

S. Shaw

I'm, a plumbing/heateing contractor in Westchester County N.Y. and have a customer who has a problem with convector covers. My customer has an apt  with hot water convectors. The previous tennant threw out the old covers and replaced them with new wooden covers. The new tennant says there is not enough heat comming thru wuth the wooden covers. The wooden covers only have slots cut out in the top,no opening on the bottom. The super told the tennant to remove the covers for better heat, yet the tennant says its still cold in the apt. The apts. below and next to this tennant are not complaining. Any thoughts???

JUGHNE

Covers = air flow

Been thru this with steam convector; if your wood covers had slots in the bottom some air might flow thru.  But slots in wood are pretty small and air flow is limited.  The square area of the original cover openings may be difficult to match with wood slots.

The air duct chase must be there for cool air to enter the bottom and hot air to gravity out the top.  Did the previous tenant get their deposit back yet?  Replacement cover might be available somewhere.

S. Shaw

hot water convector covers

This is a co-op apt. building built in the 50's I can pobally get into another unit to try to match the covers or find a brand name on the convector itself. Why would the owner say that the radiators dont work even with the covers off? too much air flow? The supply and return and the convector itself is hot to the touch. I told the super to vac the convector fins. Would putting some type of reflector help?

Thanks for the input

JUGHNE

convection

The convectors move air by convection; the hot air leaves the top pulling cooler air up thru the bottom.  the air has to pass over the fins.  If the copper is hot then the fins get hot.  But the heated air needs to be contained with in the convector cover in order for the cycle to continue.  A house furnace chimney will not work well with 3 wall missing.  I think this is your situation.  The front and 2 end caps used to be the 3 walls that are missing.  Maybe try covering just the front with aluminum foil, not the top or bottom of the fins;  this may make the issue clear.  Probably not a permanent solution!  I assume these are baseboard and not tall cabinets

S. Shaw

hot water convector covers

These are not baseboard radiators. These are recessed convectors consisting of metal cabinets, a heating element, and a metal front. I was talking about putting some type of reflector agaist the back of the metal cabinet to help reflect the heat back into the room. I think what your saying is correct about the 3 open sides whether its baseboards or convectors.

JUGHNE

Refector

might help a true radiator I guess.  If it were me I would try to duplicate the missing front, even out of wood.  The opening at top and bottom would have to be the same as an original cover.  It might be perhaps easier to do this custom front for a cabinet than a baseboard.  The lower (air in) opening and the upper (air out) sizes are important.  Also the height will determine how quick the air flow will be.  (Think of the draft/draw of a tall chimney versus a short one.)  I assume the hot water is flowing in copper tubes as in all other apartments,  if so without convection air to remove the heat the water temp in and out would be about the same.  Without convection air flowing thru fins what you have there is a really wimpy want-a-be radiator.  Think of the weight/mass of a CI rad by comparison to this fin tube.