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Recessed cast iron radiators - pulling them out of wall - Does it make a difference?

jeanc
jeanc Member Posts: 18
in Radiant Heating
Is there anyone who has experience in pulling these out of the wall? I have a few of these radiators and when the temps go below 20, my house can get to 66 degrees or so. I've been told pulling these out and putting some insulation behind them should help put out more heat but I'm curious if anyone has experience doing that before going through the trouble. They are not the best looking things to be sitting around in a room!

Comments

  • vaporvac
    vaporvac Member Posts: 1,520
    Could you post a pic? My regular rads are recessed and I put reflective insulation behind them. It is stuck to the walls and reflects in both directions. The stiff kind works as well. It makes a huge difference.
    Two-pipe Trane vaporvacuum system; 1466 edr
    Twinned, staged Slantfin TR50s piped into 4" header with Riello G400 burners; 240K lead, 200K lag Btus. Controlled by Taco Relay and Honeywell RTH6580WF
  • kcopp
    kcopp Member Posts: 4,472
    Can you give us more info? Something isn't right or has changed since the system was installed. Is this hot water or steam? What is the boiler set up? Gas? Oil? Where are you at? got any pictures?
    kcopp
  • jonny88
    jonny88 Member Posts: 1,139
    If the are not insulated behind you will loose a tremendous amount of heat transfer.Vaporvac answered your ?.Pull them out and see.
  • Larry_52
    Larry_52 Member Posts: 182
    edited March 2015
    I always put a foil faced 1/2 polyiso board of insulation behind my recessed rads. Works well and does not place the rads too proud of the wall finish. I tend to use base cap molding around the rads to make them look pretty.
  • j a_2
    j a_2 Member Posts: 1,801
    Does the existing rads, match the heat loss of each room? You will gain about 10% by taking them out and putting them in as free standing..I seroiusley,would look for other issues...
  • icesailor
    icesailor Member Posts: 7,265
    Third world reality check:

    Crank the heat up. Get the recessed radiators (Sunrad Cast Iron?) smokin' hot. Go outside with a El Cheapo Infra-Red thermometer gun. Locate the spot on the side of the building where the recessed radiator is. Shoot the wall. If the wall is the OAT, and gets hot where the radiator is, you have heat loss.

    If the pipes through the floor will allow it, a piece of 1/2" covered Urethane reflective foam board can be a fine thing. During the last century, before all the high tech foam board, we stapled reflective Kraft paper to the wall. Shiny side in to reflect the heat back into the room. It probably helped some. It was better than nothing. Even a piece of 1/2" sheetrock is better than nothing.

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