Welcome! Here are the website rules, as well as some tips for using this forum.
Need to contact us? Visit https://heatinghelp.com/contact-us/.
Click here to Find a Contractor in your area.

Covers for Sunrads

Options
Jim45
Jim45 Member Posts: 5
in THE MAIN WALL
Read this article with great interest on the effect of radiator enclosures https://heatinghelp.com/heating-museum/radiator-enclosures/ However I have a sunrad type not column so don't know if this article is applicable as it's different type of radiator. Is it the same for both?

I am pulling out some old sunrads to generate more heat including insulating the backs. I called a few radiator cover companies who build custom covers. Don't know if these guys understand heating.

Covers being sold are your standard ones with solid tops and a variety of grills on the front. Per the article, these are worst at decreasing output. This is exactly as I suspected. The rep was saying that these covers increase heat output by ensuring the heat doesn't rise to the ceiling and is distributed out as opposed to up. (http://stanleyradiatorenclosures.com/461378.html) Covering the top only seems feasible if there is plenty of space between the rad and top cover per the article. Also I would think, a cover on top is basically the same as shoving it in the wall, right?

This design appears to be a good choice *if* there are holes or a slot at the top. http://www.ifoyer.com/lakota/sunrad_radiator_cover.gif

Or I could go with a " standard" cover but put more height to the cover. Sunrad is 20 inches high an 4 inches deep. So go with a 28 inches high to give 8 inches of clearance instead of what's recommended by the cover company of 2 inches.

Anyone out there have covers for sunrads? Yes I have considered leaving them uncovered but wife hates the look.

Comments

  • Brewbeer
    Brewbeer Member Posts: 616
    Options
    There is a cover on the (2 pipe) steam radiator in the men's room at work. When you lift the cover off the top of the enclosure, the heat comes pouring out.
    Hydronics inspired homeowner with self-designed high efficiency low temperature baseboard system and professionally installed mod-con boiler with indirect DHW. My system design thread: http://forum.heatinghelp.com/discussion/154385
    System Photo: https://us.v-cdn.net/5021738/uploads/FileUpload/79/451e1f19a1e5b345e0951fbe1ff6ca.jpg
  • Jim45
    Jim45 Member Posts: 5
    Options
    Hi folks. Sorry for the bother.. but was really hoping someone could give me some guidance as I have a woodworker making radiator covers waiting for me to send measurements:

    The main question is how much clearance do I need at the top of the unreccessed sunrad? So I'm pulling these suckers out of the wall and insulating behind them. I want to make a cover like this: http://www.ifoyer.com/lakota/sunrad_radiator_cover.gif
    However - it seems per the article for HH I need more clearance at the top .

    My dilemma is that I don't want to pop the rads out only to have the cover get be back to square 1.

    The article gives various scenarios for radiator cover where some DO improve or at least don't reduce the output. But not sure if this applies to a sunrad.

Categories