Ultra fin

ben01

Hello-


Are there any opinions regarding Ultra Fin aluminum plates? I have cast iron radiators throughout the 2 story house with steel piping in walls. I’m planning on using a cast iron boiler which is already installed.

I have done a small room addition as well as kitchen remodel and I am looking for ways to achieve the required heat loss for the space. I have another thread on the heat loss but I’m in the 25-30 range with the 3 programs I’ve used.

With kitchen cabinets, stairwell into basement, floor coverings (rugs), and Ductwork below, I’m worried transfer plates won’t be enough for our design temp days. FWIW, I’m in Chicago.

I’ve done some reading in this site but most information is quite a few years old.

Thoughts / comments are appreciated!

Thanks,
Ben

hot_rod

To add with the cast iron radiators or to replace the radiators? The UF certainly can work well in the right application.

A good option when the subfloor will not allow transfer plates and the load matches.

Some serious infiltration around the door on this new install. The hot spot is an air compressor.

ben01

Thanks for your input, HR.

The ultra fin would be in place of a large radiator on a formerly uninsulated kitchen, a 30 year old room addition which had forced air, and a new mud room addition.

These portions of the house have been gutted and opened up To create a more modern open concept.

ben01

The remainder of the house will utilize the excavation iron radiators. New kitchen layout won’t allow for large enough radiator and toe kick doesn’t sound too pleasing.

hot_rod

Once you have a load calc for the room, deduct any furnishings that completely cover the floor, be sure the load calc took into account floor build up and coverings.

Heat flux is design heat load ÷ available floor space. What does that look like for BTU/ sq ft?

For example 4,000 but/hr ÷ 182 sq ft ≠ 22 BTU/ sq. ft.

Mid to high 20's in BTU/ sq ft is doable.

If the load is too high wall or ceiling radiant could work or supplement.

notsoepic

I recently had ultrafins retrofitted on my older 1930 brick home with poor insulation and oak floors. They are my only heat source and I was a bit nervous after reading from some of the skeptics on here and other sites, but so far they are working great.

In the higher loss rooms we really packed the fins in---at the price point I don't see any reason not to. In those rooms the loss is probably upper 20 btu/hour and Ultrafin is keeping thing around 69 inside when it is 0 F outside.

I am running it on outdoor reset with the upper limit of the reset curve at 165. I am surprised how effective they are as I think most people view Ultrafins as an application only for 180 supply temps. If I get this place insulated properly I think I could bring the upper limit down closer to 150 and be in condensing range the vast majority of the time that I am running the system.

The downsides are its not particularly responsive (don't even think about nighttime setback) and the floor doesn't feel 'warm to the touch' like it would with transfer plates. And I'm running much hotter water than I would with transfer plates, but that seems fine for your application paired with radiators.