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Convectors converted to part time airconditioning vents

tcnjdeluca
tcnjdeluca Member Posts: 29
in Strictly Steam
So at the end of December I had a zoning valve break on my home that had a separate zone for an attached office. Zoning valves being expensive I opened up both valves and contolled the system from the main house. The office was too cold with this setup and I called in a pro who upgraded venting on all 3 mains and fixed up some piping. The office is still too cold so I have been doing everything I can to squeeze as much heat as possible out of the system. Today when I took the covers off the convectors to vacuum them out I discovered that some of them had holes cut in the bottom so they can act as air conditioner vents. (See picture) will this effect the performance of the convectors? Should I plug up the holes it the winter or would it not make a difference? Thanks

Comments

  • JUGHNE
    JUGHNE Member Posts: 11,248
    Where does the hole go to?
    Regardless, the convector will draw air up thru it and not from the room. Possibly cold basement air is being heated and sent into the room. With out the air convective loop happening in that room it would be hard to heat.

    I would lay a piece of 1x4 to cover the hole. Nothing so thick to stop the air flow from the room.
  • Jamie Hall
    Jamie Hall Member Posts: 24,508
    Zoning valve? Is this steam? If so, I hope the zoning valves is the full port type, and not reduced port or globe or some other form of evil...
    Br. Jamie, osb
    Building superintendent/caretaker, 7200 sq. ft. historic house museum with dependencies in New England
  • tcnjdeluca
    tcnjdeluca Member Posts: 29
    Yes it is 2 pipe Warren Webster steam with in wall convectors. I am not sure why style valves they were, I have them both open now. I imagine when I get a new boiler in a few years I will have them removed.
  • Jamie Hall
    Jamie Hall Member Posts: 24,508
    Do. Some types of valves can seriously limit getting steam downstream, even when they are fully open.

    And if it's Warren Webster, you should run low pressure -- no more than a pound -- and can usually dial in each radiator or convector very nicely with the inlet valve.
    Br. Jamie, osb
    Building superintendent/caretaker, 7200 sq. ft. historic house museum with dependencies in New England
  • tcnjdeluca
    tcnjdeluca Member Posts: 29
    I have the pressurtol turned all the way down. The vaporstat will be an upgrade for a future boiler. I am hesitant to turn down the convectors in the main house which is quite comfortable in order to warm up the office which is only used 3-4 hours a day. I am thinking of installing supplemental electric heat in there if my current efforts are unsuccessful.

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