Steps needed to guarantee Runtal radiators last?

H2OBandit603

Let’s say you are installing new Runtal steel radiators throughout a home,  the salesman at the showroom outside Boston says if you do everything right they should last forever.  Assuming he’s not lying, what steps would you take in the initial install as well as annual maintenance to make this happen?

Oxygen barrier Pex and a magnetic filter obviously, but what other components and steps does it really take?  Is forever even a realistic time frame? Let’s say 50 years.

Mad Dog_2

As long as you don't break open the system and introduce air (corrosion) AND you have a High Quality Air Eliminator Spirovent, Caleffi, Taco, they could last 75-80 yrs...maybe more.  Runtal is VG qaulity   Mad Dog 🐕 

Jamie Hall

Also -- make sure that if the exterior finish is damaged in any way that you repair it quickly. They are steel, which needs protection, not cast iron, which doesn't.

Mad Dog_2

Yeah.  They can chip pretty easily.  Lay down a heavy blanket or quilted moving blanket under it.  Keep wrenches and tools away.  Mad Dog 🐕 

H2OBandit603

Mad Dog_2 said:

As long as you don't break open the system and introduce air (corrosion) AND you have a High Quality Air Eliminator Spirovent, Caleffi, Taco, they could last 75-80 yrs...maybe more.  Runtal is VG qaulity   Mad Dog 🐕 

That is very good news.  All I see online is the useful lifespan of a hydronic system being 20 years and we are replacing the original 39 year old boiler and baseboards in my parents house.  Hard to sell such a big retrofit/upgrade to Runtal radiators if they are going to rust out in 20 years.

EBEBRATT-Ed

Steel boilers have lasted 20-25 years on a steam system which has air in it.

On a hydronic system you keep the air and oxygen out and it will not rust from the inside.

You can cut open a hydronic system 50 years old piped in steel pipe and the steel pipe is as good as new.

The rads may not be as thick as pipe but they should last a good while.

To be sure keep the air out check the water quality.

mattmia2

Make sure the flow velocities are reasonable too.

Mad Dog_2

I've got plenty of Runtals and Buderus Panel Rads in over 25 years...No leaks  Mad Dog 

kcopp

Your fill water and chemistry is key.
I would seriously consider demineralized water. I use these on many of my projects.

https://axiomind.com/axiom_products_cat/h2o-demineralizer/

hot_rod

Good water and a hydronic conditioner

The conditioner has a film provider in the mix. It puts a micron thin coating on the wetted surfaces to protect  them 

step one run a cleaner, flush the next day
step two add good fill water low hardness low TDS
step three squirt in a hydronic conditioner Rhomar, Fernox , etc

So many different metals to protect in modern systems 
Copper, brass, stainless, steel, cast iron, maybe aluminum the conditioner protects them all

clammy

As hot rod has stated good water chemistry low tds assured there are no leaks meaning no make up water and I would suggest a good corrosion inhibitor w o2 scavengers . Also if there’s any soldering be done on the copper then the system should have a cleaner put in and ran then completely flushed to remove any flux residue .I usually dose the system some sentinel inhibitor and check the levels yearly . I personally like the adey magnetic separators mainly because they come w isolation valves the magentic and its housing can be removed and cleaned and it a great place to add your inhibitor and w the magnet removed you will see any magnite . I ve installed a few Buderus rads and have them in my home and have heard of leakers but have yet to encounter any I believe those who have not done any research unlike yourself and forget basic chemistry are the one who have issues . I feel w Trv and ecm pumps there not much else that works as well in my eyes for comfort ,control and ease of installation in existing older finished homes plus I feel they blend in quite well without have to remove old base moldings and don’t collect dust bunnies like baseboard and are easier and cheaper for room to room temp control .
Peace and good luck clammy

SummitMechanic

The Runtal baseboards themselves will outlast any component on your heat system, including the bleeder valves and shutoffs on the baseboards themselves. with a new system i would expect to start replacing some minor plastic parts in 5 or so years such as zone valve motors and check valves that are built into pumps. An around 10 years for the pumps themselves and Air eliminators etc. This all depends on water quality of course.