Adding baseboard to existing system

Ben_3

First, I would try to talk him out of this. The heat output of that old rad will be far greater then the baseboard. Second if you really want to install the baseboard I would recommend using only cast iron baseboard in this case. You will have to pitch this entire run of baseboard with the flow of steam(not counterflow as the existing rad is. This means it will not be level on the wall!!! You must vent it well, I prefer to vent it on the return line rather than the top tapping of the cast iron baseboard, steam being lighter than air will shut off the vent before it fills up with steam( the reason rad vents are halfway up the rad instead of the top.) You then must run this return back to the boiler wet. If you can not you can make a loop seal and brimg it back into the bottom of the main. You know there are some really nice radiator covers you can have made and there are really cool thermostatic one pipe vents to help control the output, or perhaps a new radiator might be more appealing to the eye. But trust me on this anything will be better than that baseboard especially if you were planning to use copper!!!

robert griggs

Adding baseboard to an existing system

I have a customer who just purchased a small house with oil fired steam heat. It is a one-pipe system. He wants to remove the existing radiators and install baseboard because he does not like the looks of the radiators, and they are in the way of the way he wants to decorate the house.

He also wants to add heat to one room in the basement where there is no heat currently. The steam main line runs directly above where the new baseboard will go. I was wondering how to install this new baseboard. I am going to tap into the main for the steam, but was wondering what to do with the condensate? I can run a line back to the boiler and connect there, as it is only about 10-12 feet away. I am assuming that I will need some type of check valve if I do this. Or shouldI put a condensate pump for this baseboard only and run the new line back to the boiler above the water line and drop into the Hartford loop?

Any help is appreciated.

Thanks,

Bob Griggs