radiator replacement

Garret

If you're re-tiling the floor, you might want to consider an electric radiant floor system. I didn't realize those existed when I was designing our bath, so I don't know how well they work or how the price compares to just swapping in a smaller wallmount radiator. But in theory it'd be nicer... warm floor, decoupled from the house heating cycles (so you can keep the bath a bit warmer than the house if you like).

Do a search here for electric radiant floor and you'll find some info.

-Garret

Pat_18

radiator replacement

I have a very small bathroom which I would liket to replace the radiator with a baseboard unit for space saving purposes. Any conflicts with doing this while keeping the rest of my radiators?

Steamhead (in transit)

Is this

a steam or hot-water system?

"Steamhead"

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Pat_18

Steam.

Steamhead (in transit)

The usual fin-tube baseboard

is not such a good idea, since it doesn't have enough room inside for the steam and the water to get out of each other's way. Slant/Fin makes their Multi-Pak 80 baseboard available with a special element for steam, having a core of 1-1/4" steel pipe. Unfortunately, this type of baseboard cools down much faster than cast-iron will, so the room goes cold sooner. And even if you currently have a one-pipe system, any type of fin-tube will need a return connection going to the basement.

Cast-iron baseboard such as Burnham Baseray works much better. However, if the length needed is more than 3 feet or so, you'll still need to run a return line to the basement. The 3/4-inch tapping in the end of the Baseray won't allow water to drain back from a longer unit.

"Steamhead"

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Garret

We remodeled our bathroom a few years back, and replaced a large cast iron radiator with a small wall-mount radiator from www.steamradiators.com. We have two-pipe steam.

The new radiator has much less heat output than the old radiator, but it's been fine... It's a small bath (7ft x 7ft), and I think the old rad was oversized for the space. The new one is at least 50% smaller in sq ft EDR, and it's steel instead of cast iron, so it doesn't hold heat at all between cycles. One nice thing is that tile floor does pick up heat from the radiator and slowly release it... I notice how warm the floor is near the radiator in the mornings.

Here's a pic of our bath radiator...

http://www.worksongs.net/photos/2006-02-Boiler-Replacement/slides/SBG_7834.html

-Garret

Pat_18

Thanks Guys. Ansewred everythig I needed to know. I checked out the wall mount units and they look like a perfect solution to my problem.

Thanks Again!