1917 Home with Radiators...Upstairs hot, downstairs cold

Carol_4

I don't believe so. Do you think the heat isn't rising up through the roof well enough?

Carol_4

1917 Home with radiators...Upstairs hot, downstairs cold

We have an old 1917 home with radiators. The problem is that the upstairs gets way too hot at 75 degrees, while the downstairs is too cold at about 67 degrees. How can we even out the heat. Should we shut some radiators off upstairs? Will this shut off heat in other areas of the house?

Please help.

Mike T., Swampeast MO

Has a significant amount of attic insulation been added since the home was built?

Mike T., Swampeast MO

You DON'T want heat rising up through the roof! Added insulation frequently makes the upper floor radiators relatively oversized compared to down.

An alternative condition is warm air rising through the house then into and out of the attic.

I'd suggest some SERIOUS tightening. Start with the basement. Caulk and weatherstrip well. Work your way up. Insulate and seal around ANYTHING penetrating from living space into the attic.

Perhaps you recently re-roofed and "whirlybirds" were added? Around here when that happens it's VERY rare that sufficient air intake space into the attic is provided and now the whirlybirds just suck your warm, conditioned air right out of the house! If a 1917 home has survived for generations without "modern" attic ventilation I'm HIGHLY suspect of the need...

Carol_4

Thanks for your help. We just bought the house and it needed A LOT of insulating when we moved in. My husband has been busy doing that by replacing/insulating storm windows, etc. We live in Minnesota and it is -5 degress today. My nanny said the upstairs was VERY hot and the downstairs very cold. I am guessing by your response that turning off radiators upstairs isn't a viable solution.

bob_64

hart and crouse furnace

what kind of pump and motor goes on this furnace. model of furnace is 5-gpq 3? if any body can help please e mail me thanks. its getting mighty cold here in wi.

Mike T., Swampeast MO

You can certainly try to solve by regulating the radiators via the hand valves. If simple steam, they should be fully on or fully off--not in between.

If water (or a steam vapor system) you can position the valves anywhere you want. Can be really rough to regulate a converted gravity hot water system (good chance that's your system) this way.

Bob W._3

Carol, what kind of heat, steam or hot water? makes a difference. Also, where in MN are you?

Carol_4

We have radiators that are original to the house. We need to "bleed" these in the winter with a key. Does that help? I'm not sure if I know the type. We did have a friend come out and he told my husband that the radiators ran on a continuous path. (i.e., we couldn't turn one off or we may turn off an entire section of the house??)

We like in Minneapolis. Are you familiar with the area?

Bob W._3

There is a heating guy named Jeff Haugan who posts on this board, out of White Bear Lake. Do a search and you will get his email. Don't know how far into Mpls he will go, as he does the east and north Metro, I believe. Good luck.

Steamhead (in transit)

It's hot water

and if the system is that old and it's a "continuous path", it may be an old one-pipe gravity system.

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