what kind of heating uses looped baseboard...also safety Q

Kat_2

great, thanks guys. This will be good news for my roomate, since that is actually her room.

Kat_2

question about looped baseboard heating system

I just looked at an apartment that i'm interested in renting. It is heated by a baseboard system which is looped around the apartment on all the outer walls. Would this be forced hot water? The only concern is that one of the bedrooms has baseboards on 3 of 4 walls. How close can furniture be to the baseboards? Would it be plausible to build simple platforms so that the furniture could be against the wall (on the platform), but the heat would go under the furniture? How hot do these radiators get?

Brad White_9

Kat

What you are describing is almost certainly forced hot water.

Having radiation on three of four walls is a good thing; at least we hope the outside walls are covered.

(Cover four walls and there is a trip hazard at the doors )

One of course hopes that the radiation matches at least the heat loss of the room but at least you have coverage. Rather than open that discussion, let's assume that the place heats.

In many rooms a piece or two of furniture against the walls does not hurt much that you can percieve. If so, pull them out an inch or so. You may find if a couch is there it can increase the output by making a slight "chimney" effect.

If the baseboard is conventional fin-tube using 180 degree water, the surface of the steel cover (has air flowing through it) is warm, not hot. I would guess 90 to 110 degrees tops. If cast iron (lucky you for it rocks) the surface temperature would be fractionally below the hot water temperature, 170 or so and it varies.

I would hold on the carpentry and save those skills for bookcases and shelving.

Cheers!

Brad

Kat_2

thanks for the insight!

Thanks for the insight! The only issue is that the room with 3 of 4 walls covered is a bedroom and both me and my roomate have multiple bureaus (sp?). In the living room its fine to have a couch slightly off of the wall, but I fear we are going to lose a lot of space in that one bedroom if we have to have all the furniture slightly off of the wall. suggestions? I am sending an attachment with a general floor layout of the place. the red line is the baseboard heating. The problem bedroom is bedroom1

Brad White_9

WPI has trained you well....

Nice drawing!

As for the situation, I would not sweat it. Any bureau forced against the baseboard will be set off enough to let the heat out. You could not block it if you tried

If any concern I have it is that the bedroom may be too warm.... especially if the first set of elements served. Of course what you may be seeing is blank cover to conceal pipe.. the finned element is where it counts...

If so you can close the dampers which there should be, in the slot where the warm air comes out. If on the end of the run, I am less concerned. Most people like cooler sleeping quarters so that is subjective.

Kat_2

excellent

excellent, you have eased my concerns about burning down the house. Also, I had thought of that room being too warm...I am hoping that it is the last room in the loop. I do think that some of it is just covering pipe, as parts of the cover were displaced in sections and I didn't see an element everywhere. I will invistigate further when I head back to check the place out again.

Brad White_9

No Worries

about burning down the house (unless you are talking electric baseboard of course). All is well below the flash point of the materials.

Good Luck!

Brad

Empire_2

Great reply Brad...;-)

Kat, Take a look in the basement if you have one... If the boiler seems to be under room #1, I would bet that the 2 parameter base are finned and the inner wall just a Decorative cover to hide the pipe. Chances are that that room is the first on the loop. Like Brad stated, I would not worry to much;-)

My .02

Mike T.

Brad White_9

I hope

she appreciates you. We sure did.

John_102

if the baseboard is finned all around

a strip of aluminum foil judiciously applied over a section will reduce the radiation.

What is WPI?

John Reynolds

WPI

I believe WPI is Worcester Polytechnical Institue. But could be something else?

John

Jeff Lawrence_25

Worcester Polytechnic Institute

It's part of her email address. She's an alumni.

hr

Just be sure

they are not electric baseboards. those can get faily hot and burn curtains or other stuff put against them.

hot rod

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