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is steam or water better for baseboard?

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john_27
john_27 Member Posts: 195
in THE MAIN WALL
Some of us on the Wall are having a debate about using steam or hot water for baseboard. What say you?

Comments

  • Al Letellier_9
    Al Letellier_9 Member Posts: 929
    steam or hot water

    As usual, it depends. But based on plain old physics, you get more BTU's per square foot of radiation just 'cause steam is a lot hotter.

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  • Brad White_106
    Brad White_106 Member Posts: 8
    I think it ought

    to match the heating system it is connected to! :)

    Steam fin-tube has issues such as pitch (long runs even in cover have to be carefully pitched) and if too long, expansion compensation.

    The thin walls of steel tubing (or even copper I have seen) may not last as long as standing cast iron but I do not want to over-state that. But Sch. 40 steel tubing is the steel standard is it not? I would opt for Sch. 80 for longevity if available especially on a return bend. I do not mean to overstate that though; it may not be much of an issue. Such installations have lasted for years.

    The upside as Al said is, you need less off it because it runs hotter. A lot of heat in a smaller space.

    After that it is the usual steam/HW debate and I do not want to awaken John Ruhnke right now... :)
  • frank_25
    frank_25 Member Posts: 202
    bb

    Steam is good. Steam is good for radiators. Steam is no good in bb. But what do I know? I'm just a plumber.
  • Unknown
    Unknown
    cast iron base board...

    CIBB, hot water is best for it, use it at any temps and easier to pipe and zoning,etc.. What the heat source?
  • john_27
    john_27 Member Posts: 195


    the finned baseboard is copper....originally, it was a retrofit on a broomell system.....of course, no traps...so, we have a choice....reconnect it to the steam using a tunstall trap, or convert back to hot water.....
  • Steamhead (in transit)
    Steamhead (in transit) Member Posts: 6,688
    It'll work, John

    just need to add the traps, your fin-tube is big enough to handle the steam.

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  • Boilerpro_5
    Boilerpro_5 Member Posts: 407
    I don't like any lightweight convector type units for steam

    In my view they are an inherently inefficient combination. The problem I see is that the convectors heat up nearly instantly on each cycle, sending a pulse of superheated air into the room. That superheated air rushes to the ceiling, creating a pillow of hot air at the ceiling. Also as it rushes to the ceiling, it tends to find air leaks and leaks out at accelerated rates.. both of these run up heat loads. Also, all this hot air at the ceiling does the occupants very little good, until it pools downward to the floor level. If you want to nearly duplicate the operation of an old scorched air furnace with hot water or steam, this is probably the best way, IMHO.
    Standing iron, on the other hand, can absorb these pulses of steam and gently radiate this heat into the spaces, keeping air stratification to a minimum.
    I converted a large steam convector system from the 1940's in a church a few years back, and have heard thier fuel usage has dropped in half or more. While getting rid of a severely limed up boiler, adding good controls, and stage fired boilers, all contributed big pieces of these savings, I strongly suspect that the modulation of the water temp to the convectors also contributed to the savings. And the system is now nearly silent in operation.

    Boilerpro



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  • Christian Egli_2
    Christian Egli_2 Member Posts: 812
    Copper is the ultimate luxury these days :) $$$$$

    The newly restored Federal building in Cincinnati is brand new copper fin tubes, very small convectors, small diameters, all on steam. Works great with steam and the new thermostatic valves and the all new traps. Sarco.

    Steam being so hot makes it's heat very valuable as an effective method of heating (and very efficient if you're not having either venting problems or boiler problems).

    You get the same superior system efficiencies with very hot water but, of course, with hot water boilers, you loose in boiler efficiency as water temperature rises. With steam, you can reach the high temperatures without caring much about boiler efficiency dropping because of the powerful heat carrying capacity of steam that kicks in upon boiling.

    Unless your system has all the radiation necessary to be run on super cold hot water, there is nothing for you to be gained steering away from steam.

    Was this fin tube installed as an addition to the boiler, feeding by gravity off of its water content? And it is not operating satisfactorily? Perhaps what would be easier than messing with pumps and controls is to reinstall a properly steamed radiator (or convector), keeping in style with the grandness of your home.
  • john_27
    john_27 Member Posts: 195
    to christian and Dan

    I've tried to find 3-4 steam radiators to hook up in place
    of the baseboard....I got close on a couple...but no luck so far.....I wanted the heavy mass because of the flywheel effect...but...no luck.I've an oversized boiler so...why not use the steam? well, it's a Broomell, and I'm concerned , in the absence of el's, that balancing will be too much of an issue......I also have hot water in the basement....figured I could set up a zone in the room and get the heat I need.
    I think Dan mentioned in Lost Art that HE WASN'T TOO KEEN on the use of baseboard and steam...hence the question.
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