Modern cast iron radiators combine all of the strengths of vintage styled radiators with the technical know how of modern science and engineering. These devices are a bit harder to come by, since most people seem to be switching to forced air units to heat their homes, but they are still out there and work well. There are many occasions where a modern radiator system will reduce your heating bills and save energy, truly the green solution.
Advantages Over Forced Air Systems
Modern radiator systems hold huge advantages over forced air systems which knowledgeable engineers and architects use when designing homes and heating systems. For one thing, you never need to worry about getting hot spots or cold spots due to weird air flows inside your home. The heat provided by the radiator flows outwards in a controlled space and does not rely on these currents. In addition, you’ll never get that drafty feeling you often get in forced air heated homes. The lack of a draft is also a strong advantage when it comes to odors, pollen, smoke, or any other particulates within the house. Because there’s less drafts, there’s less movement of these undesirables around your home.
The Benefits of Zoning
With modern systems you could set up zoning in your home. This means that each radiator can be controlled separately, or several could be chained together (not literally) to form a ‘zone.’ A single thermostat could control the entire zone. By controlling the heat in each room or floor of your home separately, you could tailor the heating of specific rooms at specific times to your specific needs. There’s no need to heat the downstairs if you’re upstairs in bed reading a book, for instance. Similarly, why waste energy heating the bedrooms when everyone’s downstairs for dinner? Zone control lets you save on energy costs which means a little more green in your pocket at the end of the day.
Modern Systems with Vintage Radiators?
So is it possible to set up a modern system but with vintage style radiators? Absolutely, although you’ll likely need the help of your local professional. Many people love the advantages of modern systems, but are also attracted to the ornate metal work of Victorian style radiators. So why not go with the best of both worlds? There are companies that refurbish vintage cast iron radiators to make them as good as any modernly manufactured unit. After you have the units, setting up the zones and reaping the benefits takes no more than a simple phone call to your local pro.
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Refurbishing Your Cast Iron Radiator
Refurbishing and restoring your cast iron radiator can be a fun task that will brighten up the whole room by improving the aesthetic of your lovely heating unit. Some simple ways of touching up your radiator that can also improve its working efficiency include painting, creation of a radiator cover, enclosures, and conversions. Resizing your radiator or adding extra fins and coils is a job best left to the professionals, though, so take care that you don’t bite off more than you can chew.
Painting Your Radiator
Painting a cast iron radiator is a little more involved than you might think, but it has definite benefits. Covering the radiator with metallic based paints will reduce the heat output by up to 20 percent, which is a significant reduction. This is definitely something to consider if your unit is putting out too much heat. You’ll need to make the choice to either cover up what’s already there or strip the old paint first. Once you’ve decided, make sure you clean the surface before you begin painting. Covering the entire surface of the radiator with a zinc or zinc chromate primer is key to making sure your paint job will last a long time. Use oil based paint for your radiator. Brush it on gently, making sure to get all of the angles. Make sure the paint dries completely before you run the radiator. Then open all the windows and let it run for awhile to get that new paint smell out.
Creating Radiator Covers
A radiator cover can greatly add to the look and efficiency of your cast iron radiator. The best benefit, though, is the huge increase in radiator safety. This should be a critical component of your refurbishing plans if safety is a concern for you. It’s definitely recommended, especially if you have small children or pets. The process for making a radiator cover isn’t too hard, but it has way too many steps to be covered here. The pros down at This Old House made a great tutorial , which I’d recommend if you’re interested.
Enclosures
Enclosures are another way to improve the look of your radiator. This doesn’t involve the radiator itself, but rather the space around the radiator. Radiator enclosures will work to reduce the heat output into the room by the radiator, so its another solution if your rooms are getting too hot. The classic style enclose seen in many older homes has a metal perforated front and a solid top. This reduces the heat output by as much as 30%. Enclosures are similar to radiator covers, but note that they do not necessarily encompass the entire radiator.
Conversions
Converting a steam radiator to a hot water radiator is a long term project that you should consider consulting a professional for. This can involve working with your boiler, and that’s enough right there to make me nervous. Work with the pros for conversions to avoid unnecessary damage to your cast iron radiator and your home.
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Cast Iron Radiator Fundamentals
Do you find yourself looking at a cast iron radiator, unsure of what is what or where to begin? The best way is to become educated on the composition of the radiator as well as the reasoning behind it. What does each part do? Why cast iron, anyways? What is the purpose of painting or coating the radiator? Does size matter? There are many questions, so let’s see if we can’t find some answers.
Cast Iron - the Ideal Metal for Heating Your Home
The scientific reason why cast iron is used for radiators is that it has a high specific heat capacity. In everyday terms, this means that it takes a lot of energy to increase the temperature of the material. Why is this a good thing? Well, the harder it is to increase the temperature, the more energy the material stores per degree. So once you get it hot, there’s a huge amount of energy stored. This makes it easy to heat things that don’t require much energy to increase in temperature, like air. The specific heat capacity is also why cast iron is a common choice in other fields where it’s used to heat other things, like in cooking.
The Anatomy of the Radiator
A radiator is made of a few key parts. First you’ll see a few pipes that lead in to your unit. There’s typically only one or two. A valve will be attached to one of them. The radiator itself will have many sections and a few columns. The sections are the number of coils present, and the columns are how many repetitions of these sections go back. And that’s all there really is to a cast iron radiator, fundamentally.
Why So Many Coils and Tubes?
The trick to this one is knowing how radiators work in principle. Heat is coming off of the surface of the hot iron and flowing into your room. The transfer of heat to the air only occurs at the surface of the radiator. So manufacturer’s put in all sorts of coils and fins and loops in order to increase the surface area, thus making the heat flow from the radiator into the room much faster and more efficiently.
Radiator Size
The size of your radiator basically determines how much heat it generates. This relates back to the coils and tubes question. Basically larger radiator equals more surface which means faster heating.
The Purpose of Paint
Painting a radiator isn’t just about the asthetic of your room. It also plays a key role in determining heat output. Since the 1930’s, people have been painting their radiators in order to reduce the amount of heat it puts out. So if you’re radiator is too large, and your house is getting too hot, the cheapest solution is likely good ole fahsioned paint.
Fundamentals
That’s basically the entire fundamentals of cast iron radiators. Remember to be safe - if you’re unsure of how something works, it’s always better to ask questions than t potentially injure yourself.
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Click Here For More Radiator Related Articles…
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Article Excerpts
Why You Need a Radiator Cabinet
If you have a cast iron radiator at home that isn’t housed in a radiator cabinet, you’re doing yourself a great disservice on multiple fronts. Radiator cabinets are absolutely essential because they provide many different advantages to your home. In essence, a radiator cabinet is not dissimilar from a radiator cover in terms of appearance or function. What separates the two is merely a turn of phrase. While the specific benefits will vary from unit to unit, pretty much all radiator cabinets will provide added functionality, appearance, and safety to whichever cast iron radiator they are placed around.
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Comfort and Warmth With Bathroom Radiators
If you’re looking for a simple and inexpensive way to provide yourself with a nice touch of luxury, you might be very interested in bathroom radiators. A bathroom radiators adds extra warmth and joy to that unavoidable room that you’re bound to see on a daily basis. This kind of radiator is inexpensive, easy to maintain, and tasteful. There are even many designer radiator models that add an extra aesthetic flair to the functionality of the unit. Because of the wide breadth of variety involved, you’re sure to find one that meets your technical requirements and personal tastes so long as you search enough. So, how can a bathroom radiator add some extra luxury to your life?
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Electric Radiators
If cast iron radiators don’t appeal to you, you may want to consider going the electric route instead. Electric radiators have many substantial benefits to offer, especially if you’re looking for a heating solution which will apply to a single room instead of a floor or the entire home. Electric radiators offer improved efficiency and greater control over other radiator varieties. They also tend to involve lower maintenance and installation costs. For small units, there aren’t any installation costs at all! Electric radiators are a great way to go if you don’t have a large budget or a large space to heat.
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Cast Iron Radiator Safety Tips
Cast iron radiators can get extremely hot. Especially so when the weather is cold outside and you have the thermostat raised. The fact of the matter is that they will be safety hazards at this point, especially to small children and pets. Kids ages five or younger may not quite understand the whole “don’t touch the radiator” rule that you have, so it’s up to you to make sure that they are safe. Here’s a couple of basic safety tips you can use to make your radiator less of a hazard. Remember - these are my personal ideas, and I do not in any way guarantee that they will work or that they will not lead to other hazards. In other words, don’t hold me liable for these tips - use them at your own discretion.
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Simple Repair Tips
If you’re anything like me, you’re a do it yourself kind of person. It’s always more fun and exciting to be able to fix things yourself than to have to call in the pros. But is this a good attitude to have when dealing with cast iron radiators? What kind of maintenance should you be attempting, and what should you be calling in the plumber for? Learn about bleeding the radiator, what to do with a leaky cast iron radiator, and what to do if problems with the circulator arise.
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Different Types of Radiators
A couple different varieties exist in the world of cast iron radiators. There are two basic ways to heat your radiator, hot water or steam, and many different varieties in style. Here’s an overview of what makes each distinct and unique. Knowing the differences and similarities between steam radiators, hot water radiators, antique cast iron radiators, vintage cast iron radiators, and modern cast iron radiators will help you decide which is best for your needs.
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