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Default Looking to switch from Radiant to baseboard heat

I am looking to update my heating system in my home. I live in a ranch house
that is approximately 5500 sq/ft. The downstairs (~2000 sq/ft) is finished
and has radiant heat in the floor. The upstairs (~3500 sq/ft) has radiant
heat in the ceiling which I am considering replacing to a baseboard style.

I am thinking of installing an under cabinet toe kick heater(s) in my kitchen.


In my living room/dining room which the back outside wall is all windows, I
am looking at either a floor vector or the in floor cabinet.

Should I just stay with the radiant in the ceiling? Any advice or suggestions?


Thanks in advance

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Default Looking to switch from Radiant to baseboard heat

On Sep 17, 7:37*am, "djvjr" u46278@uwe wrote:
I am looking to update my heating system in my home. *I live in a ranch house
that is approximately 5500 sq/ft. The downstairs (~2000 sq/ft) is finished
and has radiant heat in the floor. *The upstairs (~3500 sq/ft) has radiant
heat in the ceiling which I am considering replacing to a baseboard style.. *

I am thinking of installing an under cabinet toe kick heater(s) in my kitchen.

In my living room/dining room which the back outside wall is all windows, * I
am looking at either a floor vector or the in floor cabinet.

Should I just stay with the radiant in the ceiling? Any advice or suggestions?

Thanks in advance


Radiant in ceiling, so its unheated above? That wastes a major portion
of your heat-money up and out. What you have on the first floor is
best, in floor. Are you running a low temp around 110f with pipe in
the floor as the radiator, the large cast iron radiators I have are
hardly warm at 110f, radiant in floor pipe operates at much lower
temps. I think a conversion will pay for itself over time. To bad you
cant consider floor radiant for the second floor, maybe there is a
way.
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Default Looking to switch from Radiant to baseboard heat

On Sep 17, 8:37*am, "djvjr" u46278@uwe wrote:
I am looking to update my heating system in my home. *I live in a ranch house
that is approximately 5500 sq/ft. The downstairs (~2000 sq/ft) is finished
and has radiant heat in the floor. *The upstairs (~3500 sq/ft) has radiant
heat in the ceiling which I am considering replacing to a baseboard style.. *

I am thinking of installing an under cabinet toe kick heater(s) in my kitchen.

In my living room/dining room which the back outside wall is all windows, * I
am looking at either a floor vector or the in floor cabinet.

Should I just stay with the radiant in the ceiling? Any advice or suggestions?

Thanks in advance


I think you are describing a different type of radiant heating than
most people think of when they think of radiant heating. Please
describe you system.
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Default Looking to switch from Radiant to baseboard heat

My house was built in the late 50's. The heat is a 3/8 diameter soldered
copper pipe radiant heat in the ceilings in the main living area (upstairs).
The tubes form numerous "U" shapes throughout each room and extend to about
1 foot away from the edge. The upstairs is on 2 seperate zones. This is a
classic radiant heat system, just not one that is in the floor for some
reason.

Also, do radiant heat temps run different than baseboards?



Pat wrote:
I am looking to update my heating system in my home. Â*I live in a ranch house
that is approximately 5500 sq/ft. The downstairs (~2000 sq/ft) is finished

[quoted text clipped - 9 lines]

Thanks in advance


I think you are describing a different type of radiant heating than
most people think of when they think of radiant heating. Please
describe you system.


--
Message posted via http://www.homekb.com

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Default Looking to switch from Radiant to baseboard heat

On Sep 17, 7:19*pm, "djvjr via HomeKB.com" u46278@uwe wrote:
My house was built in the late 50's. *The heat is a 3/8 diameter soldered
copper pipe radiant heat in the ceilings in the main living area (upstairs).
The tubes form numerous *"U" shapes throughout each room and extend to about
1 foot away from the edge. *The upstairs is on 2 seperate zones. *This is a
classic radiant heat system, just not one that is in the floor for some
reason.

Also, do radiant heat temps run different than baseboards? *


Radiant heat can be very comfortable and efficient, but back in the
50's they were not too worried about comfort and they certainly did
not worry about efficiency.

If you have proper (sufficient) insulation above the ceiling area,
that should be good heat, comfortable and efficient. Two zones is a
plus, more zones could be better, depending. In fact how well
designed and installed the system is, makes all the difference.

Baseboard can also be comfortable and if you work it right, it can
me very efficient. Again it depends on how well it is designed and
installed. (designed means customized for your home and situation)


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Default Looking to switch from Radiant to baseboard heat

On Sep 18, 6:07*am, "djvjr via HomeKB.com" u46278@uwe wrote:
Its not that the heat is not good. *I just think I'm wasting it. *I have lots
of insulation in my attic. *No bare spots in the winter on the roof as if
heat was escaping. *Im just thinking that baseboard would be more efficient
than the ceiling mounted heat.





wrote:
My house was built in the late 50's. *The heat is a 3/8 diameter soldered
copper pipe radiant heat in the ceilings in the main living area (upstairs).

[quoted text clipped - 4 lines]


Also, do radiant heat temps run different than baseboards? *


* Radiant heat can be very comfortable and efficient, but back in the
50's they were not too worried about comfort and they certainly did
not worry about efficiency.


* If you have proper (sufficient) insulation above the ceiling area,
that should be good heat, comfortable and efficient. *Two zones is a
plus, more zones could be better, depending. *In fact how well
designed and installed the system is, makes all the difference.


* Baseboard can also be comfortable and if you work it right, it can
me very efficient. *Again it depends on how well it is designed and
installed. *(designed means customized for your home and situation)


--
Message posted viahttp://www.homekb.com- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -


In this case I doubt it. Once you put the heat into your home, it
is all about insulation. Ceiling radiant can loose heat above, but
with good insulation above it, that heat will not be lost. Changing
to baseboard does not change that. If the room needs 6,000 BTU per
hour, it will need the same amount from the baseboard or the ceiling.

The ceiling has the advantage of a large warm surface radiating
heat into the room. Some of that will land on you and make you fell
as if the room is really warmer than it is thereby reducing energy
usage while maintaining comfort. The baseboard will do the same thing
but to a lesser extent.

The baseboard is generally less likely to loose heat through the
wall to the outside, but a properly insulated ceiling installation
will not loose any more.

The more you tell me, the more I think you will end up with higher
operating cost, no more comfort and an un needed capital expense.
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Default Looking to switch from Radiant to baseboard heat

On Sep 18, 7:10*am, wrote:
On Sep 18, 6:07*am, "djvjr via HomeKB.com" u46278@uwe wrote:





Its not that the heat is not good. *I just think I'm wasting it. *I have lots
of insulation in my attic. *No bare spots in the winter on the roof as if
heat was escaping. *Im just thinking that baseboard would be more efficient
than the ceiling mounted heat.


wrote:
My house was built in the late 50's. *The heat is a 3/8 diameter soldered
copper pipe radiant heat in the ceilings in the main living area (upstairs).
[quoted text clipped - 4 lines]


Also, do radiant heat temps run different than baseboards? *


* Radiant heat can be very comfortable and efficient, but back in the
50's they were not too worried about comfort and they certainly did
not worry about efficiency.


* If you have proper (sufficient) insulation above the ceiling area,
that should be good heat, comfortable and efficient. *Two zones is a
plus, more zones could be better, depending. *In fact how well
designed and installed the system is, makes all the difference.


* Baseboard can also be comfortable and if you work it right, it can
me very efficient. *Again it depends on how well it is designed and
installed. *(designed means customized for your home and situation)


--
Message posted viahttp://www.homekb.com-Hide quoted text -


- Show quoted text -


* *In this case I doubt it. *Once you put the heat into your home, it
is all about insulation. *Ceiling radiant can loose heat above, but
with good insulation above it, that heat will not be lost. *Changing
to baseboard does not change that. *If the room needs 6,000 BTU per
hour, it will need the same amount from the baseboard or the ceiling.

* *The ceiling has the advantage of a large warm surface radiating
heat into the room. *Some of that will land on you and make you fell
as if the room is really warmer than it is thereby reducing energy
usage while maintaining comfort. *The baseboard will do the same thing
but to a lesser extent.

* *The baseboard is generally less likely to loose heat through the
wall to the outside, but a properly insulated ceiling installation
will not loose any more.

* *The more you tell me, the more I think you will end up with higher
operating cost, no more comfort and an un needed capital expense.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -


I dont agree I have lived with radiators and floor radiant, with floor
radiant I can keep my thermostat lower since the heat comming up the
floor is where I am when sitting. Heat first all rises, his losses are
in several forms, radiant and convection, I dought he has any radiant
barrier above the ceiling and the insulation is hot, he mentioned all
snow melts, the first sign of an underinsulated house is melted snow
in winter. I would guess 50% of his second floor heat is wasted, that
doesnt mean he will save 25% by going to radiators since 1st floor
heat is partialy heating the second floor, but he will save alot by
putting heat where he is , down low. Convince yourself, get a pro to
take an IR photo this winter, Get an energy audit and blower door test
done.You likely have an 80% efficent boiler, consider a 96-98%
efficent unit. Best would be taking up the second floor and work in a
radiant pipe, when you find out the cost of radiators and new manifold
system , [ since you will need to seperate temps, higher for
radiators] it might be not far off. Maybe there is a type of wall
panel you could buy or make for the low temp that could radiate
enought heat. I raised by insulation to R 100 and cut increased 2nd
floor temps 3-4f in winter so I was able to reduce airflow on a
furnace.
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Default Looking to switch from Radiant to baseboard heat

From a comfort point of view radiant
heat from the ceiling
is not a good idea as ones head needs
to be cooler than ones feet.
All heat rises so radiant heat from the
cieling is going in the wrong direction.
During the past few years there has
been a move to install it in offices
where there is a requirement for
cooling during the summer, in situations
where the summer cost of cooling
is greater than the cost of winter
heating this seems to work as cold
air falls.
However, in these situations installers
put in masses of insulation, lots more
than would have been installed when
yours was done.
Radiant under floor heating, where the
wires or pipes are installed in concrete
is not a good idea as the mass of concrete
is slow to warm up and, even slower
to cool down. If the sun shines into
your room, then you can spend good
money in the morning to heat the room
only to find the sun comes out a bit
later and suddenly you are boiling
needing to let the heat go through
the open windows.
Light weight radiant under floor heating
where the pipes are installed just under,
the wood floor and , the floor is quick to
warm and almost as quick to cool, is the
best way to go.
I lived with base board heating which
I installed, for 28 years, I had thermostatic
valves in all rooms and the home was split
into two zones living and sleeping.
This worked for me, my
heating bill was always the lowest of six
identical homes and my home was always
comfortable. T shirts and shorts were the
order of the day at all times of the year.
Nine years ago I added a sun room with
underfloor heating, this worked well for
all year round living, except for the sun,
once the sun came out it was impossible,
too hot and so bright you couldn't see.
Perry
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