Hello and happy new year!

In our bedroom we have baseboard (it's hot-water-based) running along
one of the walls.

Our bed's headboard is right above the baseboard and my wife complains
of the heat heating up the bed and her head, making her very
uncomfortable (and before any of you suggests a new wife, that's out of
the question, so keep on reading). ;-)

I had an idea a few days ago, which consists of having a plumber
replace the middle section of the finned pipe in the baseboard with
regular copper pipe and putting some pipe insulation around it to
ensure that the section under the bed radiates NO heat whatsoever
(visit http://www.frostking.com/pipeinsulation.php to see what I mean).

Questions:
1. Does this seem like a good approach (other than the wife-replacement
solution that's out of the question)?
2. How hot will the pipe get? The insulation on the web site above is
rated for up to 210 deg. Farenheit; will this be enough or do I need to
get industrial-grade insulation?
3. What about just wrapping insulation around the mid-section of the
baseboard (the part under the bed) and forego any plumber's
involvement?

Thanks!!!!

Desperate Husband in Hoboken, NJ

wrote in message

I had an idea a few days ago, which consists of having a plumber
replace the middle section of the finned pipe in the baseboard with
regular copper pipe and putting some pipe insulation around it to
ensure that the section under the bed radiates NO heat whatsoever
(visit http://www.frostking.com/pipeinsulation.php to see what I mean).


Questions:
1. Does this seem like a good approach (other than the wife-replacement
solution that's out of the question)?

It can work., but may not bee needed.


2. How hot will the pipe get? The insulation on the web site above is
rated for up to 210 deg. Farenheit; will this be enough or do I need to
get industrial-grade insulation?

Most heating systems are set at a max of 190. Depending on the route it
travels the temperature will be down a bit when it gest to the bedroom.


3. What about just wrapping insulation around the mid-section of the
baseboard (the part under the bed) and forego any plumber's
involvement?

Much cheaper idea. Blocking air flow over the fins greatly reduces the
amount of heat given off. You may not have to cover the rest of the tubing.
To check ot how well it work any sort of insulation will work on a temporary
basis. You can probably find something around hte h ouse to wrap it in for
the night.


Desperate Husband in Hoboken, NJ

Since younixed the replacement wife, I want to add another comment. This
may or may ot affect you as it is age dependent. Assuming the insulation
works, you may still go to bed and your wife will say "honey, I'm really
hot". If you are say, 20 to 35, don't plan on much sleep as you have work
to do. . If you are 45 to 50, it means she is having a hot flash. Come
back in 15 minuets and she will complain it is cold. Bu 55 or so, that
passes.

On 1/3/2005 3:45 PM US(ET), took fingers to
keys, and typed the following:

Hello and happy new year!

In our bedroom we have baseboard (it's hot-water-based) running along
one of the walls.

Our bed's headboard is right above the baseboard and my wife complains
of the heat heating up the bed and her head, making her very
uncomfortable (and before any of you suggests a new wife, that's out of
the question, so keep on reading). ;-)

I had an idea a few days ago, which consists of having a plumber
replace the middle section of the finned pipe in the baseboard with
regular copper pipe and putting some pipe insulation around it to
ensure that the section under the bed radiates NO heat whatsoever
(visit http://www.frostking.com/pipeinsulation.php to see what I mean).

Questions:
1. Does this seem like a good approach (other than the wife-replacement
solution that's out of the question)?
2. How hot will the pipe get? The insulation on the web site above is
rated for up to 210 deg. Farenheit; will this be enough or do I need to
get industrial-grade insulation?
3. What about just wrapping insulation around the mid-section of the
baseboard (the part under the bed) and forego any plumber's
involvement?



#3 is the way I would go. You could probably close off the slat in that
section and then build a simple 2 piece (top and front) wood cover as
wide as the bed, or wider, for that section. The wood cover will prevent
most of the heat from rising straight up in that area and any excess
build up of heat will flow out the ends of the wood cover. If you
rearrange the furniture in the room later, no permanent harm has been
done to the heat.


--
Bill

wrote in message
In our bedroom we have baseboard (it's hot-water-based) running along
one of the walls.

Our bed's headboard is right above the baseboard and my wife complains
of the heat heating up the bed and her head, making her very
uncomfortable (and before any of you suggests a new wife, that's out of
the question, so keep on reading). ;-)

I had an idea a few days ago, which consists of having a plumber
replace the middle section of the finned pipe in the baseboard with
regular copper pipe and putting some pipe insulation around it to
ensure that the section under the bed radiates NO heat whatsoever

You could do the insulation thing, or put a small fan under the bed to
re-distribute the heat away from the bed, or some combination of the two.
This would still allow the room to be appropriately heated.

Bob

wrote in message
ups.com...
Hello and happy new year!

In our bedroom we have baseboard (it's hot-water-based) running along
one of the walls.

Our bed's headboard is right above the baseboard and my wife complains
of the heat heating up the bed and her head, making her very
uncomfortable (

If the baseboard is more than big enough to heat t he room, just block off
part of it in the area that bothers your wife. Good old tin foil is good for
this. The only downside is it is possible the room may be a bit cool.
Another option is to just move the bed out 6" so the hot air can circulate
easier.
Greg

"Greg O" wrote in message
...

wrote in message
ups.com...
Hello and happy new year!

In our bedroom we have baseboard (it's hot-water-based) running along
one of the walls.

Our bed's headboard is right above the baseboard and my wife complains
of the heat heating up the bed and her head, making her very
uncomfortable (

If the baseboard is more than big enough to heat t he room, just block off
part of it in the area that bothers your wife. Good old tin foil is good
for
this. The only downside is it is possible the room may be a bit cool.
Another option is to just move the bed out 6" so the hot air can circulate
easier.

or shove something UNDER part of the baseboard. Here is why:

Old farm house with baseboard heat (and a 60 year old boiler!). Previous
owner never had trouble with heat. New people could not get heat in the
master bedroom. Seems they installed a carpet with thick padding that went
all the way to the wall UNDER the baseboard heat. Not enough space for the
convection affect. As soon as they pulled the carpet back, they had all the
heat they needed.

Maybe you could do part of the baseboard at the head of the bed?

Just a thought.....

first thing, close the damper on the baseboard unit, that will cut down the
convection currents..
stuff the bottom of the baseboard with something to stop it, as was previously
suggested...
cut the aluminum fins off the copper pipe, carefully, then insulate....
the temperature of the water is never going to be above about 180 degrees,
farenheit, so don't worry about the insulation melting....
but have you considered moving the bed?

blackbluecat writes:

In our bedroom we have baseboard (it's hot-water-based) running along
one of the walls.

Our bed's headboard is right above the baseboard and my wife complains
of the heat heating up the bed and her head, making her very
uncomfortable (and before any of you suggests a new wife, that's out of
the question, so keep on reading). ;-)

Glad to hear you married a millionaire's daughter. ;-)

1)Move the bed. Is that an option?

I had an idea a few days ago, which consists of having a plumber
replace the middle section of the finned pipe in the baseboard with
regular copper pipe and putting some pipe insulation around it to
ensure that the section under the bed radiates NO heat whatsoever
(visit http://www.frostking.com/pipeinsulation.php to see what I mean).

Won't work, sorry. That product's designed to maintain a minimum level of heat
for the water IN the pipe. Cuts down on leakage but doesn't eliminate it. So
if you went that way you'd still have some heat coming through, probably ca.
50% of what you've got now.

Questions:
1. Does this seem like a good approach (other than the wife-replacement
solution that's out of the question)?

Depends on whether you're willing to void the manufacturer's warrantee (if any
still remains, and whether the water loop is under pressure. If it's a low
pressure system you could probably void the warrantee by your ownself.
Hacksaw, thick wall copper pipe, deburring tool and compression fittings if the
pressure's less than 50 psi.

2. How hot will the pipe get? The insulation on the web site above is
rated for up to 210 deg. Farenheit; will this be enough or do I need to
get industrial-grade insulation?

If you choose to go this route the 210 is fine. If you're running hot water
through the pipes I'm guessing the outer surface of the line wouldn't exceed
125-135 F.

3. What about just wrapping insulation around the mid-section of the
baseboard (the part under the bed) and forego any plumber's
involvement?

This is worth a shot, just for s's 'n' grins. If you can find some cloth
that's fire retardant (at minimum, if not fireproof), simply block the section
that runs behind the bed.

Drink plenty of black coffee, sit up all night and monitor for at least 3
nights. ;-)

Or, if you don't mind removing and capping the whole system, get an electrical,
non-circulating, radiant heat appliance and put it in the coffin corner of the
bedroom.

HTH,

Marc

wrote in message
ups.com...
Hello and happy new year!

In our bedroom we have baseboard (it's hot-water-based) running along
one of the walls.

Our bed's headboard is right above the baseboard and my wife complains
of the heat heating up the bed and her head, making her very
uncomfortable (and before any of you suggests a new wife, that's out of
the question, so keep on reading). ;-)

I had an idea a few days ago, which consists of having a plumber
replace the middle section of the finned pipe in the baseboard with
regular copper pipe and putting some pipe insulation around it to
ensure that the section under the bed radiates NO heat whatsoever
(visit http://www.frostking.com/pipeinsulation.php to see what I mean).

Questions:
1. Does this seem like a good approach (other than the wife-replacement
solution that's out of the question)?
2. How hot will the pipe get? The insulation on the web site above is
rated for up to 210 deg. Farenheit; will this be enough or do I need to
get industrial-grade insulation?
3. What about just wrapping insulation around the mid-section of the
baseboard (the part under the bed) and forego any plumber's
involvement?

Thanks!!!!

Desperate Husband in Hoboken, NJ

We also have hot water heat. The pipes come up through the floor for input
and output of the finned heater. If you have access to this under the floor
just have the heater removed and the pipes connected under the floor. W W