Detailed Explanation of Baseboards vs Radiators | Radiant vs Convection Heat

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Due to their simple yet robust design, cast iron radiators have a long and proven track record in the domestic steam and hot water heating industry.
They are suitable for a very wide range of applications, from smaller residential to large commercial, and can work with virtually any type of hot water or steam boiler.

Advantages:
Inexpensive - when compared to other types of radiators on the market (aluminum, panel type, Victorian style and others).

Higher level of comfort - uses radiant heat instead or convection, resulting in more natural and proper temperature distribution.

Flexibility in installation - with a wide operating temperature range from 150°F to 220°F

High thermal mass - means less equipment (i.e. boiler) cycling & wear and higher energy efficiency.

It’s simple to install - no special parts are needed (such as diverter valves and thermostatic valve heads needed for panel style radiators).

Disadvantages:
Heavy - a single cast iron radiator may weigh anywhere from 40 to 150 pounds or more and will require a physically able person (or two) to position it in place.

Rough look - the radiator has a rough, unpolished surface which may be unappealing to some.

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[quetzal]

Great advice. When I see people trashing their radiators and converting to forced air, I just about cry. I instead kept the radiators and switched from a boiler to a geothermal hydronic heat pump as the heat source. The radiators now rarely exceed 110º. On really cold days they'll get up to 120º, and that's plenty enough to keep the house warm. It's astonishing just how efficient they are at distributing heat into a room.

[Vladdyjr]

Writing my license on tuesday this channel is helping me study big time

[nickwilczynski]

Best video I’ve seen explaining this, by FAR. Subscribed.

[wawawis]

Actually, I'm pretty sure there was a fan-assisted steam setup in one of my old schools. I still remember hearing the banging in the pipes during heating season. The air handlers were in the corner of the classrooms with modular duct spreading across the outer walls just under the windows. In a couple of my other schools, this duct work was hidden within a cabinet-like structure.

[denisrhodes]

cast iron radiators can also dry laundry. larger sizes handle bed sheets no problem

[rhondamariewright]

Super well done. I love it. I’ve been telling my husband for years that I prefer radiators with steam heat because they keep the house feeling so much warmer. Now I have justification. Lol!

[lisainnewarknj]

Thank you for the comprehensive information. Thank you for leading.

[pcno]

It's really a matter of degree. Depending on the temperature and the objects (especially insulating ones like sofas) nearby, the heat from a cast iron radiator can be up to 80 or 90 percent convective, but the radiant portion can still be felt. And, some of the heat from a baseboard it still radiant; even if you block all the air, you can still feel some heat from it, especially if the metal has a heavy gauge. And, even underfloor heating generates some convection current. Of course, the higher the radiant portion, the more comfortable and efficient the system. One thing I'd like to try would be putting a high-mass cover (thick metal or tile) over a fin-tube radiator element, preserving the dimensions needed for convection. The air going through would heat the heavy cover, increasing the radiation to anything (or one) near it.

[nelsonbrito]

I have cast iron radiators in my house, cast iron rads keep heating after the boiler's turned off, but they also take way longer to heat because there's way more water in them than a 3/4 tube that baseboards use, also the heat isn't uniform (at least in my house) which has very high ceilings.
Baseboards can be distributed around the entire rooms making a curtain of heat.
I'm thinking of upgrading to baseboards because of this.

[hiphil]

I am enjoying your program. I have a question. Whis is better to use, "cast iron baseboard radiators and the copper pipe radiators."

[jonwoll]

i grew up with radiator's. was so nice to heat up your clothes before playing in the snow.

[stevehildebrandt]

I have baseboard heat and I want to add an old school radiator in the same room. Can I replace a section of the the baseboard with a radiator? The guys who did our addition did a lousy job in our family room and it gets cold. Thought if added 1 or 2 it would make a difference. Thoughts? We have a new boiler that was replaced 6 months ago.

[chan.tal.]

Can you use cast iron radiators if you have a hot water heating system? (Ie navian combo boiler)

[Guy_de_Loimbard]

The house I grew up in had the best of both worlds on the ground floor: hot-water baseboard radiators. The upstairs bedrooms had the stand-up grill radiators.

[wayneblay]

I have like 5 radiator heats in my apartment upstairs in the third floor. I have one like in my room, one in the bedroom, one in the kichten, and one in the bathroom, and also one in the playroom. as they white, they go on like automatically. without as we don't do like any of this. like not like these once. and they working pretty well. but sometimes we may have the problem, that however the heat takes time to come on, or when it's not warm enough, means when someone don't set up the meter up high or however when the piece of the bolier is broken, or when the boiler piece came off that the radiators are leaking. which we Have the problem before in the past. that was the year of 2019-2020. but thanks for the video!

[klime]

No I actually subscribed. I like when ppl know their stuff

[rickgillis]

I have a radiator, 3 column it has wall mounts, it has in flow bottom left, outflow bottom right. I have cut a new door opening to the outside, now when the door opens past 90* it hits the valve.
I want to move the right side out flow to the left top & plug that bottom hole on the right to allow the door to open all the way. There really is no other choice for radiator placement, I have to cut out & re pipe inside the wall but I am wondering .... should the outflow be at the top or the bottom of the Rad ?

[sornram]

Do you know if the cost to change from forced air vent to baseboard heater is too expensive? I don't like the 2nd method and want to change. Thanks

[JacanaProductions]

So the big radiators run at lower temps than the little baseboard heaters right?

[Mr.threezy]

Ia have a question?I live in a 6 unit apt.building and we have the radiator heat(gas not electric)and now the property owner wants to change to electric baseboard heat but the radiator heat works great for all tenants.how much work and how big of a job is it for workers to come into my apt and change the gas heat radiators to electric baseboard heat.does it take a long time?do they rip out the radiators from my floors?and how long would it take to do it.5radiators total in my apt.which heat is more expensive?& If we don't have storm windows & apt is extremely drafty all around that would make the electric bill way higher right?do they install thermostat in our apt to control heat bc I've never had electric heat or baseboard heat.i just turn the knob on the radiators.if you could answer any of these it would greatly appreciate it.thanks for your informational videos