Radiator dilemma and BTU - please help
Hello,
Following a recent post of mine searching for vertical radiators and brands etc this has all gone out of the window as apparently I need 16,000 BTU for the whole room
[https://www.houzz.co.uk/discussions/vertical-radiator-help-which-brand-colour-size-dsvw-vd~5402558?n=5[(https://www.houzz.co.uk/discussions/vertical-radiator-help-which-brand-colour-size-dsvw-vd~5402558?n=5)
The plumbing shop and my plumber said I require 16,000 BTU for the whole room which is length 7.6M x Width 5M X Height 2.7M ( slightly higher for the pithed roof section ), sliding doors are 3.9M x 2.2M. The plan is to have 2 vertical radiators on the same wall as the sliding doors so approx 8,000 BTU for each radiator.
It was all going well, I managed to find a 3 column traditional radiator of around 8,000 BTU each. The wall space available is 56cm, the radiator is 46.5cm ad the valves are about 3-4cm on each side which in theory will fit but is very tight. Plumber has now done first fix and pipes now protrude out of the side of the wall - he said he measured everything and that's where the pipes will have to go. He said it's not the best option/ result and I don't have much choice, he said the wall can be made 'thicker' with an extra layer of plasterboard. My window frame profile at the side is 50cm and after the extra plasterboard and adhesive, there will only be about 1cm left from glass to plasterboard. The plasterer said it's not good to have the plasterboard too near glass of the window because from experience, the cold from the glass can travel through to the plasterboard or if there happens to be any condensation, the area will turn mouldy and he won't guarantee the work.
So, after all that if I could find a radiator which produces around 8,000 BTU less than 40cm wide, that would be perfect however I'm really struggling. When I use on-line BTU calculators, they only come up with around 8,000-9,000 BTU for the whole area but this is half the amount calculated by the plumbing shop and my plumber. I don't really want to move the radiators the side walls as it would be taking too much room as I am having a sofa on one side and dining table on the other side.
Has anyone else had a similar issue? Which BTU calculation should I go with? It's so confusing.
Comments (9)
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kwg kwg
5 years agoAMB
5 years ago
PROLondonfatcat
5 years ago- PRO
Londonfatcat
5 years agoThanks KWG - this is not good but there is always a solution.
1. The most hassle-free and least bothersome to the plumber is to increase the thickness of the wall. For condensation issues your plasterer has raised, you should ask for 'foil-backed' plasterboard. These are vapour panels that block or limit condensation. Get the best rated one.
2. The alternative is to change your radiators to a configuration that allows the pipe to attach from behind and the valves attach from underneath (see image). It will save you a crucial 8-10cm. On this note, I've just seen that I forgot to post my link for the more detailed BTU calculator:https://www.traderadiators.com/acatalog/heating-calculator.html
If you can find something that suits your heating specifications and your taste, this will mean you won't need to compromise on your vision.
I hope this has been helpful.
Kind regards,
Faten
kwg kwg thanked Londonfatcat kwg kwg
5 years ago
Karen