First floor maisonette, radiator needed at bottom of stairs?

[rosieshillam1]

Hello,

If anyone could give me some advice id be very grateful.

I recently moved into a first floor maisonette (please see my album for picture and floor plan). I live on the first floor and wanted to know if at the bottom of the stairs a radiator is necessary? Entry to both flats is on the side of the house not visible in the picture but the space when you open the door is tiny (about 1sq metre) then directly by the front door you have the stairs going up to the flat. In the picture on my album I have marked where there is a radiator in the hallway and the rest of the flat, so I wanted to know if there is any need for me to keep the radiator at the bottom of the stairs.

Taking is out will mean more space when walking into the flat and the chance to get rid a horrible old pipe thats a real eye sore.

Any advice would be appreciated
Thank you

 

[HERTS P&D]

The side entrance door which leads to your flat, is this your entrance or is it shared with your neighbour on the ground floor? Or does your neighbour have her own entrance?

If it is your entrance and 'your' space that the radiator is in then you can remove it if you want.

Andy

 

[rosieshillam1]

Hi Andy, thanks for your reply,
Yes its my own entrance, the main reason for my question was if heating in that space is really necessary ?
I bought the flat a month ago and have not yet spent a winter there but we are refurbishing it so now is the time to get rid of the ugly pipe if it was ok to get rid of it.
Thank you

 

[HERTS P&D]

If you want to remove it then you can, but as you said you haven't spent a winter there yet.

Don't forget to make sure the loft insulation is 300mm thick, this will make a big difference.

Andy

 

[ALEC1]

As will draught proofing the door. Radiators are best located in the coolest areas...which is why it is there...

As you are always active in a hallway the design temperature is 18c...

 

[rosieshillam1]

Hi ALEC1,

So do you think its ok for me to take it out? The space is tiny and there is a radiator right up the stairs if you look at my pic

Thanks

 

[D_Hailsham]

You don't live down stairs, you just pass through it on the way in or out, so a rad is not really necessary.

Make sure you remove the pipes where they tee-off from the main run. If you don't you will end up with "dead legs", which can cause problems.

 

[ALEC1]

Well I wouldn't in my own home for the simple reason the more radiators you have the lower the temperature from the boiler needs to be...

 

[Nige F]

I`m with D_H. on this one . what`s the point of heating a cold area where it`ll remain cold and the area is of no practical use to you you might as well put a rad outside the front door

 

[ALEC1]

May be... but the size of the radiators should match the heat loss of the maisonette..removing it may well have a limited down side..but I would not do it in my home!

 

[D_Hailsham]

May be... but the size of the radiators should match the heat loss of the maisonette

But it is just a lobby and a stairwell leading to the flat - not part of the actual dwelling space. There is no need to heat it. Even if the door at the top of the stairs is left open there will be little heat loss down the stairs - heat rises!

I had a similar situation many years ago when I lived in a first floor maisonette. There was no heating in the entrance lobby or stairwell and I never noticed it. I kept my fridge in the lobby as there was no room in the kitchen!

 

[rosieshillam1]

May be... but the size of the radiators should match the heat loss of the maisonette

But it is just a lobby and a stairwell leading to the flat - not part of the actual dwelling space. There is no need to heat it. Even if the door at the top of the stairs is left open there will be little heat loss down the stairs - heat rises!

I had a similar situation many years ago when I lived in a first floor maisonette. There was no heating in the entrance lobby or stairwell and I never noticed it. I kept my fridge in the lobby as there was no room in the kitchen!

Hi D_Hailsham

There isn't any door at the top of the stairs its a really tiny hallway with a radiator outside in-between the bedroom doors (as pictured). Is that enough to heat the area (its such a tiny area) ?
Having no radiator down stairs means I can fit this at the entrance:

http://direct.asda.com/ASDA-Walnut-...aa58-05eff6da2486&istItemId=rqrlqiim&istBid=t

And no exposed ugly old pipe thats been painted a thousand times :S

 

[D_Hailsham]

There isn't any door at the top of the stairs its a really tiny hallway with a radiator outside in-between the bedroom doors (as pictured). Is that enough to heat the area (its such a tiny area)?

I assume you mean the X in the middle of the pic. How big is the rad (length x height) and is it one or two panels and do they have fins on them?

Having no radiator downstairs means I can fit this at the entrance

More useful than a rad, but not so essential as a fridge.

 

[OwainDIYer]

cold will always sink to the lowest point.

Without a radiator, your staircase will fill up with cold until it reaches the first floor landing and will then spill out along the landing.

Even a tubular heater (60-120W) at or near the bottom of the stairs would help to get a current of warm air up the stairs to balance the cold coming down. You don't need to get the air really warm, just enough to set up convection so it circulates.

As Alec1 notes, a fridge at the bottom of the stair will produce enough heat to room to do the job.

 

[rosieshillam1]

Hello,

But won't the heat from the flat downstairs rise up my stairs too?

I am fitting new radiators all over but the width of the one in the hallway at the top of the stairs is 100cm.

Thank you