New heating, concrete floors... Tall radiators?

[Ivor Windybottom]

We're looking at heating options. We have a fairly large bungalow with concrete floors and an unused loft with no loft conversion plans. No heating system of any sort at the moment (mains-powered electric radiators), so we're starting from scratch.

I'm thinking plumbing via the loft is much more practical than smashing the floor to bits. I've seen retro-fit jobs where they've used conventional radiators and done this sort of thing...

...which, trunking or not, I don't like the look of at all.

I'm wondering if this could be done using tall radiators and dropping the pipes behind the radiator, like this...

With a bit or plastic trunking over the pipes and painted the same as the wall it would be pretty much invisible. Would probably put them about halfway down the wall for easy hoovering under.

I've seen radiators that have an option of an internal manifold that seems to be designed for this purpose.

I'd be happy to have 2 radiators in some of the bigger rooms if necessary, in fact this would spread the heat better.

Are there any issues with this or better ideas?

Thanks.

 

[Ivor Windybottom]

Hmmm... Not so sure about the manifold options now, thought I'd seen a Stelrad one that allowed this but perhaps not.

 

[Ivor Windybottom]

Probably would need elbows like this, but pointing inwards then a chrome elbow in the middle. Not terrible though...

 

[Ivor Windybottom]

Nobody any ideas or done similar?

 

[oldbuffer]

Have a look at https://www.bestheating.com/milano-...r_gCFrsk9Lq2VonicSxoCjKYQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

 

[Ivor Windybottom]

Thanks, looks like it would work. Would need a couple of these to turn the pipes upwards...

Chrome 15mm Compression Street Elbow (Stem Elbow)

Chrome plated brass 15mm compression street elbow fitting (stem elbow)

www.stevensonplumbing.co.uk

 

[Ivor Windybottom]

Would there need to be some sort of bleeding facility within the loft? I'd imagine that air could get trapped up there and I doubt the flow would be enough to push air down into the radiators.

 

[Exedon]

Would there need to be some sort of bleeding facility within the loft? I'd imagine that air could get trapped up there and I doubt the flow would be enough to push air down into the radiators.

What your proposing is normally called drop pipe system very common.
Yes to air valves in loft I would strongly recommend manual ones , automatic type just a good way to have leaks.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

I'm thinking plumbing via the loft is much more practical than smashing the floor to bits. I've seen retro-fit jobs where they've used conventional radiators and done this sort of thing...

Where were you planning to install the boiler?

 

[Ivor Windybottom]

The equivalent of the boiler will be a heat pump, so outdoors at ground level. All radiators at ground floor level.

The pipe runs through the loft will be the high points so where air is most likely to collect.

Happy to pop up and bleed some manual valves once a year if that's the alternative to something that may be prone to leaks.

Is there some sort of tank that's designed to gather up the air ready for bleeding?

 

[Madrab]

Underfloor heating - overlay system - perfect solution for you, if a little more expensive in the short term.

Floor to ceiling height?

 

[BlueLoo]

Vertical rads are awful.

I'd suggest putting piping in the walls, use horizontal rads and manifolld in the loft.

PEX piping can be easy enough to put in walls

Is making these heap pump proof for future an option?

Don't scrimp on controls. Go full on with individual rad control. Wiser system is excellent.

 

[Ivor Windybottom]

Vertical rads are awful.

I don't understand. A radiator is a radiator, surely? They have equivalent area, are available as doubles, and have fins - just the same as any other shaped rad. Looking at this sort of thing (Stelrad)...

Perhaps they don't cause as much air circulation though, due to less width, so don't make as much air rise up behind them. Not sure though.

I was just thinking they'd be nearer the ceiling so the pipes could be (possibly?) concealed behind them, leaving perhaps a foot exposed at the top.

Chasing the pipes into the walls could be an option. I'd be worried about weakening the building by putting floor-to-ceiling weak points all over the place. It's brick built, with single skin internal walls so very difficult to chase - more likely to smash right through. Also it's built on sand and has some (fine) movement cracks already, I don't want to give it any more excuses to move.

Also they could be easier for room layout. We don't have a long empty wall in the lounge, but have two narrow spaces. I was thinking of having two in there, one at each end of one wall.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

Perhaps they don't cause as much air circulation though, due to less width, so don't make as much air rise up behind them. Not sure though.

Part of the problem, is that being so tall, even if they fill with heated water (many don't), the heat is released and rises to the ceiling, where it remains.

The best method of warming a room is to have the source of heat as near the floor as is possible.

 

[Madrab]

I don't understand. A radiator is a radiator, surely? They have equivalent area, are available as doubles, and have fins - just the same as any other shaped rad. Looking at this sort of thing (Stelrad)...

All rads are not made equal unfortunately. Those types of tall rad (stelrad) though are still very good at heating the space as they are still convecting rads (K2's), as standard rads are. Fitted many of then to replace column rads that were a waste of space and they are certainly much more efficient.

As they are convecting they setup convection currents within the space and heat the space reasonably efficiently.