Options for higher capacity radiator?

Igotadose

Our kitchen's 19 x 16 feet, and the only heat sources is a meter-long radiator, the common one you see everywhere, white. It doesn't adequately heat the room, which also has doors to 2 other rooms, a double-door onto the hallway/entranceway that we keep shut esp. in the colder months, a single door to the laundry, and double glass doors out onto the patio.

The radiator resembles this one: http://www.plumbingproducts.ie/imperial-300mm-high-double-panel-radiators-ireland/2246-imperial-double-convector-radiator-300h-x-1000l.html

It's the common white radiator you see in people's houses. House was built in 2004.

There's no other wall space for a radiator, it's on the wall with the laundry (which also has a radiator, albeit only about 2 feet long). I have seen what I think are higher-capacity radiators that maybe have 2 sets of 'tines' for radiating the heat? Would one of those help?

It also seems you can get tall, narrow radiators; how well do those work? We might be able to squeeze one onto a narrow wall on the other side of the laundry, basically across the doorway from the existing radiator. We also could replace the existing radiator, with a tall one since the wall is blank above it, no cabinets nearby. Not sure about those tall radiators, frankly, they seem like a good idea but will the height be a problem for the boiler? The boiler's a Firebird oil boiler, has had a bunch of maintenance in the last couple years but works fine.

I don't believe there is room on any of the walls for another radiator, due to the design of the house and the pain of having to run the boiler loops to them. Would it be best to put radiators on opposite walls if we could (we could in theory rip out a cabinet and put in radiator below then do something about the cabinet, but removing cabinets isn't always reasonable.)

Thanks for any suggestions.

Calahonda52

I solved this problem using a custom made multi column radiator from
http://www.hevac.ie/c/column/151

do the heat requirement math, fit a trv and go as big as possible

colm_mcm

You can get an under cabinet radiator with a fan. Goes under kitchen units. Very effective. The mother has one.

Igotadose

colm_mcm wrote: »

You can get an under cabinet radiator with a fan. Goes under kitchen units. Very effective. The mother has one.

Thanks; where would you install one of these? That is, how do you position it in the room for most effect? There are a couple cabinets it could go under, in fact more than one is a possibility as well. I've a good electrician who could do the work as well, hardest part will be positioning the control switch.

youtheman

You have three options :
1. get a radiator with more surface area (i.e. bigger)
2. get a radiator with more 'effective' surface area (i.e. more fins).
3. get a radiator with a better 'heat transfer co-efficient'. (i.e. one of those radiators with a built in fan).
But for all options you just need to check the heat output (in Kw or BTUs).  But make sure you're comparing 'like with like' because the heat output varies as the differential temperature increases , that is the heat difference between the air temperature and the water temperature in the radiator.

Calahonda52

Igotadose wrote: »

Thanks; where would you install one of these? That is, how do you position it in the room for most effect? There are a couple cabinets it could go under, in fact more than one is a possibility as well. I've a good electrician who could do the work as well, hardest part will be positioning the control switch.

You know this is heated from the water so you need plumber as well.
Its not a simple electrical fan heater.

colm_mcm

Igotadose wrote: »

Thanks; where would you install one of these? That is, how do you position it in the room for most effect? There are a couple cabinets it could go under, in fact more than one is a possibility as well. I've a good electrician who could do the work as well, hardest part will be positioning the control switch.

It doesn't need a control switch. It knows when the water is hot or the pump is running or whatever and switches on on its own. There are buttons on it but they've never been pressed.
It's plumbed in and obviously wired in too.
Goes under the kitchen units behind the kick board.

Same idea as this
http://smithsep.co.uk/products/space-saver-plinth-heater/

rolion

Hi,

I've "upgraded" my radiators from older single type to newer double and longer.
They perform better,in the way of heating and dispersing the heat across the room much faster BUT they cool down as well fast.

Took around 2-3 hour for me and my plumber friend to readjust walls plaster board and older piping.

So,in case that you want to replace,prepare for a lot of mess around the room.