Cast Iron Radiators

The Two Types Of Cast Iron Radiators

Wed, 25 Aug 2010 11:59:12 +0000

Cast iron radiators are made available by manufacturers and vendors in varied sizes in order to cater to different heating requirements of every home who wishes to use them for heating. A larger room will definitely need a bigger sized radiator much like a smaller room will need a smaller sized radiator. Whatever the size they may come available, they might just look all the same in terms of their designs. Currently, there are two types of radiators being widely used depending on the preference of the household – the steam type and the hot water type. We will just tackle briefly each type in order to have a general perspective on how each type works as a heating unit.

Steam-type radiators, by their names, use steam as their heat source. Steam is generated from the boilers which then runs through the pipe connected to the radiator assembly. The steam then heats up the cast iron metal which then transfers that heat energy into the surrounding air. In most of their designs, steam-type radiators normally have only one pipe connected to the boiler.

Hot water type radiators apparently uses hot water as their source of heat. The hot water is normally supplied by the boiler which then runs through the coils of the cast iron radiator assembly via the inlet pipes. An outlet pipe puts back the cooler water into the boiler where they are reheated again and re-circulated back to the radiator assembly. A circulator pump usually comes as a standard component for heating systems using hot-water type radiators. This pump is the one mainly responsible for the whole circulation of the hot water. On a side note, this type of radiator can also be easily converted to run on steam making it a versatile and cost effective heating solution for the homes.

Whichever type of iron metal radiator you will prefer largely depends upon your preference and the type of boiler unit you already have or plan to have. If you already got a steam boiler unit at the house then you are probably good to go with a steam-type heating radiator. In the same manner, if you already got a hot water boiling unit at the basement then the hot water –type radiator would obviously be the better option. One common thing about these two types is that they basically can achieve the same thing which is to heat up the surrounding air into a comfortable level for the house occupants to enjoy.

An Overview On Cast Iron Radiators

Fri, 20 Aug 2010 11:11:23 +0000

Cast iron radiators have found their way back into the many homes across the country these days despite the emergence of modern heating systems and compact radiators. Most of their designs revolve way back into the 18th century making them appear like junk equipment if you take a look at them. They really look like an antique piece of equipment which an aesthetic person would like to be among his or her collections. Basically, what we mostly see these days are just the clones of those original radiators decades ago. Many manufacturers are capable enough of coming up with the perfect replica of the radiators that were so popularly used back then. Sure, there may be some radiators from those times that can still be salvaged, refurbished, and repainted but are not that many though. Most of those are already in junkyards. But if one could get a hold of one of those and have it fully refurbished by a capable contractor, then that would be a good thing.

However, despite their age-old design and appearance, they are really a good home heating solution that costs much less than today’s modern heating systems such as those state-of-the-art electric baseboard heaters. With more and more homes being prudent in their energy spending these days, these heating radiators can be a reliable and inexpensive way of providing heat to the homes during the cold season.

One characteristic of a cast iron radiator that made it stand out is its ability to retain a big amount of heat. Among other metals, cast iron has proven to be the best when it comes to heat capacity not to mention that it is also a highly durable metal. Other metals we know are not as good as cast iron when it comes to heat capacity. These radiators normally come in varied sizes depending on the number of tubes and coils that make up the whole radiator assembly. The bigger they are, the more heat output is generated which then heats the surrounding air inside the room or a house section. They are then easily connected to the house boiler that runs the steam via the inlet and outlet pipes of the cast iron radiator assembly. In most cases, these radiators are placed at strategic locations inside the house. One such location is near the windows or any other location where outside cold air tend to seep through.

Despite their rugged looks, cast iron radiators have found their way into a lot of homes in the modern day. Lots of manufacturers are recently offering designs which look a lot like the radiators of the olden times. Victorian style radiators are among the favourites probably because of their aesthetic looks. If you are conscious of the budget when it comes to home heating solutions, then these radiators might just be the one you need.

The Need For Cast Iron Radiator Covers

Sun, 11 Jul 2010 05:50:14 +0000

Using cast iron radiator covers has provided a great deal of benefit for many homes and edifices which are using radiators as their main heating units. Basically speaking, there is nothing much special about these covers. They actually look like just a small cabinet to put the radiator unit into. But no matter how simple these covers may be, the benefits one could get in using them may more than justify the need to get them. Many materials are currently being used in the manufacture of radiator covers. But the most common is wood. In this article, we will be tackling two proven benefits or advantages which have made a radiator cover a thing being sought after by many households.

One noted advantage of using radiator covers is their ability to provide a spiced-up look to the radiator unit. This is just akin to using some fireplace accessories to spruce up the appearance of the fireplace. Bare cast iron radiators do provide an aesthetic or retro look and some might like them appearing bare as it is. However though, these radiators tend to look ugly over time as the metal becomes tainted and tarnished with the elements in the air. Not only that, most designs of cast radiators do look rugged and antiquated which might not be appealing to some people especially your visitors and other guests who might happen to drop by. Encasing the radiators in a nice looking cover will make the big difference when it comes to sprucing up their overall appearance. That being said, most radiator covers are designed with the aim of enhancing the looks of a rugged radiator.

Another benefit of using these covers is with regards to safety. Being a source of heat, a bare radiator can bring potential hazards in a number of ways if no safety precautions are being observed. Your trusty pet cat or dog might get harmed if they get in contact with the hot metal surface of the radiator. Worse, an un-supervised kid or toddler might get scalded as they might get curious and get to touch the metal surface. Another scenario is that nearby combustible materials such as curtains and drapes might accidentally get in contact with the metal surface and flame up thereby putting the entire house in the risk of a fire. That being said, covering the radiators is a very good precaution against these potential hazards giving most homeowners a sigh of relief.

With the above, we could instantly see why radiator covers can be considered a necessary thing to get a hold of. Spicing up the overall looks of your heating radiators may not be a priority but the safety-related benefits one could get by using them is definitely a very good justification.

Restoring The Smooth Looks Of Your Radiator

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 11:50:51 +0000

The heating radiators that are presently being used in many homes can be either be refurbished or a replica of those old time cast iron radiators. There is not much difference between those two in terms of functionality. But when you speak of sentimental value especially to those who have the passion for antique items, the refurbished ones may have a great edge. The radiator replicas being sold these days can be considered brand new. That is, a fresh new paint coated over the bare cast iron gives it an evenly textured surface making the radiator look neat. On the other hand, the refurbished ones are made to look like new by, more often than not, by just covering them with a new layer of finish or paint. As such, those restored radiators tend to exhibit an unevenly textured finish making them less nifty-looking than the replicas.

If you are the sentimental type who prefers to use cast iron metal radiators from the olden times and would want to restore them to their brand new looks they once had, then the best thing to do is to strip the paint or finish down to the bare cast metal before applying a fresh new coat of paint. There are three most common ways to accomplish this – using chemicals to get rid of those layers of paints and stains, manually scraping or chipping the paint, and sandblasting.

Manual scraping of the paint is a tedious process because it involves thorough chipping and scraping. Crevices and narrow areas on the radiator assembly can take some time to chip away the paint from those areas. Tools that will be needed for this undertaking are wire brushes, hammers and sandpapers.

Sandblasting is an old but effective method to chip away all those paints and stains that might have built up over time. In addition, patches of rusts and tarnish resulting from the chemical reaction between the cast iron and some elements present in the air surrounding it can also be removed effectively and quickly by employing the sandblasting method. However, the tools needed to accomplish this might not be easily available in an average household. Purchasing a sandblasting equipment set might not be a practical approach. You do not need it at the house more often to justify the costs of acquiring it. What most radiator owners would do would be to take the radiator from the heating system and send it to a sandblasting contractor. Keep in mind that this will have to incur some added costs such and a bit more effort considering that you have to remove the radiator unit from the whole heating system.

Employing the use of liquid solutions or chemicals can be the quickest way to remove all those layers of paint. All one has to do is to dip the whole radiator into the solution and wait for a few hours until the old layers of paint fall off thereby exposing the bare cast iron metal in its clean and untarnished state. However, this could get a bit disorderly considering that you would have to deal with a mixture of chemicals and solutions. But despite the painstaking labor one has to undergo, nice results can be had when those rickety looking radiators are now transformed into sleek and classic looking antique cast iron radiators.

Hot Water Type Radiator Maintenance Tips

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 16:32:06 +0000

Like every other piece of equipment or thing that you happen own, a cast iron radiator may need some maintaining to do in order to put it in great shape all the time. A poorly maintained radiator will tend to deteriorate in functionality. Hence, the need to accord periodic maintenance schedules for them. It does not come by more often considering the fact that they are just being used during the cold months. Technically, the cast iron metal, by its nature, is a very durable material. This gives them a much longer lifespan than radiators made up of other material types. There are two main areas in maintaining your radiator thereby keeping it in tip top shape – bleeding and lea. We will discuss saliently each main step for a better understanding of the whole scenario when it comes to proper maintenance of the radiator units which you may have in your respective homes.

Bleeding the radiator simply means that you bleed out the air that might have accumulated inside the coils. Cast iron radiators are designed to be air tight and water tight. However though, air can seep through the system in a variety of ways. When that happens, the air in the system hampers the flow of the heated water through the coils and might exert a great deal of stress to the circulator pump which might result to its damage. As such, the heating capability of the radiator unit will deteriorate. One way to determine if the plenty of air is already in the system is when the radiator is already running cooler or generates insufficient heat. If you observe such, then it the air in the system might be the likely culprit.

Bleeding the air from the system is a very simple step actually. All radiators have vents which are purposely used for bleeding air. They are most likely located near the top of the assembly in most radiators. All you have to do is to turn the vent using some tool such as a screwdriver or a wrench to let the air bleed out. However, one must take due note that the vent must only be gradually opened so as prevent a lot of water from squirting out. Once a solid flow of water from the water starts sputtering out, it means that the air is completely drained. As you can see, bleeding the radiator is just a very simple maintenance undertaking actually. It does not take much effort to do it and the benefits you get out of it can lead to a longer uninterrupted service of your hot water radiator.