"Heated skirting boards" - any experience

[Lobster]

Further to my previous query about microbore, here's a related one...

There is only one realistic position for the living room radiator - below the window - and SWMBO has warned me that in the newly refurbished and reorganised room there is likely to be a requirement not only for long curtains (ie hanging in front of the radiator) but also a sofa pushed back against said radiator.

Following my somewhat less than positive reaction to this proposed plan ("are you completely nuts?") Google has now told her all about heated skirting board systems, notably

Looks essentially like lengths of microbore running behind uPVC profile skirting.

Now, I wouldn't be totally averse to this providing it's reliable and up to the job, etc but I've never come across it before. Anyone have any experience of this sort of thing?

[Richard]

Yes. The problem was solved by politely convincing her in the error of her ways. Good luck - YMMV

[Andrew Gabriel]

Most likely problem is that you won't get anywhere near enough heat out of them when you do the calculations, particularly at optimal condensing boiler temperatures.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

It's not a new idea. Skirting board rads were around when I fitted this system in the '70s. But they were mounted on the skirting. And ugly.

[Andrew Gabriel]

Parents have one in their living room. It's 20' long, probably 10" high and 3" deep. It's cast iron, made by Cannon, and dad had to assemble it in sections, each of which was only just liftable by one person, before the whole thing was moved into place as one unit. This was late 1950's, and it was regarded as very modern at the time. Amazingly, it still works, and has never leaked between the sections, which are apparently sealed with O-rings, nor at the on-off valve.

It convects air through it - in through a slot at the bottom and out along a slot at the top, and has internal cast iron fins (which you can't see, but can feel if you poke your fingers in).

Although it runs the whole length of the room, the heat output was just under what the room was calculated to require, and there is an additional small radiator in an opposite corner.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

ISTR seeing ones made out of finned copper - rather like a car radiator - so probably more heat output for a given size?

[Nightjar]

My doctor's surgery waiting room has low level heating that looks much like that, but probably uses finned copper, rather than cast iron. It runs along three of the four walls, but never really gets the room warm.

[Tricky Dicky]

My experience is they never seem to heat the room up properly and where I h ave seen them used in public buildings they are usually replaced at the nex t re- furb. With much more efficient wall radiators. The same is true of ki ckboard heaters like the Myson in my kitchen which does not seem to have th e grunt, unfortunately there is no space for a radiator. It's not ideal but is there not another wall you can put a radiator on, if you can get it clo se to the window wall the convection effects can be mitigated a bit.

Richard

[dennis]

I have some old Myson skirting heating. Its 32 years old. Being just a copper pipe with aluminium fins in a case its as reliable as copper pipe. It was easy to fit as the return pipe fits in the case so you just loop it at the end.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

In article , Nightjar My doctor's surgery waiting room has low level heating that looks much

Like any radiators, you need an adequate size/number. But in the average room there's probably more chance of skirting rads being 'covered' in some way.

[harryagain]

They are not that clever. There is little radiated heat effect so reducing comfort "feel" They tend to be lots bigger than normal skirting and are quite obstrusive, ugly even, especially if water temperatures are low/there is a condensing boiler. You need lots of it to get the equivalent to a radiator. Hard work to put in if it is to look neat. After a while, looks quite shabby, they have to be reguarly painted due to kick/other damage. They fill up with muck. Mice love them.

I have seen whole buildings done out with it, the entire periphery of the building was skirting heating. It was never effective/efficient and also hard to control and split into zones.

[Brian Gaff]

Is there no room for a couple of small radiators either side of the window then? Brian

[Brian Gaff]

Oh dear and there was I thinking the only adverse issue was a dog with a sore nose.

I think there is a need for some tall thin radiators these days, personally. Brian

[charles]

They exist - it's a matter of looking for them.

[dennis]

They were probably designed by NHS energy bods. The stuff I have has never been painted, was easy to install and has enough space to fit zone valves if needed.

[Alan Braggins]

They tend to be from expensive "designer" ranges though, since they will be more visually obtrusive than lower level standard ones. (I was looking a while back when our upstairs underfloor heating failed (Nu-Heat rubber hoses perishing). Fortunately downstairs is still working, but some rooms vertical radiators might be easier to fit in without lots of exposed pipework (and without taking up and refitting solid wood floor). The heated skirting is another option, but I don't think the smooth versions have the heat output, and the others look untidy. Might be the least bad option though.