![]() Frankly these calculations were beyond me, so I outsourced this part of the job to my wife's cousin the engineer. ![]() Radiators vary in height, the number of columns and the number of fins, so make sure to do your research before committing to a particular radiator. This involves calculating the cubic feet of your space, and determining the amount of BTU's output by the radiator. In picking a radiator, you also need to make sure it will be a sufficient size to heat your space. Also check Craigslist, as people are frequently looking to get rid of these old dinosaurs, and will happily give them for free to anyone who can provide the muscle to remove them.Īnd muscle you will need! These monsters are HEAVY! I never weighed them, but I would guess that the larger radiator is easily 300lbs. If you don't have a business like this near you, you might check with your local junkyard or recycling plant. I was very fortunate to find these beautiful radiators on the lot of a fantastic local non-profit business called " Build-it-Green" ( Build-it-Green specializes in salvaging building materials from local renovation projects and demolition sites, reducing what goes into landfills, and reselling materials that still have plenty of life left in them, (and in most cases some heart and soul too, as compared to soulless mass produced big box store items). And many of those cast iron radiators that have survived for over 100 years are covered with over 100 years worth of paint! (Much of which probably includes lead). They have since fallen out of popularity in newer construction, replaced by electrical baseboard or central heating systems. Make sure you've got the "person power," resources and commitment before you decide to install one of these radiators!Ĭast iron radiators were the most popular form of home heating for many generations. These radiators are ridiculously heavy, and required a number of large individuals just to move a few feet. These radiators were manufactured in an era that could not comprehend the concept of "planned obsolescence!"Ī word of caution: This project is not for the faint of heart. (The patent mark indicates that they were patented in 1891, so they were manufactured some time after) And they still work perfectly.I know the phrase is overused, but they just don't make them like they used too! What I ended up installing are "Rococo" style radiators, manufactured by the National Radiator Company in the late 19th or early 20th Century. After speaking with a number of people who were very unhappy about removing their cast iron radiators and converting to electric baseboard heaters, I decided to stay with steam, but to replace the plain (lead paint covered) radiators with a fancier upgrade. (Plus, there's no Instructables category for radiators -)Īnd why steam heat? When my wife and I bought our home, it came with a steam heating system, and a number of very plain radiators. Well this radiator was actually manufactured in the Victorian era! And in the steampunk traditions of anti-commercialism, reusing and repurposing, this project certainly meets those criteria. Generally, steampunk objects pay tribute to the Victorian era. Why you may ask is this in the Steampunk section? We'll this is the first project I've worked on that actually involves steam. In this Instructable I will detail the steps I took to restore a pair of 19th Century Victorian cast iron radiators, and how I got them to work in my 21st Century home!
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