So the previous owner removed the old CI radiator from the master bedroom and replaced it with a baseboard loop. He then commented that the baseboard never worked as well heating the room....

Here's what it looks like:





So I am planning to remove the baseboard loop and re-install a cast iron radiator. I have been doing some research and started shopping for a radiator, but I can't seem to find any info related to size.

The pipes coming from the floor look like standard 1" pipes. They are 22" apart OC and 5" from the wall. So I will need to add an elbow to each pipe as well as a valve, but how do I know how much distance they take up? In other words, what size radiator fits here? Height is no problem as it goes between the windows, depth is pretty common, but I am having trouble figuring what width I should be looking for. I don't want to move the pipes because we just had the floors refinished.

Went to a scrap yard yesterday, but most of what he had was steam. Any advice on where to buy a CI radiator?

Re-Modeling homes for 35 years.
I am NOT a licensed plumber.

I would just get a couple of union elbows, one for each end. ignore the shut off as all it is meant for is to throttle the heat if the room is too hot.
anyway get the 2 union ells, hold them in place and measure the space inbetween. from that you can calculate how long the radiator needs to be. go to a salvage yard to find one. new ones are very expensive. if you are lucky you'll find exactly what you need. if not then get one smaller than the opening and extend one of the elbows to make it fit.
P/S, don't start this in the middle of the winter as it may take some fussing and fooling around to get it right.
hey, worse comes to worse, you can always get a cast iron baseboard and replace all the fin tube with cast iron. it will look the same but it will heat much better than what you have.

Do you know that there are "steam only" radiators, and combination "steam/water" radiators? If not, do a search for pictures of steam only radiators. They are not connected across the top. Many of the ones available from salvage yards, may have a steam vent in them, but they are combination, and converting them involves removing the vent and putting a pipe plug in it's place. You want them pressure tested, and get the salvage yard to remove the spuds.

A 7 section,3 column, 38" high radiator will give you about double the btus that you have with the fin-tube. Based on comparing my radiators, that would be about the size for 22". Remember, you can't re-use the spuds from an old radiator. They will not mate up with new components. This will give you some idea of how to identify radiators. [www.columbiaheatingsupply.com]

If you like the room a little bit on the cool side, you might want to put a TRV on the radiator.It's a lot easier to do it now, rather than later.



Edited 1 times.

Thanks, I did some treading and learned about steam-only vs either/or units. Which part is the spud?

The spuds are the parts of the valve and el that go into the radiators. They can be a challenge( to say the least) to remove from an old radiator. If someone else removes them, check the threads well with a flashlight. Make sure they're not damaged.

i just cut the union nut right off the spud so i can get an 18 or 24 inch wrench on the spud. lay the radiator down, grab the end of the spud with the pipe wrench and jump on the end of the wrench.

bigger wrench = no jumping







==============================================

"Measure Twice & Cut Once" - Retired U.A. Local 1 & 638

I've had them come out with a spud wrench and a 24" wrench. I've cut the union off and not be able to budge them with a 24, so I got a 4 ft cheater. It crushed the pipe and left the threads intact. Then notch and collapse the threads. I'll say it again...the best way is to let someone else do it.

Try with the spud wrench and a 24 stillson.

if out - finished.

if no,

LEAVING THE SPUD WRENCH IN TO PREVENT CRUSHING

use a LARGE stillson in the spud nipple

it WILL unscrew

==============================================

"Measure Twice & Cut Once" - Retired U.A. Local 1 & 638

It will unscrew AFTER he cuts the union nut off so he can get a wrench on the spud nipple.

correct

for the OP:

notch/slice the nut and pry off - do not cut the nipple itself

==============================================

"Measure Twice & Cut Once" - Retired U.A. Local 1 & 638

Yeah not much different than auto repair..."heat and beat". Use a propane torch to heat up (expand) the area around the spud nut, spray some PB Blaster in the threads and let soak, then bring out the BW....(big wrench)



Edited 1 times.

Don't bother with the torch. That works well getting a nut off. This is much to large an area, and you can't heat enough of it to allow expansion. What will happen if you heat it too much, is, you will hear a snap, and then it's on to radiator #2. Try the spud wrench first, you might get lucky, and it'll come right out. Usually the nubs shear off, and you go to plan B.