Heating a Hall Stairs & Landing (working out required BTU)

JohnJack81

Hi Folks,
We are currently doing a bit of work in our hallway (moving a small stud wall to effectively make it smaller) which is going to require us moving a radiator (old 1970's c.200x60cm single panel). 
Rather than simply just moving the radiator it seems a good time to put a new modern convector in so I have been trying to work out the BTU heating value for the area.
I was a little unsure as to how to work out the requirement as it is split level, I was also trying to figure out what the heat output of the current rad is. Are older single panel rads comparable to a new basic (no fins) single panel rad of similar size?

Thanks in advance
P.S All the calculator I can find seem to be either for hallway or for landing, but non together

matelodave

If you've found a calc that does hallway and landing then it really wouldn't be everso hard to add them together. By definition a landing will always have a stair case or something underneath where it would get some residual heat anyway, so I guess the calculator might probably take that into account. Your alternative is to could it all as one big room. Why not do both calculations (as one room and as two) and then take the average between them if they come out vastly different.

You dont actually need a precision calculation to several decimal places so do your sums and put in the radiator that's closest in output (ideally the next size up rather than down)

How is the rad and hall temp being controlled - is your main stat in the hall or somewhere else, if somewhere else then you'll need to fit a thermostatic rad valve, if it's in the hall then you don't. Make sure the stat is nowhere near the front door so it can't get unduly affected by cold draughts, either through the letter box or when the door is opened.

I wouldn't have thought that a similar sized and configured rad from the 70's would be vastly different regarding output - they are all usually made of steel (modern ones might be a bit thinner) but again it's not a precision exercise.

tim_p

By 200x60cm I take it to mean 2m wide? Would there any reason not to replace it with something the same size but double panel and control it with a TRV. I’m assuming you’re talking about replacing a wet gas heated CH radiator like for like and not thinking you’d save by putting in an electric panel heater?

Gerry1

BTUs?  How many groats does it take to pay your bill in the Gas Board shop?  What's the groats per BTU price?

matelodave

Most rads are (or used to be)  quoted in BTU's here is the conversion - 1 kW = 3412.142 BTU