apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

You can give these guys a call - they're on the lower east side. I've used them before with success. Note the cost for having a converter on the boiler to accommodate these units was more expensive than the radiators themselves.

http://www.heatdepotengineers.com/

Their number is disconnected - might they be out of business? I keep running into dead ends with the radiator - anyone else have a clue?

what about these guys?
www.runtal.com

they carry only hot water heaters.

Forget the radiators, what about those metal shelves?

The baseboards you speak of on Long Island accommodate circulating hot water -- my parent's 50's ranch in Western Mass had the same thing. It is my understanding (which means go ahead and correct me if this is wrong . . .) that steam heat works better in larger, multi-storied buildings because it rises on its own. Circulating hot water requires a pump -- easy in a ranch or split-level. However, many would consider forced air heat to be "more modern" because it can also accommodate central air conditioning.

I've seen some hot water heating systems in London, and indeed, they use circulating hot water (rather than steam) in units that look kinda like our NYC radiators. That said, Grace should probably limit her search to the UK, unless she knows an engineer willing to determine the compatability of "foreign" radiators!

Grace is looking for a steam radiator to be used here in the U.S. in a large multi-storied apartment. She's not modernizing anything. It has to be steam as that is the current heating system with no plans of changing it. She just wants the radiator to look cool.

I know Grace. I know her quest. It's been going on for weeks. Please help.

Those metal shelves are towel warmers, not radiators.

Old cast iron steam and hot water radiators are generally the very same, but piped differently. For hot water, hot water goes in one side of the bottom, cooler water exits the bottom on the other side. Most residential steam systems are one pipe systems: steam flows in on the bottom, condenses as it heats the radiator, and water flows back down the same pipe. Except in larger buildings, I don't think steam is used much in new construction any longer.

Besides construction costs being higher, steam systems require a subtlety. Unfortunately, the number of contractors who know how steam systems *really* work is shrinking every year. Your best bet would be to talk to the folks at http://www.heatinghelp.com/. In addition to lots of free information, there are forums where professionals hang out. We found our contractor there (we're up in Boston).

Also, if you own your place instead of rent and you're interested in getting your system to work better (or look better) drop $25 on http://www.heatinghelp.com/shopcart/product.cfm?category=2-109. It's an excellent introduction to steam heat for the lay person and is written by probably the foremost expert in the field.

I struggled with these very questions - let me know if I can help in any way.

Rebecca - thanks for clarification on locale. The fact that it is here in NYC in a large building brings up anothe question: does she have permission from the landlord/coop board to change the radiator?

The other way to go -- less aesthetically pleasing, I know -- is a radiator cover. See http://www.shuttershack.com/products/radcovers/index.html for some ideas. I know that carpenters can customize these to any taste/decor.

Good luck with your hunt. I have seen very cool radiators on occasion in hip storefronts, but I imagine they were custom jobs and cost mucho dinero!!!

They're actually full-on radiators from a british company, but I can't remember the name at the moment...

try www.steamradiators.com

ali is right on - steamradiators.com...i believe that they are affiliated with runtal in some way. runtal makes a tremendous product, but it's for closed-loop systems.

As far as I can tell, they're for towels: http://www.mhsboilers.com/radiators/ultra_modern/hot_box.htm

Lots of other radiator options on the site, tho.

i am also looking for a "cool radiator"! did you find anything?

I've been renovating my place, and this was the best solution that I could find for steam. It's made by Runtal and its a 60"x16" vertically mounted called SteamView. If you are interested in this radiator, I'm actually selling it (I had to utilize a smaller one for the space) for half runtal's price:

http://www.steamradiators.com/pricing.html

The radiator was only set up for a day. Works perfectly (not much can go wrong with a radiator anyway), has a beautiful factory gun metal paint job, and comes with mounting posts. Can be also mounted horizontally. You can take a look at it in manhattan.

$400

you can get a conventional looking baseboard unit from slant/fin model multipack 80 or a modern looking freestanding unit or recesed in a cabinet with cast iron element from governale

I knew this guy renovated his loft im Manhattan and put in baseboard steam. The units were about 12" high and looked almost like baseboard heating. Very sleek. A little more bulk than your typical baseboard radiator. I don't think it had a removable front panel like hot water. The whole thing was the radiator. He put them in at 105 Hudson St. I'm thinking his name was Hudson on the 10th flr, but don't quote me. This was about 25 yrs ago so somebody did make them. -joe

http://www.steamradiators.com/steamview-radiator.pdf

modern style true steam radiators

check out steamradiators.com out of MA

go to Radical Radiator Restorations in Massachusetts. I got an antique radiator that looks really modern. He even shipped it to my loft in Brooklyn.

Absolutely www.radicalradiator.com my shop is a resource for steam and hot water radiators. I'm shipping 3 radiators to New York today. Stay warm.