Cast Iron Radiator Heat
I'm concidering buying a house that i can get a great deal on(i think). I'v been talking to the seller frequently.
He wants to sell as is. I dont have a problem with that. Yesterday though, he called to tell me that because
of the power being off for a couple of days then beloe freezing weather, water in the pipes froze. Five of the
cast iron radiators in the house broke.
I need heat as i will be living there. Are these cast iron radiators hard to get? Are they expensive? are they
hard to install? Should i go for some alternative heating? Should i run and never look back?
Please, some advice.
Thanks
we have had several homes that had radiators in every state of disrepair. we always chose to replace them with hotwater baseboards. plumbing/heating pros can now use a plastic piping product called PEX which eliminates the need for expensive copper pipes. it would certainly be cost effective but you would lose all the fun noises that radiators make.
I have a property that's mixed between cast iron radiators and Slantfin baseboards. The radiators can be bought new and used and connect easily with a large wrench or Channel locks. Ask a couple of local plumbers or plumbing supply stores where you can get used ones.
As for converting to baseboards, they definitely look more modern, but definitely do NOT produce as much heat. Another benefit to the cast irons is that they hold heat much longer than baseboards, basically giving you "free" heat between boiler cycles.