Heating problem

[sid]

I live in an old English Tudor house that was built in 1930. We have hot water heat with radiators in all of the rooms When I moved here in the 1950's the heating system was not working properly because some of the original iron pipes were leaking. The plumber replaced all of the pipes with copper except for our living room. He just connected the new copper piping to the iron pipes in the living room. These pipes ran under the hardwood floor and wall to wall carpeting.

Now we have discovered a leak which is somewhere within the network of these old pipes. My new plumber discovered this when he turned the system on and water came spilling out onto our driveway. To replace this in the traditional way would involve ripping up the wall to wall carpeting and then ripping up the old oak floors. This would create a real mess and also be very expensive.

My own idea would be to shut off all the radiators in this room from the rest of the system which could easily done. Next to install a heat pump for just this one room.

Does this sound feasible? I would be interested in informed opinions. TIA

[aintright]

Don't know your layout , but could you cut a vent in the wall next to the ceiling of a room that does have heat and install a ceiling fan in the non heated room and run it so that it blows down , set it on low , and draw the heat from the other room into it , possibly do it to two walls each being adjoining rooms .
Could be a cost effective cure .
Kenneth

[RED]

Actually, if you discard the radiators in that room and replace with a modern electrical system, it would be more cost efficient and save you a lot of money. If you keep even a part of the antique, system it is going to require even more repairs and cost more in the long term. My house was built in 1994 with the state of the art HVAC system and now it is hopelessly out of date and by statute must be entirely replaced when it quits. I don't know how you cool the house but that is also a consideration. Today's experts can do wonders, but shop thoroughly. There can be thousands of dollars difference in estimates. Good luck!

[Allen]

I would think with even the smallest heat pump that more than one vent would be required otherwise there would be a lot of turbulence (volume) coming from just the one vent (noisy too?). The heat pump would also need to be placed where it could receive the return air. Since you only need heat in the one room would electric space heaters work? Some are pretty high tech now. and can be placed in a corner practically out of sight. The Tudor homes I've seen all have fireplaces in the living rooms, any such thing in your home and could it be converted to a gas burning fireplace?

[JB White]

More than simply shutting off the room. You'll need to bypass the heated floor to complete the circuit. It's fine to abandon the old system beneath the floor.
Not knowing your layout or room size, an electric oil filled radiator might do the trick. Or, is it possible to pick up off the existing copper and install a baseboard system in that room?

[tmark]

Having watched DIY tv shows on remodelling, leaky areas are torn out or neatly removed to address any mold issues. The floor planks may be saved after removal to inspect for mold especially if you have insulation beneath the floors. New old stock may replace some damaged flooring.