I am switching from a one pipe steam system to a two pipe hot water baseboard system. Getting estimates, but getting different opinions on how to run the lines. Going to run 3 zones where there is currently 1. One zone to den which has a wood stove (no problem here, simple supply and return to furnace); one zone to first floor (no prob here either, unfinished basement gives access to run HW loop); 2nd floor is a doozey! 90 year old house with brick/tile exterior construction (no framing). Hardwood floors on 2nd floor.
To be a little more descriptive, the second floor is basically a 25 foot square with 4 rooms. A pipe chase runs up the rear of the house into a bedroom closet. Go to the R and you are in a bedroom, go to the L and you have access to the bathroom. There are two bedrooms on the front of the house. Joists run from front to back. Not positive if there is a clear shot through the floor from rear to front, but it may be possible. The ceilings under the rear bedroom and bath are options for opening up the ceiling, because demo work will be done in here (hadn't planned on it, but hey, sometimes when you get lemons...).
My basic question is how a loop for a zone can be configured if you can't run one continuous loop - supply from furnace to rad to rad to rad to rad and then return to furnace (this would require either running dummies practically around the entire perimeter, yuk, or busting open floors or the ceilings below, $$$). Can there be a T in the supply? Is the solution to just run a zone to one room if it is too challenging to tie it into a loop?
Any advice is appreciated! Tracy
To be a little more descriptive, the second floor is basically a 25 foot square with 4 rooms. A pipe chase runs up the rear of the house into a bedroom closet. Go to the R and you are in a bedroom, go to the L and you have access to the bathroom. There are two bedrooms on the front of the house. Joists run from front to back. Not positive if there is a clear shot through the floor from rear to front, but it may be possible. The ceilings under the rear bedroom and bath are options for opening up the ceiling, because demo work will be done in here (hadn't planned on it, but hey, sometimes when you get lemons...).
My basic question is how a loop for a zone can be configured if you can't run one continuous loop - supply from furnace to rad to rad to rad to rad and then return to furnace (this would require either running dummies practically around the entire perimeter, yuk, or busting open floors or the ceilings below, $$$). Can there be a T in the supply? Is the solution to just run a zone to one room if it is too challenging to tie it into a loop?
Any advice is appreciated! Tracy