Answers to Climaboard® Frequently Asked Questions
1. How does Climaboard work?
2. What does Climaboard® cost to install and run?
3. What are U values?
4. Is Climaboard® dangerous to pets and small children?
5. How often does Climaboard® need purging of silt, sludge or limescale?
6. What’s new and different about Frog’s system?
7. How does it compare to underfloor heating systems (UFH)?
8. How does Climaboard® compare to, and can Climaboard® replace, Radiators?
9. How does Climaboard® compare with other skirting board heating systems?
10. I have heard that skirting board or baseboard heating systems can be very noisy. Is this
the case with Climaboard®?
11. What approvals does Climaboard® have?
12. Can I get Climaboard® in colours other than white? Can it be painted?
13. What is the heat output?
14. What is the technical specification?
15. Can Climaboard® be used in carpeted rooms?
16. Can Climaboard® be fitted in tiled rooms with tiled upstands?
17. Can anybody install the Climaboard system?
18. You state “less than 1oC temperature variation up to 3 metres high” in your sales literature - is
this as high as the system works or is this its optimum operating environment?
19. How does Climaboard® compare to “split unit” or ducted warm air systems?
20. Why do you state that it is ideal for allergy-sufferers?
21. Is Climaboard® only suited to new builds?
22. Why do you say that Climaboard® is environmentally friendly?
23. What fuel does Climaboard® use?
24. Does Climaboard® need “bleeding”?
25. Is Climaboard® susceptible to corrosion?
26. Does Climaboard® meet UK building regulations?
27. How much Climaboard do I need for my project?
28. Can Climaboard® be recessed into walls for flush mounting?
29. Does the convection and the Coanda effect cause wall staining, because of intense circulation of dust and dirt?
Q1. How does Climaboard work?
Applying the laws of physics, Climaboard takes advantage of "the Coanda effect", in which the
tendency of a moving fluid, either liquid or gas, is to attach itself to a surface and flow along it. Hence,
Climaboard is usually mounted inside rooms on the exterior walls where the warm air generated at
skirting board level rises following the surface of the wall. This thin layer of hot air forms an insulating
layer that prevents cold air radiating from the walls. The walls in turn absorb heat and then
homogeneously release heat radiation into the room. Comfort is felt within the room even at relatively
low air temperature making the system extremely cost-effective. Hence Climaboard® is a heating system that reacts very quickly, heating rooms starting from the coldest point, providing maximum comfort at a lower than average temperature.
Q2. What does Climaboard® cost to install and run?
Installation
This varies from country to country and region to region, depending on many factors such as climate and U values (see Q3 below) of the construction materials used. Example: Installation cost for a typical 3-bedroom house in the UK where night-time winter temperature may get as low as -5oC. The house is running a 70oC hot water system powered by oil or gas needing approx 21 metres of active Climaboard at around £1500 + VAT fully fitted but not counting the cost of the boiler. The same house running an all electric Climaboard® system at 200Watt/metre would need around 31 metres costing around £3347 + VAT installed complete. (NB: These prices are given as indications only and are not quotations or an offer to supply.)
Running costs
Again, this depends on the size and construction of the building, the local climate, the type and cost of fuel, boiler type, room usage and many other factors such as altitude and type of windows. Because of these variables we cannot give absolute figures for operating costs. However, for the following reasons we can state that Climaboard® will show a cost saving over most other forms of heating. The important points to bear in mind are:
1. Climaboard® can be heated by hot water produced by almost any method, for example gas, wood or oil powered boilers or electrical heat pumps. It can operate safely and effectively at water temperatures from 40oC to 75oC. So there is no restriction on choice of heating fuels and methods.
2. Climaboard® is a very quick and efficient means of delivering heat into a room. It uses much less
water than underfloor or radiator systems. With less water to heat, the desired temperature is reached
very quickly using less energy, hence less cost. Compared to wet screeded underfloor systems, which
take up to a day to heat up the floor slab before reaching the desired room temperature, results and
savings are even more remarkable.
3. Climaboard® is a very efficient converter of heat in the pipes to heat in the room. At 40oC it runs at
approx 95W per meter, at 70oC it runs at 302W and at 75oC it delivers 345 Watts per meter.
4. Tests at the Politecnico di Milano show that Climaboard® delivers heat very evenly around a room to
ceiling heights of up to 3 meters. This is due to the method of operation. In the same way that
underfloor heating heats from floor level, there is less of an accumulation of heat below the ceiling
which means that it requires about 30% less energy to achieve the desired comfort level. Hence the
expression “comfort at a lower average temperature”.
More information comparing the cost and efficiency of boiler types can be found on the web. The
following independent sites are particularly helpful:
• www.est.org.uk/housingbuildings/calculators/hardtotreat/heating/
• www.nef.org.uk/energyadvice/boilers.htm
The best way to put this in context is to consider some examples. In much of Europe the climate
dictates the use of about 200mm of Climaboard® per cubic metre of room. Hence, for example, a 150
sq.metre house in the Netherlands with ceiling height of 2.4 metres would have a volume of 360
cu.metre. With average levels of insulation it would require about 72 mtrs of Climaboard®. A 16KW
(55,000 BTU) boiler would be ample in this case.
In less extreme Mediterranean climates as little as 100mm may be required per cubic meter of room
given adequate insulation. Hence a well-insulated 67 sq.metre apartment with ceiling height of 2.5
metres having a volume of 167.5 cu.metres, could require as little as 16 mtrs of Climaboard® using
less than 5KW (17,000 BTU) of heat energy. More would be required for a poorly insulated apartment
of same dimensions.
Electrical Only Option
For homes without room for a boiler, Climaboard® can be heated by electric power alone using internal
electric resistance elements which are inserted into one of the two copper pipes, the other pipe being
used to carry the electrical cable so that all is safely hidden within the skirting.
These operate at 200 Watts per metre, which is 1 Kilowatt per hour or 1 “Unit” (1 Unit of electricity = 1
Kilowatt/hour) per every 5 metres of Climaboard®. Hence, if the cost of electricity is Euro 0.13 per
Unit, Climaboard® will cost a maximum of Euro 0.026 per metre per hour to run. (It is possible to
double up on the electrical elements to give 400 Watts per metre for extreme situations.)
In the above example of an insulated two-bedroomed apartment, the requirement would be for 17.88
metres of Climaboard® fitted with electrical resistance elements as the source of heat. The apartment
will use 17.88 x 200 Watts per hour = 3.576KW (3.576 “Units” of electricity) to reach the target
temperature – typically 20oC. Once it has attained that temperature the thermostat will start to
operate, switching the power off and on as required to maintain 20oC. How much “on” and “off” time
will depend on the insulation and the usage of the room, factors such as how many times and how long
the doors or windows are opened. A typical home might have an “on time” for power of around 6 to 8
hours per day. Hence, for our example room if we assumed the cost of electricity to be an average of
€0.13 per Unit, the running cost would be:
• 3.576 Units at 0.13 per hour x 6 hours = €2.789 per day
• 3.25 Units at 0.13 per hour x 8 hours = €3.719 per day
Q3. What are U values?
The following is quoted from the website of Sustainable Energy Ireland, an excellent reference source: When selecting materials for construction, builders will choose good insulators to reduce heat energy losses. In practice, it is usual to use a figure for a particular structure, e.g. a brick wall, rather than take the values of the conductivities of its constituent materials. The figure used is called the U-value. It refers to Unit Heat Loss Rate , and its unit is the watt per metre squared per kelvin, W m-2 K-1. The U-value is defined as the rate at which thermal energy is conducted through unit area, per Kelvin temperature difference between its two sides.
U = rates of loss of energy
surface area x temperature difference
A good insulating structure therefore has a low U-value, if a structure has a U-value of 1, this means 1 J per second will pass through each square metre for each kelvin (degree Celsius) difference in temperature between the two sides of the structure.
The table following gives typical U-values for different areas of a modern house and shows the effect of added insulation. Note that these are typical values. Actual values depend on factors such as the shape, size and location of the house, materials used in its construction and the amount and type of insulation added.
The effect of adding insulation to a house is to reduce the U-values of the different areas, thus
reducing the amount of energy required and hence lower cost to heat the house.
Approximate U values of typical construction materials
Outer Walls
Solid block and plaster 2.5
9" Solid Brick 2.2
Solid cement and brick 2
Block, cavity , block 1.6
11" Brick-block cavity, unfilled 1
11" Brick-block cavity, insulated 0.6
Block, polystyrene board, block 0.58
Timber frame with block, polystyrene board, block 0.46
Internal Walls
plaster, 4" heavyweight block, plaster 2.5
plaster, 4.5"brick, plaster 2.2
plaster, plasterboard, 4" studding, plasterboard 1.8
plaster, 4" lightweight block, plaster 1.2
Ground floor
Solid concrete without insulation 2.12
Solid concrete with insulation 0.8
Suspended timber 0.7
Intermediate floors & ceilings
Solid concrete without insulation, approx 1.9
Plasterboard, 8" joist space, T&G boards, heat flow upwards 1.7
Plasterboard, 8" joist space, T&G boards, heat flow downwards 1.4
Solid concrete with insulation 1.2
Roof
Cement, without insulation 2.85
Cement, with insulation 1
flat, 25mm insulation 0.9
flat, 50mm insulation 0.7
pitched with felt, 50mm insulation 0.6
pitched with felt, 100mm insulation 0.3
Windows
Single glazed, metal frame 5.8
Single glazed, wood or Upvc frame 5
Double glazed, metal frame 3.7
Double glazed, wood or upvc frame 2.9
Double glazed, 20mm gap, Low-E glass 1.7
To learn more about U Values and the different types of heat transmission visit Sustainable Energy
Ireland’s excellent website at: http://snipurl.com/1ci6
Q4. Is Climaboard® dangerous to pets and small children?
No, Climaboard isn’t dangerous to pets and small children. When heated by water up to 75oC or with single electrical resistance elements at 200W/metre, the external temperature of the skirting board does not get hot enough to burn on momentary contact. However, as with ordinary radiators we strongly advise against prolonged contact and recommend that suitable precautions be made to prevent small children from coming into contact with the skirting.
Q5. How often does Climaboard® need purging of silt, sludge or limescale?
Like any “wet” system, Climaboard® should be properly installed and commissioned, with a final flushing of the system with a corrosion inhibitor to BS7593 (such as from the Fernox range). If the water hardness is greater than 200 parts per million then the feedwater should also be treated to reduce limescale. Provided these procedures are followed by the installer, Climaboard® is very unlikely to become obstructed by silt, sludge or limescale, even in hardwater areas. It is certainly far less likely to suffer from these problems than a radiator system because the entire circulation system consists only of copper pipes – no other metals are involved. That’s why Climaboard® is supplied with a 10year warranty on parts and materials. For a detailed study on why these problems can occur in water-based heating systems, see: “The problems caused by water in heating devices” at http://snipurl.com/1c6eb And “Limescale Deposition” at http://snipurl.com/1c6dd
Q6. What’s new and different about Frog’s system?
While the concept of skirting board heating is not new, Frog has perfected the system and has patented a number of features that overcome the problems associated with earlier designs, in particular those of noise or loss of thermal continuity caused by differential expansion rates between copper pipes and aluminium fins. Offering more heat per meter, it is “best of breed”.
Q7. How does it compare to underfloor heating systems?
Climaboard offers all the benefits of UFH systems but at lower cost. Both provide heat from the lowest point, are energy efficient and offer the beneficial effects of radiant heat. However, Climaboard is much quicker to respond to changes in required room temperature and offers far less variation in temperature from floor to ceiling. It is quick and clean to install compared to “wet” screeded UFH systems and is easy to access for repair should that ever be necessary. It is ideally suited to retrofit situations where UFH systems are just not practical. Climaboard® also uses much less water than underfloor systems. With less water and no mass of floor to heat, the desired temperature is reached much sooner, thus using less energy, hence less cost.
Potential problems with UFH
• Leaks in older systems: http://snipurl.com/1c6ck
• Installation needs highly trained experts: http://snipurl.com/1c6cs
Q8. How does Climaboard® compare to, and can Climaboard® replace, Radiators?
Since Climaboard® heats from the bottom up over a wider area, delivers heat more evenly to a room resulting in no hot or cold
spots and no accumulations of wasted heat below the ceiling. The following illustration shows this effect quite clearly:
Climaboard® can be readily installed to replace radiators. It doesn’t matter if the water inlet and outlet pipes emerge from the walls or the floor, standard plumbing components and techniques can be used to connect to Climaboard® in almost any situation.
Potential problems with radiators:
• Swarf inside - the need for flushing: http://snipurl.com/1c6b3
• Leaks due to corrosion: http://snipurl.com/1c6bh
• Case study on corrosion: http://snipurl.com/1c6br
• Various problems: http://snipurl.com/1c6ba
Q9. How does Climaboard® compare with other skirting board heating systems?
There are a number of other designs on the market today that look like Climaboard® in that they are low profile and closely resemble ordinary skirting boards. However, that’s where the similarity ends. The benefits of Climaboard over these systems are:
1. It doesn’t get as hot on the outside.
Most of these other systems are based on the use of an aluminium extrusion that instead of having
separate copper pipes to carry the hot water, has holes within the aluminium extrusion itself. This
means that the fascia gets as hot as the water passing through it which in some cases may be too hot.
The Climaboard® fascia never comes into contact with either the hot water or the twin copper pipes,
which are threaded through aluminium fins that are in turn in contact with the fascia. This means that
the fascia never gets as hot as the water running through the pipes.
2. Climaboard® is more efficient.
Climaboard® draws air from floor level upwards around twin copper pipes and aluminium fins,
efficiently transferring heat energy from the water in the pipes to the air in the room, as in a convector
heater. The solid aluminium systems, however, radiate heat from the surface of the skirting resulting
in a less efficient transmission of heat into the room. This is typically less than half the efficiency of
Climaboard® which produces, for example at water temperature of 75oC, 345 Watts per metre
compared to as low as 146 Watts per meter in other systems.
3. You need less Climaboard® hence lower purchase price.
Since Climaboard® is not only more efficient but can be run safely at a higher water temperature,
much less Climaboard® is needed to achieve the desired room temperature - hence lower capital cost
for similar operating costs.
4. Climaboard® can be run at a lower temperature hence lower heating bills.
You can run a Climaboard system at a much lower water temperature to achieve similar heat output,
resulting in a more efficient system using less energy, hence less cost.
5. Climaboard® works in bigger rooms and in less well-insulated houses
Since Climaboard® has heat output roughly double that of other low profile skirting board systems, you need less length to achieve the desired temperature. This can be crucial in older houses with large rooms and high ceilings where with lower heat output per meter you can find that there may not be enough wall to go round! For example, at 146 Watts/Meter a room measuring 8 x 6 x 3 metres will need approx 28 meter of skirting heating. At 345 Watts per meter, the same room would need just 12 meters.
Q10. I have heard that skirting board or baseboard heating systems can be very noisy. Is his the case with Climaboard®?
No, Climaboard® has a unique, patented method by which the aluminium fins are attached to the copper pipes. Because the flange joint is free to expand and contract while still maintaining good thermal contact, in most situations there should not be a problem with noise during heating up and cooling down. However, if you are planning to run the system very hot - over 75C water temperature -
we recommend that you install flexible connectors type 03-1001 at strategic points such as corners so that these take up any movement of pipes.
Q11. What approvals does Climaboard® have?
Climaboard is approved to EN442-1 and -2 for water based and electrical heating systems. These new standards replaced the old BS 3528 radiator spec in July 1997. Follow this link to see the full test report
Q12. Can I get Climaboard® in colours other than white? Can it be painted?
Yes, Climaboard® is available in any colour you want and can be matched to any surface effect such as wood grain or marble from a sample or digital photograph. It can be painted just like radiators with good quality high temperature paint.
Q13. What is the heat output?
1. The electrical version runs at 200W per metre, electrical input and heat output.
2. The water version produces about:
220 Watts heat energy per meter from a 60oC water supply,
302 from 70oC,
345 from 75oC..
Input water temperature in oC 40 45 50 55 60 65 70 75
Output Power in Watt/meter 95 118 153 178 220 270 302 345
Output in Btu/hr/metre 324 403 522 607 750 921 1030 1104
Q14. What is the technical specification?
Materials Polypropylene (PP) backplate, 15 mm copper pipe, heating grade aluminium fins and extrusions
Dimensions
Height 140mm x width 30mm
Water capacity 0.266 litres/metre
Average water flow 0.133 litres/second
Air in transit 0.133 l/s
DeltaT=50K (tested to EN442-1 & EN442-2 at
Politecnico di Milano 27/03/2002)
Thermal output of the tested model: 1834 W
(229.25W/metre)
Maximum length per single circuit 40 metres
Source of heat energy Any
Q15. Can Climaboard® be used in carpeted rooms?
Yes it can. Fit directly over the edge of the carpet without compressing the pile.
NB. When fitting Climaboard® in rooms without any floor covering at all and where there is a likelihood that a floor covering such as carpet, laminate or tiles may be fitted at a later date, it is advisable to allow about 20mm clearance between the bottom edge of the backplate and the floor.
Q16. Can Climaboard® be fitted in tiled rooms with tiled upstands?
Yes it can, and it looks very attractive too. Given the choice in countries where tiled floor are the
norm, it is desirable to use a reduced height upstand of about 25mm (1 inch) to allow for better air
flow and easier floor cleaning.
Q17. Can anybody install the Climaboard system?
A very competent DIY expert should be able to cut Climaboard® to size and attach it to a wall paying particular attention to cutting mitres into any corners that are not absolute right angles. Such a competent person may even be able to connect up the plumbing to the hot water supply. It is however recommended that this work be undertaken by a qualified plumber or heating engineer. Any electrical work such as installing thermostats, programmers, switches etc. must be done by a qualified electrician or heating engineer. Any gas work such as installing and connecting a boiler must also be done by qualified person, for example CORGI registered if in the UK.
For further information about UK regulations see:
www.communities.gov.uk/pub/340/DomesticHeatingComplianceGuide_id1165340.pdf
Q18. You state “less than 1oC temperature variation up to 3 metres high” in your sales literature - is this as high as the system works or is this its optimum operating environment?
Climaboard® will work much higher than this but needs more length in relation to height. The correct method to calculate the requirement related to room size is by finding the room volume. A rough rule of thumb is to allow 200mm per cubic meter. This will vary of course depending on the insulation of the room.
Q19. How does Climaboard® compare to “split unit” or ducted warm air systems?
“Split unit" combined air conditioning and warm air convector heaters and also ducted warm air systems typically emit air near the ceiling, wasting much of the warm air. As far as humans comfort is concerned heat above head height is waste heat. Waste heat = wasted energy. Because warm air rises heating at floor level makes sense. Climaboard® takes advantage of the Coanda effect in which the warm air rises naturally along the wall forming a moving curtain of warm air that acts as an insulating layer.
Q20. Why do you state that it is ideal for allergy-sufferers?
Climaboard® doesn't blow air and particulate matter around. Its’ gentle heat rising up exterior walls
helps dry the wall and given adequate ventilation inhibits bacterial growth.
Q21. Is Climaboard® only suited to new builds?
No, while it’s perfect for new builds Climaboard® is also very suitable for retrofits in many situations: where people are fed up with radiators rendering much of their wall space unsuitable for furniture; for refurbishments where it's time to replace the old system; for loft conversions; for conservatories, house extensions and conversions, etc, etc
Q22. Why do you say that Climaboard® is environmentally friendly?
Compared to Radiators Just like a modern convector radiator, Climaboard® is a very efficient means of transferring heat from piped hot water into a room. It is 100% efficient in this respect.
However, because it heats from the floor upwards over a wider area, it delivers heat more evenly into a room without accumulations of wasted heat below the ceiling. The following illustration shows this effect quite clearly.
Compared to underfloor heating (UFH) Unlike UFH Climaboard® doesn't need to heat the floor slab first and with a lot less water in the system – less than a 10th of that used in a typical under floor system – it warms up quickly using less energy. In this respect it is highly responsive, with a rating of 1.0. Efficiency and responsiveness combine to save energy.
As with UFH, Climaboard® can be used with heat pumps to very good effect. It can be run very efficiently at the relatively low temperatures provided by heat pumps and hence can live up to the same efficiency claims as UFH.
However, its responsiveness gives it the edge over UFH. Compared to warm air systems unlike ducted, blown air systems, people in a room heated with Climaboard® feel warmer at a lower average temperature. This is due to the wind chill effect. With ducted or blown warm air, in order for an occupant within a room to feel the warmth of 20oC, the system needs to output 25 – 27oC. With Climaboard®, to feel 20oC, you set 20oC, hence using less energy.
Q23. What fuel does Climaboard® use?
Climaboard® works with any source of piped hot water including heat pumps. Where it is just not possible to site a boiler we can insert electrical resistance elements running at 200 Watts/meter.
Q24. Does Climaboard® need “bleeding”?
As with any “wet” system air may enter the pipework over a long period of time and need bleeding. It is therefore important that the installer incorporate bleed valves in the system design as they would with any radiator system. However, it is worthy of note that in a good installation there should be less of a tendency for this to happen due to the lower water capacity and absence of radiators supporting a “head” of water.
Q25. Is Climaboard® susceptible to corrosion?
No! A Climaboard® “wet” central heating system is far less susceptible to corrosion than any other wet system as the piping is made entirely from copper, the most “noble” metal used in heating systems. Problems arise in other systems that use a combination of metals, for example copper pipe and aluminium or steel radiators, due to galvanic (electrochemical) action. Aluminium is particularly susceptible as it is far away from copper in the table of the elements.
However, the metal most commonly corroded in a domestic system is mild steel, unfortunately the metal of choice for most of the lower priced radiators on the market today!
For more information on this subject, check:
“The problems caused by water in heating devices” at http://snipurl.com/1c6eb
And
“Limescale Deposition” at http://snipurl.com/1c6dd
Q26. Does Climaboard® meet UK building regulations?
Yes. Climaboard® is certified to EN441 and EN442, the European Standards for Radiators. Provided
that it is installed following the relevant guidelines and regulations published in the UK Government’s
“Domestic Heating Compliance Guide” (http://snipurl.com/1cjpf ), it will comply. For further
information, check our document “How Climaboard® Complies with UK Building Regulations”.
Q27. How much Climaboard do I need for my project?
Ask our handy Excel Calculator from our Estimator page to find out.
Q28. Can Climaboard® be recessed into walls for flush mounting?
Yes it can, but we suggest no more than 2cms into the wall, leaving about 10cms protruding. It will have very slightly reduced heat output. The top profile is still necessary in such situations because it slows the air circulation. If the top profile is not present, the air can move too quickly, increasing the possibility of staining the wall above.
Q29. Does the convection and the Coanda effect cause wall staining, because of intense circulation of dust and dirt?
No, such staining can only occur if the room is not cleaned regularly or properly, i.e. the floor is allowed to become too dirty, and the water temperature is too high, over 75C. Note that as mentioned in question 28 above, the design of the top profile is such that the movement of air is deliberately slowed in order to prevent staining