When thinking about radiators in your property, whether you are adding, replacing or even removing them, you need to make sure that each room has the right type of heating still. In the winter months, rooms can become very cold.
A small radiator that is too small for the room will not be effective enough at heating the room. A radiator that is too big, will make the room hot, stuffy and expensive to run.
Radiators are measured in BTU’s. BTU stands for British Thermal Units, measuring the heat from the radiator. The higher the BTU, the quicker the radiator will heat the area it is used in.
Important factors that have to be considered:
- Know the size of the room to purchase the best radiator
- Have you got many windows, doors in the room? – how much heat is lost due to draughts
- Is one radiator enough for that room?
- What is above, below, opposite the radiator?
- Where should the radiator be placed?
- What type of radiator is best for the space?
There are many types of radiators. Electric, plumbed, steel panel, column and designer each with their own advantages and disadvantages.
- Electric radiators are controlled individually with only using the mains power to make it work. They are plugged in and only used when needed, and some may need to be installed by a professional. They may not work out to be expensive to purchase, but continuing to use can work out fairly expensive.
- Plumbed radiators are connected to the hot water system. They need to be installed by a professional heating engineer and are powered by the mains water supply. When running they can be fairly noisy.
- Steel panel radiators are made of corrugated steel panels which increase the mass of the radiator on how much heat it gives out. The more panels the more heat. They are an effective radiator and more efficient than a traditional, plumbed radiator.
- Column radiators are made up of vertical pipes and are found in Victorian or period homes. They are an efficient type of radiator but do require a lot of space and a fair amount of maintenance.
- Designer radiators are manufactured to be aesthetically pleasing and a modern alternative to many other styles fitting within the modern home. They are available in multiple different colours, shapes and sizes, with various functionalities.
Modern radiators have many benefits to them including the style and where best to fit it, as well as fitting within your budget. Radiators should always be mounted to a well-conditioned wall.
Here at DSB Heating we can supply and install a huge selection of radiators from our favourite and trusted brand names, or we can install radiators you may have sourced yourself. We can install horizontal, vertical, traditional, modern radiators and heated towel rails. Contact us today to find out more about the services we provide.