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A Radiator Buyers Guide: Stay Warm This Winter

Byadmin

Nov 7, 2020

With Winter fast approaching, keeping the house nice and warm becomes everyone’s number one priority. Whilst big soft blankets, warm pyjamas and a hot cup of tea might warm you up as you cuddle up to watch your favourite show, your entire home deserves to be at a comfortable temperature. If you want to escape the outside cold and come home to a cosy warm house, installing a new radiator might be the best solution. But with so many different ways of doing it, how can you know which one suits your home the best? And where should you put it? We’ve created a comprehensive guide to prepare you for this.

What system should I choose, plumbed or electric?

The first thing you need to know is what type of radiators your home has. The more traditional option is a plumbed system which is connected to the boiler to heat the hot water that warms up your radiator. Meanwhile, electric radiators are controlled individually and are connected to your home’s electricity supply.

Many homes are making the switch to electric radiators due to their higher efficiency. An electric radiator guarantees to warm the room it’s in, whilst a central heating system ends up wasting some of the energy in the movements of the hot water in the pipes throughout the house.

In order to make the decision between these two systems, and choose the final product, it’s essential you take into account the radiators BTU rating. BTU stands for British Thermal Unit and represents the amount of energy needed to heat up a room. Before browsing through catalogues of radiators to see which one matches your room the best, make sure you know how much power is needed to heat the room adequately.

Where should my new radiator go?

Depending on the budget, aesthetics and available space, there are plenty of radiator styles that’ll match your home perfectly. Take single panel or horizontal radiators, these are your classic wall radiators, they can stick out quite a bit but depending on your available space they can be a great solution to a cold room. On the other hand, vertical radiators are just as effective and a great space-saving solution. Whether you prefer a more traditional style, like column radiators, or want to warm up your space in a modern and effective way with a heated towel rail, there are plenty more options to choose from that’ll match your home.

At the end of the day, it’s entirely up to you to decide which room needs a little bit more attention heat-wise. However, there are certain factors to take into account when it comes to choosing the wall a new radiator will go on.

Beneath a window

A radiator, in order to fulfil its duty, is normally placed in the coldest part of the room. Traditionally, that has been under windows due to insulation problems. Newer windows tend to not let any cold in, but if that isn’t the case, it’s a perfect spot for a new radiator. The space beneath a window also tends to not have any furniture placements, which is ideal to ensure the heat spreads evenly.

Avoid furniture

Whilst it might seem like a good idea to place a radiator behind the couch to make sure you’re nice and warm when sitting down, a big blanket might be a better solution. When placing furniture in front of a radiator, it blocks the heat from spreading across the room. The radiator would have to be on for longer and higher, which would be a waste of energy and should thus be avoided.

There are plenty of options to make sure your house becomes a warm, cosy home you’ll be comfortable in all year round. Make sure to follow our recommendations to stay warm this winter.

By admin