Bring style and design to your home’s heating system.
Radiators are one of the most important elements of central heating installation, and a well-specified radiator is essential to ensure the homeowner does not waste money or energy on overheating their home. Radiators work well as part of a renewable heating system and offer a good alternative to other heat distribution methods.
Why choose radiator heating?
We can offer a multitude of radiators, which cater for all tastes and requirements. The wide range means that you will be able to find just what you need to complement your personality and your interior – not only in terms of heat outputs and controllability – but also in shapes, styles and colours that you probably never knew existed.
Controlling your energy
Radiators are fitted with Thermostatic radiator valves which automatically control the amount of flow through the radiator and thus the temperature and output. These TRVs can be set to a specific room temperature to maintain a constant ambience for that room. This means each room can be set to a different ambient temperature such as 18°C for Bedrooms and 21°C for Livingrooms. This not only gives a comfortable environment but saves energy as well.
Sizing the correct radiator
To make sure that the radiator fitted to a particular room is correctly sized for the output required, a calculation must be done to establish the heat loss for that room at a design out door temperature. If the radiator is part of a renewable energy heating system, generally the flow temperature to the radiator is quite low. In fact it is recommended to size using a design flow temperature of no more than 55°C and 45°C return.
Radiator manufacturers normally quote their outputs at 75°C flow, 65°C return so there is a correction factor which is used to design the radiator to the lower flow temperature. This factor is applied to the heat loss figure for the room to allow an easy selection from the manufacturers printed data. Heat loss calculations are essential in order to establish the radiator output and size required in a particular room. The final heat loss figure (given in Watts) can be matched up with a radiator of a similar or higher output. If this figure is underestimated, the room will not reach the required temperature in the depths of winter, and the house will be under heated. If it is overestimated, the room will be overheated and uneconomical.
Where to install your radiator
Wherever possible, radiators should be installed on the external wall under the window. This way, the cold air flowing in through the window is heated by the radiator and distributed evenly around the room. Also, using several small radiators in a large room rather than one bulky radiator will ensure better heat distribution. The physical size of a radiator is also important, so that the room looks well balanced. There is nothing worse than having a small but high output radiator placed against a large blank wall. In terms of room aesthetics, it is better to pick a larger dimensioned radiator with a lower output per square metre. If a radiator is to be covered; for example, by curtains, the radiator should be significantly bigger to account for reduced heat transfer. In rooms with high air humidity, such as bathrooms and saunas, panel and decorative radiators should not be used unless adequate ventilation is present. Cast Iron radiators are ideal for low temperature heating systems and have a large thermal mass therefore stay warmer for longer and deliver more heat. Available in any colour, they also look amazing!
