designerradiators

There are radiators that do look like works of art, but most of them are not noted for their style, but functionality and efficiency.  If they are the latter you may want to cover them up so that they radiate but do not detract from the interior style of your home.

Of course in certain period circumstances such as Edwardian settings Column Radiators are there to be seen and not hidden.  They are just part of the furniture.

If you would rather hide basic radiator styles, you need to make sure that the covers are well designed as you do not want them to take up too much room.  You also need to make sure that the hot air within the cover unit is able to escape properly.

This will allow hot air to circulate efficiently around a space and will also make sure that the heater loses nothing as far as efficiency is concerned. Ideally they should have heating grilles both at the top and bottom of the unit.

If you do this it will allow the air within to circulate.  It stands to reason that you have to be able to remove the front panels so that heating engineers have easy access if something should go wrong with the radiator.

Ugly column heaters are now a thing of the past where our parents had to deal with clunking and hissing things.  Modern examples have been beautifully finished off and they will enhance any home and they don’t really have to be hidden.

If you are not convinced, you should have a look online as there you will be able to view all the models that are available and, of course, keen prices too.  You will find that they are produced in a great variety of colours, including shiny or matt chrome.  The latter will look amazing in any setting, traditional or contemporary.

You also need to consider that true designer styles will cost you more than the more standard conventional models.

“We fall out over the central heating system?” I hear you ask. It sounds odd, doesn’t it, but it happens a lot. When you stop and think about it, you can probably think of an example. For example, in our household, we recently had my parents staying. It was 17oC in the house, but my dad was still cold.

While it wasn’t much of an argument, there was a heated discussion (did you see what I did there?) about whether or not we should switch on the heating. My mum and brother on the one hand, were telling him to get more socks on and wear his woolly jumper, me and my dad on their other hand, were arguing that we’d still be cold.

Which one of us is right? Well, there are elements of correctness in both sentiments. Yes, you should probably put on more clothes, rather than spending money on the heating. But equally so, extra clothes are only going to work if you're already warm – thermal clothing generally requires that you’re warm to begin with. Otherwise, it will take a long time to warm up, and you might not warm up at all.

These arguments are common. Now, we’re going to look into various common arguments and the correct answer – although, some answers are due to opinion, rather than fact.

Argument 1: You should wear more clothes, rather than turn on the heating. This is wholly dependent on the situation. If you are cold, and you want to warm up quickly, you need to introduce heat. As we stated above, extra clothing tends to work if you're warm already.

Instead, what you should do is switch on the heating and put more clothes on. Once you're warm, turn the heating off again.

Furthermore, if the house is at 0oC, you should turn the heating on regardless of whether you're cold, or not. This is because at this temperature pipes can freeze. This can lead to burst pipes once the water has thawed.

Argument 2: Compact radiators aren’t as good as larger radiators are. when people refer to radiators as “good”, they are generally referring to the amount of heat that they emit. Size does have an impact on heat emission, but it is only part of the story.

Instead of choosing a radiator by size, choose it by the amount of British Thermal Units per hour (BTU/ph it can produce (Providing you’re in the UK. Other countries use different measurements, but the principles outlined here remain the same regardless).

 

If you choose a compact radiator that can produce 1200 BTU/ph and a traditionally sized radiator that can produce 1200 BTU/ph they will produce the same amount of heat. They are equally as “good”.

If the compact radiator can produce 1800 BTU/ph and the traditionally sized radiator can only produce 1200 BTU/ph, the compact one is better, regardless of their overall size.

In conclusion, whether these arguments are right or not depends on your particular stance. Regardless, by understanding the information outlined above, you can be sure to choose the most efficient solutions to these problems.

For some reason, the topic of aluminium and radiators is one that attracts a lot of discussion, much of which contains errors. Some people view aluminium as the best option, while others think it is overhyped.

Today, we are going to provide you with an accurate, but introductory, guide to this type of radiator. In reading this, you will gain sufficient knowledge to understand the benefits and the disadvantages of aluminium as the main material from which we make radiators.

Availability
In terms of availability, aluminium is the most abundant metals on earth. Couple this with the fact that it is easy to recycle, and you can see that the availability of aluminium is high.

This is a good thing. It means that we can limit the environmental impact of the manufacturing process of radiators. By using aluminium, we carry out fewer, and less impactful, processes, thereby helping to minimise damage to the environment.

Radiators are not made from pure aluminium; they contain other elements and compounds too. These play a varied role, from managing convection to strengthening the radiator. Despite this, aluminium remains the metal of choice in terms of its environmental impact.
 
Durability
There’s another reason why aluminium radiators prove so popular, and it’s because they are incredibly robust. Aluminium does not rust, which makes it a better contender for use in a radiator than steel and iron – although, galvanised steel is robust in this sense too.

Aluminium does corrode. However, the process of corrosion is fascinating, because it actually prevents the metal from corroding. You can think of it as having its own immunity against corrosion.

Both its resistant to rust and severe corrosion make aluminium an excellent choice of metal for use within radiators, and it’s why it proves to be one of the most popular choices of metals, and in our view, the only real choice if you want to buy a durable and long-lasting radiator.

Conduction
It’s important for the metal within a radiator to be highly conductive of heat. This means that the heat will pass through the metal quickly, and will heat the room fast. In terms of heat conduction, aluminium is excellent, thus furthering its case as the number one choice in radiator manufacturing.

Costs
In terms of cost, the aluminium radiators are more expensive than their steel counterparts are. This is largely due to the fact that steel radiators are easier to produce.

However, if penny-pinching is your aim, think twice before going out and buying the cheapest radiator that you can find – unless it’s made of aluminium, of course. This is because the high-conductivity of aluminium means that it costs less to run than cast iron or steel radiators do.

While you might save money when buying the single unit, you will have to pay more for the cost of heating throughout the life cycle of the radiator. This can add up to a lot of money over the course of 20 or so years.

In conclusion, aluminium is an excellent choice when it comes to buying new radiators. The benefits of doing so far outweigh any marginal costs inherent in the initial purchase.

We couldn’t live without radiators as they keep us warm in the winter.  However, as homes are increasingly shrinking they also take up valuable floor space.

If you are looking for Radiators for Sale, whether second hand or new you have to be mindful of your budget.  You may not be able to buy the sleek designer styles, but these days all radiators are efficient in giving out enough heat.

If you can only afford the standard models, you may want to cover them up with covers.  At the same time as hiding them, you will gain some space on top on which to put some ornaments or other things that you have no room for.

The majority of radiators are in fact convectors.  If you have a look at panel heaters you will see that these have two panels with fins between them.  Heat is provided by it being pushed out of vents at the top.

In normal uncovered circumstances this heat goes to the ceiling and it moves around the room in circles.  If you have covers with the right kind of backdrop your radiators will actually distribute the heat more evenly resulting in the hot air to be pushed through the room.

The secret lies also in installing the right backing.  This will stop the heat being pushed against the wall. Covers are useful for the modern panel types as they sometimes become too hot and you stand the chance of your fingers being burned.  This is especially true if you have small children who are not yet aware they shouldn’t touch a hot radiator.

You should always consider whether your home is insulated enough to be energy efficient.  Furthermore, you should also not obstruct them by placing heavy furniture in front of them or obscure them with curtains.

Lastly, you should have your boiler inspected once a year, but it is a requirement to have a maintenance contract.

Aren’t we lucky these days to be able to heat our homes efficiently and easily? The older generations had to lay fires every day if they wanted to keep warm and shut off rooms that were not being used.

Many houses were bigger then too.  You only have to think about the Victorian and Edwardian properties with high ceilings and large rooms.

Apart from having the comfort of easy heating we now also have an enormous choice of Stylish Radiators which are as much a feature as they are there keeping us warm.

By stylish I do not just mean the attractive shapes of some of the heaters.  The more traditional ones have been updated too and have become a room feature too.  They are just a modern slant on an old concept and in certain interior designs they are a real asset.

The latter are probably a cheaper option for you if you do not have a great budget to replace some of your malfunctioning radiators.  They will also look great in a variety of home styles, both traditional and contemporary.

Another feature that manufacturers have developed is the vertical radiators.  You may think that only towel heaters are designed this way.  However, modern homes do not often have the room to hang a radiator horizontally and this is where these come in handy.

If you are really into green issues, you will have a choice of recycled aluminium ones.  Another choice is to have ground source heat pumps fitted, but that is an expensive option.

One gadget that came on the market in the late seventies to eighties was the thermostatic valve and they have evolved into great heat savers for households.  It is well worth your while having these fitted to every radiator in the home so that you have heat control yourself.

It is still worth having a thermostat fitted in the hallway, say, so that you can control when the heating system comes on and goes off.

For further information about Stylish Radiators please get in touch with https://www.designerradiatorsdirect.co.uk/

If you should have a new central heating system fitted in your home you can be sure that you are investing in a vast improvement.  New systems are better equipped to keep your heating costs down because so much research has gone into efficiency.

You will have to do some research because you need to know what types are available to you and what fuel you are going to use.  Most homes are connected to a gas network, but if you live in a rural area you may have to think about electric Radiators.

The heat is provided by a central source and that is your boiler or heat exchanger.  But there are other systems available too and one of these is a warm air system.  However, the latter is better suited to large places such as offices.

The new gas or electric boilers are required to be 90% efficient.  If your current model is over 10 years old you may think about having it replaced.  Most new boilers installed are the combi boilers as they heat heaters as well as hot water.

 
If you require a towel heater in your bathroom you could have a hydronic model installed. The reason for this is that it will work off your combi boiler hot water system so it will work all year round if needed.

Another advantage of the above type of boiler is that you only heat water when it is needed which will save you some pennies on your winter bills.  Most people had immersion heaters for hot water.  You can do away with these and gain an extra storage cupboard or show cubicle space.

If you do not have access to a gas supply, storage heaters are still available that run off cheap electricity.  However, they are just not practical if you are only at home in the evenings.

Electric heaters have become very energy efficient and need little maintenance and installation. Moreover, the modern types are thermostatically controlled and they can be programmed to come on when you require it.

Different types of Radiators are found at https://www.designerradiatorsdirect.co.uk

On the surface, radiators are relatively cheap. You can buy a decent, average-sized, radiator for as little as £40. However, the expense hits when you have to buy 5+ radiators because you’re modifying your home or central heating. When this happens, people often decide to buy economy options, rather than forking out for a better quality, but more expensive unit. This is fine, but it’s important that you understand what you need to be looking for from cheaper radiators. Below, we look at five key things that you need to do when buying economy radiators.

1.    Make Sure You Buy from a Reputable Supplier.
You will find that you can buy radiators from all over the place, including EBay and your local flea market. Unless you know the seller, or they have an exceptionally high rating on their radiators, we would recommend that you avoid buying them from such places.

Instead, buy from a radiator specialist. You can do a little bit of digging into these companies to find out how reputable they are likely to be. For example, you can check out their financial position on Companies House. A strong business is highly indicative of a safe business, and so we would recommend using them.

Alternatively, you can speak to people in your local area and find out who they would recommend you to sell you your cheap radiators. We would especially recommend talking to local construction firms, as they will have used these local companies often, and so will be in a great position to recommend someone based on experience.

2.    Make Sure You Find Out How Long the Guarantee Will Last.
In general, the cheaper the radiators, the lower the quality of the unit. For this reason, they are likely to become worn much faster than higher quality units are. In order to ensure that you get some decent wear out of the radiator, you should ensure that it comes with a decent warrantee/guarantee. We would recommend buying units that have at least 2-years’ warrantee/guarantee.

3.    Choose a Radiator Made Using Reliable Materials.
Some materials are better than others are when it comes to longevity and performance. Aluminium is a common choice in radiator material, but we prefer stainless steel for quality, longevity, and performance. If you do have to buy cheap radiators, try to buy ones that have good material. The high quality aluminium ones are great, but the lower quality ones are not so good, so stick to an always-reliable material, such as stainless steel.

4.    Read Up on Any Reviews.
Before you part with any cash, check out any online reviews to see if people have anything to say about the unit. You’ll find that people only really leave reviews when they're unhappy, so if there’s no mention of the radiator, that can be a good sign.

5.    Check the Unit Over Before Installing It.
Finally, once you have bought the units and they have arrived, check them over for signs of erosion or damage. We would recommend that you use a certified plumber to install your new radiators. They can also look at the unit and say whether they think it’s safe, or not.

We hope that you have found this article informative. If you would like to buy new radiators, then please visit http://www.designerradiatorsdirect.co.uk

There are clearly two very good reasons to look after your radiators properly. First, if they break, it can be very expensive to fix the problem and replace the radiator. Secondly, a broken radiator can often mean a burst pipe. This is clearly disastrous for your home. Given this, it’s important that your radiators are properly looked after and well maintained. Below, we’re going to teach you how to do this.

Keeping Them Clean
Radiators usually have a paint coating. It’s important to treat this with care by using non-harsh cleaning products. If the cleaning product you use is too harsh, it can strip the paint. When this happens, it’s much easier for the radiator to rust.

Clearly, a rusting radiator is a problem because it can lead to holes. However, small patches of rust can be dealt with relatively straightforwardly – ask your plumber for more details.

OK, so we’ve established that you shouldn’t use harsh chemicals to clean the radiator. To this end then, don’t use furniture polish or strong disinfectants. Instead, just use a slightly damp, warm, cloth and rub it over the radiator once or twice a month. This should be enough to keep it free from dust. Don’t forget to dry the radiator afterwards.

Prevent the Pipes from Freezing
One of the leading causes of burst pipes in the UK is the cold. If the water inside the radiator becomes too cold, it will freeze. This then expands in the system and can push out against weak spots within the radiator units and central heating system.

There are two things that you should do in order to minimise the risks of your pipes freezing:

1. Keep the central heating system on at night. You can turn it right down, so that it only comes on when the temperature is relatively low, but make sure that it cannot reach freezing point. This is especially true if you’re going on holiday.

This is the commonest time that freezing pipes burst. People think that they’re saving money by turning off the heating while they’re away, but they return to an unbelievably expensive problem instead. Not a good thing to return to!

2. Put anti-freeze in the system. Ask your plumber to do this for you, because it can be tricky and some radiators UK might be incompatible with anti-freeze liquids.

Keep Them Free of Air
If you find that your radiators are less efficient than they used to be, then it could be because there is air in the system. If this is the case, you can feel cold patches in various random places on the radiator/s.

This is simply to fix. All you need to do is release the air via the bleed valve. There are plenty of online videos and articles that can walk you through the process. It’s simple.

Keep the Radiator Free from Internal Debris
Over time, gunk can collect in your radiators. This can be from internal rusting or from lime scale. It’s not too problematic, but it will prevent radiators from working properly. if there are cold patches along the bottom of your radiators (and it isn’t due to air, which you can find out by bleeding and seeing if the problem persists), then you will need to flush the radiator/s or replace them. Contact your local plumber for further details about flushing or your local radiator UK store for details about replacing the units.

We hope that you now have a better idea about how to look after your radiators. For further help and advice, please visit http://www.designerradiatorsdirect.co.uk/

Today, I’m going to talk about my experiences with buying radiators for my home. I’ve been a homeowner for 30 years now, and in my time I’ve bought a number of radiators. Sometimes that was because the old radiators needed replacing, at other times it’s because I wanted a change. Regardless, over the years I’ve learned a few things about buying radiators and I want to share this knowledge with you, so that you can avoid some of the pitfalls that I've made.

Bathroom Radiators
These have been a particular bugbear of mine. They always seem to end up going rusty, whether I buy chrome or white ones, whether I clean it with bicarbonate and other household remedies. The reason for this is that bathrooms are damp. They naturally keep their moisture. Furthermore, if you leave your towels on the radiator, that can speed up the process.

In the end, I’ve had to fork out for an expensive radiator in the bathroom. I bought high-grade, rust resistant steel and it has lasted the course so far. With this radiator, I can hang my towels up as much as I want. It’s extra special because I chose one with a shelf, so I can store towels too.

If you want a bathroom radiator that lasts, you'll have to pay for it. I actually spent more money buying replacement radiators every 3 or 4 years than I did finally forking out for a top-notch one. In the long run, I would have saved money if I’d just paid out. And that’s the truth about radiators. It’s much better to pay for quality than to buy cheap.

Designer Radiators
There’s quite a strong fad nowadays for buying designer radiators. I don’t blame people for this, they can look amazing, but I do feel you need to understand something. Sometimes you’re paying way more than you should for a radiator simply by the fact that it looks different to other radiators.

The most important thing about a radiator isn’t what it looks like, but how warm it is. I once bought a really cool looking radiator and then spend the entire winter freezing in the living room. It was the least efficient radiator I’ve ever owned. The surface area was tiny, so barely able to heat up, and it had no special extras, like convection fins or triple panels.

Thermostatic Radiator Valves
When these first arrived on the market, I thought they were a gimmick, so I avoided buying them. I figured that I could just set the valve on my radiators at a specific point and it would be the same as the TRVs. When I finally cracked and had them installed, they did reduce my heating bills a bit – I’d say by around £5 a month, which doesn’t sound like much, but over time it all adds up. They’re definitely worth it, but you might not notice the difference if you’ve never had normal valves (or should I say “old-fashioned valves”).

I hope you found this article interesting. If you want to buy new radiators, then check out the collection available at http://www.designerradiatorsdirect.co.uk

Nowadays, most of us love a decent bit of interior design. It’s all the rage to have designer things throughout the house, and the radiators have not escaped scrutiny. However, that doesn’t mean that it’s easy to choose the perfect radiator for your space. There are so many radiators on the market that you can easily become overwhelmed. Well, today, we’re hoping to make the decision easier for you to make by providing you with some top tips when choosing a designer radiator.

1.    Where is the radiator going?
The first thing to decide is where the radiator will go. This will dictate both the size and the style of the radiator. For example, you wouldn’t generally mount a towel radiator anywhere other than a bathroom, utility room, kitchen, or toilet. At the same time, you wouldn’t mount an art-installation radiator (i.e. a radiator that looks like art) somewhere that people won’t see it, e.g. the utility room.

Different styles of radiator are suitable for different rooms. If you’re unsure about which styles are suited to which rooms, then you should find help in the DIY and home styling magazines.

2.    Is there a particular style that you like already?
If you’ve seen a radiator somewhere and you think that it will look great in your home, then it makes a lot of sense for you to buy said radiator. It can be quite tricky to locate the radiator, because the local DIY stores tend to carry only the basic styles of radiator. Instead, if you want to buy stylish radiators, the best option is to use the internet and shop with one of the large radiator retailers.

                               

3.    Buy from a radiator specialist.
We mentioned it above, but it’s worth noting again. You can normally find the best radiators online – both in terms of performance and in terms of looks. This is because the online retailers often operate from warehouses, rather than storefronts. That gives them more space to store their radiators, and consequently allows them to offer a greater range.

4.    Make sure that the radiator conforms to British safety standards.
One problem with designer radiators is that a number of designs are imported from countries that do not yet adhere to strict building codes in the same way that we do in the UK and the EU. This means that you can accidentally end up buying a radiator that looks great, but that performs poorly, and that might even cause damage such as burst pipes.

You can avoid these issues by purchasing stylish radiators that adhere to the UK’s safety standards, which are accepted by the BSI and which have the safety standard code BS EN 442. Remember that some retailers might omit listing this number on their website. If you find a radiator that you like, and the retailer does NOT list the BS EN 442 number, then visit the manufacturer’s website and see if they do.

 
You will often find that the manufacturers have tested the radiators accordingly, but that the retailers simply omit that information because they don’t consider it a big concern with the public. That’s probably true too – is this the first time you’ve thought about it?

We hope that you now have a good idea about how to choose a decent radiator. If you would like to put what you’ve learned here in to practice, please visit designerradiatorsdirect.co.uk

Oh no! There’s no denying it. We are well and truly in the grips of winter now. The regular morning ritual of de-icing has been going on for a few days now. It’s definitely time to switch on the central heating system. However, it’s important that you check the system to make sure it’s winter ready.

Below, we are going to walk you through the various things that you should be doing in order to ensure your radiators keep you nice and warm this year. Remember, the more efficient your radiators, the cheaper your electricity bill will be, so this is very important.

Step 1: Turn on the System
The first thing that you will need to do is turn on the radiator system and make sure that each radiator is working correctly. To do this, make sure that you adjust the temperature valve on all your radiators to the open position.

Step 2: Checking Each Radiator
Wait for fifteen to twenty minutes, until the system has had time to heat up, and then walk around and check each individual radiator.

You are checking for any cold patches or uneven distribution of heat. If you feel a cold patch on your radiator then there is usually one of two problems going on:

1.    Your radiator needs bleeding.
2.    Your radiator needs flushing.

Step 3: Working Out Which Issue Is Causing the Problem
It’s actually very simple and straightforward. If the cold patches are at the top or middle of the radiator, then there is air in the system and the radiator needs bleeding. If the cold patches are at the bottom, then there is debris in the system and the radiator needs flushing.

Step 4: Bleeding the Radiator
If you need to bleed the radiator, you will need to locate the bleed key – if you don’t have one, you can buy one from your local DIY store. They’re universal.

Allow the system to cool down a little. Take a cloth and hold it underneath the bleed valve. The bleed valve is usually at the top right hand side of the radiator, although you can sometimes find it on the left hand side.  

Slowly turn the key until you hear a hissing noise. This is air leaving the system. Keep it open until the hissing stops and water begins to come out.

(If no water comes out, then you might have to allow a little in via the expansion tank).

Step 5: Flushing the Radiator
Unless you’re a professional plumber, you should leave flushing radiators to the experts. If you think you need to clean the radiator with a flush, then contact your local specialist. Make sure that you choose one that has a good reputation, as flushing can actually damage central heating systems when done incorrectly.

It’s better for you to pay a little extra for someone who has the necessary skills, experience, and track record, than to gamble who may or may not be good at what they do.

We hope that you have enjoyed this article. If you are interested in buying a new radiator, please visit designerradiatorsdirect.co.uk

Historically, people have been warned against buying vertical radiators in all but a few situations (which we will discuss below). However, this information is somewhat outdated because modern vertical radiators are much more efficient than their predecessors are. In the past, reduced efficiency meant that they were more expensive to run than horizontal radiators.

Today, though, this is no longer the case, because although they are marginally more expensive to run, it is barely noticeable, and sometimes the necessity of installing tall radiators outweighs the additional costs.

So, let’s now explore when it’s OK to install a vertical radiator:

1. When You Are Buying the Radiator for a Small Space

Tall radiators will provide more heat than horizontal radiators if the horizontal radiator is too small. Therefore, in rooms where there isn’t much of a wall upon which to hang a radiator, the vertical ones are often the most efficient and practical. Here are a few examples.

• Small room – for example, utility rooms require a lot of heat, but they often don’t have sufficient wall space for an adequate horizontal radiator. Fitting a vertical radiator addresses the issue.

• Too little wall space – even if the room is large, if it’s occupied with sofas, a TV stand, coffee table, etc., there might be limited wall space.

• When there are French windows – ideally, radiators should go below the window. However, if the windows are actually doors, then there IS no space below the windows. In this case, you would hang a vertical radiator on each side.

1. If the Room Is Downstairs

The key problem with tall radiators is that the heat emits through the ceiling (heat rises, they're closer to the ceiling, so the heat escapes the room faster than a horizontal radiator). For his reason, they work better in downstairs rooms, because the lost heat simply passes upstairs, and so is not technically “lost”…unless you live in a flat, in which case, you'll be warming your upstairs neighbours flat! Not ideal.

1. When you want to make a feature of the radiator and you aren’t too fussed about electricity bills

Without a doubt, vertical radiators are the most attractive. They come in such a wide range of styles that there’s something for everyone. They always look more stylish than horizontal radiators – perhaps it’s the novelty value? Who knows, but if you want a designer radiator, then the vertical ones are idea.

If you would like to browse a fantastic collection of vertical radiators, please visit https://www.designerradiatorsdirect.co.uk

Vertical radiators are small and compact. While they take up a lot of space vertically, they don't take up very much space on the horizontal plane. This makes them particularly suited to certain places where horizontal radiators are not suitable.

Unlike horizontal radiators, which take up almost an entire wall, vertical radiators are much less assuming. Not only this, but there's something really stylish about vertical radiators. Maybe it's because they're fairly novel and different?

Unfortunately, while they might look good they're not always practical. In fact, they suit only a limited number of situations/places. Below, we are going to explore the various places where you can reasonably place a vertical radiator while avoiding inefficiency.

In comparison to horizontal radiators inefficiency is a problem with vertical radiators, because their orientation means that less useable space is warmed. Horizontal radiators start warming the room lower down, so we get a more even heat distribution.

Having said this, sometimes, vertical radiators are better suited to a particular space. Below, we are going to explore this suitability.

In Small Spaces

Vertical column radiators are ideal for use in small spaces. The columns provide a lot of surface area, and the more surface area is directly related to heat output. In small spaces, vertical radiators provide more surface area than horizontal radiators do.

This is why you often see vertical radiators in rooms such as utility rooms, toilets, shower rooms, and bathrooms.

Next to front doors

Most houses have a radiator in the hallway near the front door. However, this isn't necessarily very efficient because doors that open to the outside often have draughts. A horizontal radiator won't necessarily warm enough cold air as it moves into the house. This means that the house gets colder faster and heats up more slowly.

Placing vertical radiators next to the door serves two purposes:

1.It makes the hallway feel less cramped – if you live in a Victorian house, you know exactly what we mean.

2.It covers almost the entirety of the door from top to bottom. This massively reduces the amount of cold getting into the house. This makes vertical radiators, specifically vertical column radiators extremely suitable for this position.

Near the Thermostat in the Hallway

Ideally, you're thermostat should be in your warmest room, or the one that you spend the most time in. This is because the thermostat controls the boiler and if it's in a place that's colder than the rest of the house (e.g. the hallway) it will keep the boiler on for much longer than it needs to be, and thus cost you more money in energy bills.

Efficiency wise, the best set up is to have your radiator fully open in the room with the thermostat. This way, it feels the temperature at the correct time, and turns the boiler off efficiently. If your thermostat is in the hallway, then the most efficient set up is to have a vertical radiator near to the thermostat. This controls the system much better.

Technically, thermostats work best in living rooms, but in older houses they’re almost always in the hallway. Therefore, older houses often benefit from vertical column radiators in the hallway.

We hope that you now have a much better understanding of where and when it is most appropriate to install vertical radiators.

If you would like to know more visit Designer Radiator.

Arguments abound concerning the optimum placement for radiators. Some say is that it’s better to have them under the window, but others say it’s better to place them on inside wall. The truth is that the optimal placement depends on many factors. Here, we’re going to consider the various conditions that make one placement better than another.

Double & Triple Glazed Windows & Doors

Before we had double and triple glazed windows and doors the conventional logic that the best placement for the radiator was either under the window or near to the door was correct. This allowed the radiator to heat the cold air as it entered the house. However, heat was also lost through the window and door. Fortunately, the amount of heat lost was offset by the amount of cold air that was heated as it came in through the door/window.

Today, though, with the advent of double and triple glazing, the issues are different. Now, the amount of heat lost through the walls and windows is more than the amount of cold air warmed as it comes in. this means that with double and triple glazing, it is no longer efficient to hang the radiators underneath the window or next to the door.

Instead, if you have double and triple glazing, it’s much better to choose inner wall radiators. Placing the radiator on the inner wall will ensure that the room receives as much heat as possible, and that none is lost through the outside wall.

If you do have to hang a radiator below a window, and you have double/triple glazing, then you should place a radiator reflector panel behind the unit, so that it reflects the heat back into the room, rather than losing it through the outside wall.

Horizontal or Vertical Units?

Next, comes the issue about whether to choose a horizontal or a vertical radiator. Well, if you’re looking to boost the efficiency of your central heating, then you should always choose a horizontal radiator.

Vertical radiators are less efficient because heat rises, and because they are so close to the ceiling, they emit heat up, rather than into the room. However, there are times when your only option is to have a vertical radiator. This is the case in rooms that are tight for space, whether because there’s too much furniture, or because the room itself is small.

If possible, we would always recommend using horizontal radiators because they are the most efficient. They will certainly help you to save money on your electricity bills.

Furniture In Front of the Radiators

Finally, you should refrain from placing furniture in front of wall radiators. Doing so will reduce their efficiency. This is because the heat will go into the furniture rather than the rest of the room. Clearly, this means that you will have to have the heating at a higher setting in order to be able to reach an adequate room temperature.

If you would like to know more visit Designerradiator.

Replacing central heating systems will always be a costly exercise. However if your antiquated system is not fuel efficient, you may be able to recoup your outlay in a few years by spending less on utilities.

You need to know that you can buy cheap radiators online and if you are careful from whom you buy, they will be safe and energy efficient.

This is especially true if you are thinking to switch to electric heating. Many of the cheap products offered online appear to have been manufactured in Europe. What could be safer? Unfortunately some of these radiators have been found to have components in them that were made in China.

They were then assembled in Europe. Some of these companies will gladly pay little for the components and repackage their heaters with the relevant safety marks.
However, some of these products have not been tested for safety.

You can imagine there are good profit margins to be had for the retailers. You should ensure that you research online and pick a reputable retailer. You can find much information about a company via social media.

In some instances these inferior radiators have caused home fires. Reputable dealers carry cheap heaters which have been mass produced and are of traditional design. The reason they are cheap is because mass production is cheaper.

They are fuel efficient and if you don’t mind not buying a state of the art designer model, they will serve you just as well as the more expensive styles.

When your new system has been installed there are things you can do to make them even more fuel efficient. The first thing that you should do is to buy Thermostatic Radiator Valves or TRVs as they are commonly called.

These allow you to regulate the heat of your rooms to the comfort you need. Moreover you can turn radiators down in rooms you do not often use.

If you then make sure that your windows and outside doors are draught proofed, you will have made a good start in lowering your heating costs.

If you get onto the net and look up radiators for central heating then you’ll be in for a surprise. I seem to remember they were all such boring designs that it was about as interesting as looking up tooth-picks or toothpaste.

No offence to tooth-pick manufacturers but they’re certainly more constrained in what they can do to make that item more interesting.

On the other hand, there are now some incredibly whacky designs when it comes to radiators and some are so off the wall it’s tempting to rip out all your old radiators and refurbish the home but cantered around the radiators.

Some seriously clever designers, including one that has one of his radiators on permanent loan and display at possibly the best creative design museum in the world, The Victoria and Albert, is part of this mew movement.

Look out for radiators for sale and you should be able to buy some of these radiators. The important thing to remember is that you can have a different radiator in every room.

Imagine a tangled fifty strands of spaghetti and keeping that image in mind, picture it twenty times bigger and made from chrome plated steel. Yes, that’s really what one designer is producing in his portfolio of contemporary radiators.

If you are lucky your home central heating boiler and radiators are groaning through their last days. If this is the case then you are justified in ripping it all out and starting afresh.

It may be a sizeable outlay but the important point to remember is that the very latest boilers are cheaper to run. Thermostatic controls are ultra-efficient and new apps include a remote control that allows you to ensure the system isn’t unnecessarily running whilst you are working late in the office.

If you are a bit more conservative and don’t go in for contemporary then there are plenty of retro Victorian cast iron radiators to choose from.

Whatever your taste there has never been a better time to buy a new central heating system.