Apart from those retro Victorian cast iron radiators most modern designs are made to use as little space as possible.
Room size determines the required heat output and the larger the room the greater the area of exposed metal required. But there are a few options that enable space to be saved and one is the two or three skinned radiator with fins between the outer parts.
The theory for this is that the larger area where hot water flows also causes the many fins to quickly heat. And since output is all to do with the total are of metal exposed this is a way of making the radiator more compact without compromising on heat.
These compact radiators not only radiate heat but act as convectors and warm the room generally faster than conventional models.
Another way to save space is to make use of the many different radiator designs. There are tall and narrow ones ideal for alcoves and box shaped ones ideal for bath towels that can be above head height.
A good radiator company will offer hundreds of different shapes and designs unlike just a few decades ago when it was hard to find anything other than the standard white panel shape.
Nowadays some radiators look like works of contemporary art and can be incorporated into the design and décor of a room. There are even graphite and mirror radiators and most manufacturers will offer a colour choice.
The European RAL collection of colours and shades runs to about four hundred so there is every opportunity to order something that will blend perfectly with whatever colour walls you may have in your home.
More recently there has been a lot of interest in the baseboard radiator and many radiator companies include this design in their catalogue.
The baseboard is another space saving design by sticking low to the ground. They also have the advantage of heating a room more uniformly when fitted around all the walls of the room.
The logic of such a radiator is obvious in that the heat source being all just a few inches off the floor means that with hot air rising it will heat faster and more evenly.
Room size determines the required heat output and the larger the room the greater the area of exposed metal required. But there are a few options that enable space to be saved and one is the two or three skinned radiator with fins between the outer parts.
The theory for this is that the larger area where hot water flows also causes the many fins to quickly heat. And since output is all to do with the total are of metal exposed this is a way of making the radiator more compact without compromising on heat.
These compact radiators not only radiate heat but act as convectors and warm the room generally faster than conventional models.
Another way to save space is to make use of the many different radiator designs. There are tall and narrow ones ideal for alcoves and box shaped ones ideal for bath towels that can be above head height.
A good radiator company will offer hundreds of different shapes and designs unlike just a few decades ago when it was hard to find anything other than the standard white panel shape.
Nowadays some radiators look like works of contemporary art and can be incorporated into the design and décor of a room. There are even graphite and mirror radiators and most manufacturers will offer a colour choice.
The European RAL collection of colours and shades runs to about four hundred so there is every opportunity to order something that will blend perfectly with whatever colour walls you may have in your home.
More recently there has been a lot of interest in the baseboard radiator and many radiator companies include this design in their catalogue.
The baseboard is another space saving design by sticking low to the ground. They also have the advantage of heating a room more uniformly when fitted around all the walls of the room.
The logic of such a radiator is obvious in that the heat source being all just a few inches off the floor means that with hot air rising it will heat faster and more evenly.