Buying New Radiators: Key Considerations
Radiators are relatively cheap – you can pick a new one up for as little as £100. However, there are a number of key considerations that you should make before you buy your radiators. Carefully made decisions now, will prevent troublesome problems further down the line. Here, we are going to explain some of the things that you need to think about when buying your new radiators. By following our guide, you will be in a much better position for buying a decent radiator.
Cost
As mentioned above, you can buy radiators for as little as £100. However, this does not mean that you should scrimp on the purchase, because there are long-term financial implications:
1.Firstly, the cheaper radiators are likely to break more often than the more expensive brands, such as Bisque radiators. This means that overtime, you may end up spending more money on cheap radiators, than you would were you to buy the better quality radiators in the first place.
2.Next, the cheaper radiators are less efficient than the better-known, higher quality and more expensive brands, such as Bisque radiators. They will take more energy to warm up – which will add to your gas or electric bill. They will have less control over their heat output – you may find you're freezing one minute, and burning up the next.
So, although cost should be a consideration, you should only opt for a cheap radiator if you know that it can perform as it should.
Thermal Units
We measure radiator heat output in British Thermal Units per Hour (btu/ph). The btu/ph that you require is dependent on the size of the room. The larger the room, the more btu/ph you require. When you buy a radiator it will inform you of its btu/ph (look at the information sticker – it won’t actually speak!). You will find calculators online to help you to establish how many btu/ph you need – all you need to know is the room’s measurements (height, width and length).
Sometimes you may not have the room to hang a radiator on the wall because you require such a high output. To get over this problem, many people use under floor or skirting heaters. They are more expensive, but they’re also very efficient. Furthermore, because they lie on, or near, the floor, they heat is retained for longer (hot air rises, the higher the radiator, the quicker the warmth leaves the room).
Materials
There are a number of different materials from which radiators are made, but in general, we see cast iron and steel/aluminium options. Each has their own advantages and disadvantages:
•Cast iron: looks great, takes a long time to heat up, but retains heat for a long time, too. It can be expensive.
•Steel/aluminium: can look a little tacky with poor design, heats up quickly, cools down quickly, but it is cheap.
Cost
As mentioned above, you can buy radiators for as little as £100. However, this does not mean that you should scrimp on the purchase, because there are long-term financial implications:
1.Firstly, the cheaper radiators are likely to break more often than the more expensive brands, such as Bisque radiators. This means that overtime, you may end up spending more money on cheap radiators, than you would were you to buy the better quality radiators in the first place.
2.Next, the cheaper radiators are less efficient than the better-known, higher quality and more expensive brands, such as Bisque radiators. They will take more energy to warm up – which will add to your gas or electric bill. They will have less control over their heat output – you may find you're freezing one minute, and burning up the next.
So, although cost should be a consideration, you should only opt for a cheap radiator if you know that it can perform as it should.
Thermal Units
We measure radiator heat output in British Thermal Units per Hour (btu/ph). The btu/ph that you require is dependent on the size of the room. The larger the room, the more btu/ph you require. When you buy a radiator it will inform you of its btu/ph (look at the information sticker – it won’t actually speak!). You will find calculators online to help you to establish how many btu/ph you need – all you need to know is the room’s measurements (height, width and length).
Sometimes you may not have the room to hang a radiator on the wall because you require such a high output. To get over this problem, many people use under floor or skirting heaters. They are more expensive, but they’re also very efficient. Furthermore, because they lie on, or near, the floor, they heat is retained for longer (hot air rises, the higher the radiator, the quicker the warmth leaves the room).
Materials
There are a number of different materials from which radiators are made, but in general, we see cast iron and steel/aluminium options. Each has their own advantages and disadvantages:
•Cast iron: looks great, takes a long time to heat up, but retains heat for a long time, too. It can be expensive.
•Steel/aluminium: can look a little tacky with poor design, heats up quickly, cools down quickly, but it is cheap.
