Radiator heaters are a reliable and efficient way to heat a home. They may not be as famous as they once were, but they still have many advantages. Radiator heaters are easy to install and maintain, providing consistent and even heat throughout a room.
Radiator Cons
Slower to heat up: Because radiators circulate hot water, they can take a bit longer to warm up a room than furnaces and other systems. Bulky design: Radiators can take up space in a room and may not fit everyone's aesthetic preferences. However, modern designs offer more sleek, compact options.
They took a lot of manpower to build, and it was difficult to create a balance of heat throughout the home. And you couldn't zone it like you can't hot water. Then hot water became more popular because it gives us more control over the temperature and allows you to heat your home more evenly.
Overall, electric radiators are a great choice for home heating. They are energy efficient, safe, cost-effective, and comfortable. So if you're looking for a reliable and efficient heating solution, electric radiators are definitely worth considering.
In hot weather, would it be possible to cool the interior of a house by circulating chilled water through the exisiting central heating system? Yes, but it wouldn't work very well. The rate of heat transfer is more-or-less proportional to the temperature difference between the radiators and the surrounding air.
This problem often points to inadequate circulation of warm air. It could be due to blocked vents, a failing HVAC fan, or issues with the furnace itself. Ensure that furniture or drapes are not blocking your vents. Also, check if your furnace's filter is clean, as a dirty filter can restrict airflow.
Keep it away from furniture
Wherever you choose to put it, try not to position your radiator behind large items of furniture, such as the sofa or cabinets.
Modern radiators, also called convectors, do not consume large amounts of electricity, typically using between one and two kilowatts of power, depending on the size of the room they are heating. However, even small amounts of electricity can result in significant energy costs over time.
It is not advisable to leave electric radiators switched on overnight. Electrical heating devices can pose a fire risk, especially when positioned nearby to curtains, quilts, rugs and other materials often found in bedroom areas.
The average lifespan of modern radiators is between 10 and 15 years. Older radiators become less efficient, and even if they are still working perfectly after 15 years, they are more likely to develop problems, for example, internal corrosion.
Furnaces. The majority of North American households depend on a central furnace to provide heat.
Radiator heaters are a reliable and efficient way to heat a home. They may not be as famous as they once were, but they still have many advantages. Radiator heaters are easy to install and maintain, providing consistent and even heat throughout a room.
Radiators may not heat up due to trapped air that needs bleeding, a faulty boiler or central heating pump, thermostatic radiator valves that are stuck or set too low, or blockages caused by sludge or rust buildup in the central heating system.
A gas central heating radiator system can never be 100% efficient because the whole system uses pipes to pump the hot water around your home. Even brand new boilers are only able to be about 92% efficient, whereas electric radiators will turn 1 kWh of electricity into 1 unit of heat, making them 100% efficient.
The kWh of your boiler x the price of 1KWh of gas divided by 100. As an example if you used approximately 45 kwh of gas in your home per hour to keep it heated and your gas rate is 15.3p. You would have to calculate 45 x 15.3 which = 688.5. Then divide that number by 100 meaning your hourly rate would be £6.88 an hour.
The oil is also sealed in the system so it won't leak if the heater tips. With these potential safety issues solved, radiator heaters are very safe. In fact, they're often considered safer than heaters with exposed heating elements because they don't get as hot to the touch.
Even after switching it off, that oil keeps the heat flowing, making it a smart choice for maintaining warmth without constantly guzzling electricity. Energy Efficient: Oil-filled heaters keep rooms warm long after switching off, making them champs at saving energy.
Yes, turning off radiators in unused rooms can result in energy savings and lower heating bills. However, it's important to consider the potential drawbacks, such as dampness and freezing pipes, to make an informed decision.
What is the safest heater to leave on overnight? While it's not recommended to leave any space heater on if you're not monitoring it, oil-filled, radiant space heaters are considered safer than ceramic convection (hot air) types, according to Roberson. Both of these options are safer than open-coil heaters.
Due to its use of convection currents instead of fans to circulate heat throughout your rooms, radiators win the battle of efficiency against forced hot air.
So you don't have to worry about refilling. The oil is permanently sealed in the heater and only ensures that heat is retained for longer. No maintenance, no waste. That's smart heating!
This is something most of us learn in school and it helps to explain why radiators are located underneath windows. As the hot air rises from the radiator, the cold air that is coming in through the window pushes against the warm air, circulating it around the room much more efficiently.
Aluminium radiators are the best radiators for heat output because the metal is a superconductor. As a result, it heats rooms quicker and more efficiently than any of the other materials.
The placement of your radiators can affect both safety and efficiency. Avoid placing radiators behind furniture or curtains. If you're considering repositioning your radiators or installing new ones, you might want to explore our range of top-quality single radiators in the UK for safe and efficient options.