For many a big concern (especially if you have had your radiators for a while) is whether or not your radiators are still working as they should be. This is why we have put together a simple guide with questions you can ask yourself to help address this issue.
Is your radiator the correct size for your room?
If you are unsure whether or not your radiator is still working efficiently because the room where the radiator is installed is colder than others, it may be because the radiator is too small for the room and you perhaps need to replace it with one that has a higher heat output. Depending on the size/ volume of your room you will need to calculate radiator size to see how high the heat output needs to be. You can work this out by simply using our Radiator BTU calculator!
Do you have any air in your radiator?
A good way to check whether or not your radiators contain any air, is by placing your hand near the radiator when it is turned on and check for any cold areas. If you do find a difference in temperature especially at the top, you may have trapped air. To solve this issue, you will need to bleed your radiator to allow the air to escape. Please refer to this step-by-step guide on how to bleed your radiator.
Do you have an old heating system?
If you do have an old heating system this can definitely impact on the effectiveness of your radiators heat output. This is due to having outdated controls or having corroded valves from not maintaining your heating system which may result in the irregular flow of hot water.
Is your radiator located in the best place?
A few years ago, deciding on the location of a radiator was a no brainer, as it would usually be placed in the coldest part of the room which was typically on an external wall under a window. However nowadays, homes are usually well insulated and have double glazed windows, meaning this cold area no longer exists. Therefore, installing a radiator there may not be the most efficient option anymore. This is especially true if it is hidden by long draped curtains; as this blocks the heat from the radiator, which was discussed in our recent blog post ‘Have you ever thought about putting radiators in unconventional places?’
Luckily with all the variances in size and heat output options modern radiators give you, you now have endless locations you could consider. You can even have two radiators in your room instead of one and half the heat output for each as we discussed in our recent podcast ‘Getting hotter and hotter room by room’.
Is it simply time to modify or renew your radiators?
Tried all of the above and your room is still cold? If so, it may be time to be out with the old and in with the new as replacing or adding additional radiators to your cold room should solve this issue. At heating style we have a complete range of modern designer radiators which are designed with style and functionality in mind such as our ‘Dorney Double Horizontal Designer Radiator‘ which would be a perfect focal point to any spacious room. We also have space saving radiators available for smaller interiors, or to fit better into unconventional places.
We hope this guide has helped you to determine whether or not your radiators are still efficient. If we could help you with this further, perhaps by helping you select a more efficient radiator, why not speak to us today?