Is it worth replacing old radiators?

Replacing old radiators with new ones can help heat your home more efficiently and effectively, potentially saving you both energy and money. Thanks to continual advances in technology, new radiators are ever more efficient, meaning they use less energy to get to temperature and do a more effective job of heating a room - great news for both the environment and your bills. As a guide, radiators should be replaced every fifteen to twenty years to help ensure they are working to maximum efficiency. Follow our guide on how to replace a radiator.

What are the different types of radiators?

There are several different types of radiators available, including double panel radiators, designer radiators, vertical radiators, column radiators, and if you’re looking specifically for your bathroom, towel radiators. Which one to choose will depend on what style you’re looking for, how much space is available, and what room the radiator is for. For example, if you’re looking for a modern finish and your radiator is in a prominent place in the room, a designer radiator can give you a stylish source of heat that takes pride of place. Or if you’re looking for a more traditional finish, a column radiator might be for you. Perhaps you’re after a standard radiator that’ll heat your home effectively? Then a white panel radiator will do the job nicely. Check out our radiators buying guide for more advice.

What’s the difference between central heating radiators and electric radiators?

A plumbed radiator is connected to your central heating system and is powered by a boiler heating up water that fills the radiator. An electric radiator is heated by an electrical element that is connected to, and powered by, mains electricity. There are advantages and disadvantages to both, and which one is right for you depends on how you want to heat your home or what fuels you have available. An electric radiator might be the easiest way to heat an extension, such as a loft conversion or garden office, as you don’t need plumbing. Whereas centrally heated radiators can be cheaper to run as the unit price of gas is less than electricity. You can also find dual fuel radiators that allow you to heat a plumbed radiator with electricity. A thermostatic radiator element can also be used to transform a plumbed radiator into a dual fuel radiator.

What size radiator do I need?

To find out what size radiator you need to heat your room effectively, you’ll need to calculate what BTU (British thermal unit) rating your chosen radiator needs. Luckily, you don’t need to be a mathematician to work this out as we have a BTU calculator that will do it for you! It’s really important to buy a radiator with the correct BTU to make sure your room gets lovely and warm without wasting energy or money. Choose too large or too many radiators and you run the risk of using more energy and spending more money than necessary. Choose too small or too few radiators and you may find your room remains chilly and you have to leave your heating on for longer.

What is a BTU?

BTU stands for British Thermal Unit and is a measurement of how much energy it takes to heat one pound of water by one degree Fahrenheit. It’s an important consideration when buying a new radiator because it tells you what size you need to heat a room effectively and efficiently. When working out what BTU your chosen radiator(s) needs, you need to take into consideration two main factors; the size of the room you want to heat and any areas of potential heat loss (such as windows and doors). Use our BTU calculator to accurately work out your radiator BTU.

Are oil-filled radiators cheaper to run?

Oil filled radiators are among the most efficient radiator as they use electricity to heat the oil within, which then circulates around the radiator. While they take longer to heat up than other types of heater or radiator, they stay warmer for longer once they are turn off. Also, as they are convection heaters, they draw warm air up and into the room, and draw cool air underneath to be heated. Another great advantage of oil-filled radiators is they are portable and so can be positioned almost anywhere in the home. This means you only heat the area where you need it, and not your entire home, saving energy and money heating empty rooms.

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