When it comes to your living room, you’re probably keen to strike that perfect balance between comfort and style. There are lots of benefits to updating your radiators, not least that doing so may increase your room’s energy efficiency.
Here are the main factors you’ll want to consider first:
1. Heat output
A gas-safe engineer or plumber can help you work out the British thermal unit (BTU) energy requirement of your living space. This vital calculation specifies how much heat your room needs. Once you’re in the know, you can shop around for radiators that meet the energy requirement.
2. The quantity and size
You can use the BTU rating to decide how many radiators to install in the room. As part of this, you’ll want to consider what type of glazing your windows have and whether any rooms above and below are insulated. Also, think about how large any external walls are and how they are constructed.
And if you find it hard to get your head around building materials, there are simple tests you can use. If you touch the external wall and it’s cold, this is good because it means that it has successfully locked the warm air inside. But if you find an interior wall cool to the touch, this could be a sign that it’s not very well insulated.
If you’re thinking of fitting the room with more than one radiator, here’s a simple way to find out what size they should be. Divide the number of BTUs you need by the number of radiators you want.
3. The style
Colour options go way beyond the traditional white. Cast-iron, copper, black, and mirror effect radiators, as well as a stylish radiator covers, are all available and can add charm and character to your room – not just warmth!
You can also take your pick from various non-traditional styles. Vertical radiators can make a bold statement, giving your living room that little bit of extra height.
Is space an issue? Then a low-level radiator might be right for your room. They can be positioned from as low as 200mm and free up some extra space for you.
4. The type
The main two options are electric and plumbed radiators.
Electric heating is a newer alternative on the market. Within this, there are various subtypes. Oil-filled electric radiators hold onto heat and minimise energy usage. Smart electric radiators are also an option. They are perfect for the modern home because they allow you to connect them to the Wi-Fi and control the settings from your smartphone.
Electric heating is often cheaper than gas when it comes to installation costs. On the flip side, it can be more expensive to run. However, sometimes you can cheat the system somewhat by using it at off-peak times to spend less.
A key advantage of gas radiators is that they heat the rooms quicker than electricity.
A ban on gas boilers will come into force in 2025, so this may affect your decision. If your boiler is fairly new, it may be operational for another 20 years. In that case, you can probably buy new gas radiators quite happily.
There’s more to buying a new radiator for your living room than you may at first think. However, once you’ve got to grips with the basis, it’s not such a hard task.
