Radiators are heat exchangers which help to transfer thermal energy between two mediums for cooling and heating purposes. While radiators may be used within vehicles, buildings and electronics mainly, they can also be used at home to enhance the comfort of your home. Radiators are specially designed to heat up the air in a room through the use of convection which transfers heat from the radiators and disperses it to the surrounding air. This is achieved by attracting cool air in at the bottom, passing it over the radiator fins while warming the air and finally dispersing the heated air at the top. If you happen to live in some of the coldest parts of the UK, or your home is just generally cold, you might wanna get your hands on one of these.
However, know that buying a radiator may not be as easy as you would think, but with the right decision, it may be. You are exposed to a number of options, from towel and mirror radiators to more specific grey vertical column radiators. With so many choices, you may think this would be a headache. This is why we have come up with the ultimate guide on how to choose the ideal radiator for your home.
How to Choose a Radiator Based on Its Heating Arrangement
When you choose a radiator, the first thing you need to do is decide the kind of heating you require for your home. To help you out with this, we have listed 3 common radiator heating options for home:
Central Heating Radiators
A typical radiator would be a central heating radiator. This technology consists of a metal container filled with hot water, which heats up by the boiler. The heat is then dispersed at a certain rate that depends on its size, design and radiator material.
Dual Fuel Radiators
This radiator stands out with its mains-powered ‘summer heating element’ installed into it, allowing you to use electricity to heat up the radiator even when your central heating is off. It is primarily a standard central heating radiator option and is perfect for towel radiators.
Electric Radiators
Unlike central heating radiators, electric radiators possess a container that is mostly full of thermo-fluid or any other, which is then heated by the electrical element in the radiator. These radiators are powered by being wired to your main supply or plugged into your socket.
What Are the Types of Radiators, and How to Know Which One Is Good for You?
There are several radiators for you to choose from. Each of them consists of its own set of pros and cons, and some of them are better than others. We have listed them below for you to be the judge and decide which may be the best as per your requirements. The types of radiators include:
Double panel radiators
Double panel radiators are mounted to your wall, and for (almost) twice the power, they are two single panels that are stacked against each other. It may depend on your preference, but these radiators can stick out quite further away from where your wall is. However, it may even be something to look forward to, depending on the design you want.
Single panel radiators
This is your most basic radiator, and you can imagine them as rather ‘hot water containers.’ Unlike double panel radiators, these consist of single panels which are also mounted to the wall, facing outwards to the room. These radiators also have the option to be split up or divided into several columns to cover more of the surface area, but regardless, it still remains a single panel. You can choose these panels as they are quite slimmer and fit closer to the wall than double panel radiators.
Horizontal radiators
Horizontal radiators are very common and are all about being a lot wider than how tall they actually are. It is often used as a way to traditionally warm cold draughts and can be found mostly under the window.
Horizontal radiators pose a great choice for those who are looking for a ‘safe option’ or a radiator that can fit anywhere. It is also good if you wish to buy radiators on a budget as it is inexpensive. Not to mention horizontal radiators also give you a variety of choices
Vertical radiators
As the name suggests, vertical radiators are taller and more space saving and considering they are more obvious and apparent than horizontal ones. They are also used for a decorative perspective. It is perfect for those looking for radiators without compromising on space and great if you wish to make a statement in style. You have plenty of radiator designs to select from.
Heated towel rails
Ladder rails and towel rails are the epitomai of providing comfort and luxury. These are mainly used for heating towels, making them fluffy, warm, dry and super comfortable to use. They are ideal for cold winter mornings. However, in terms of heating up a room, it is a second choice for these radiators, but they do have the ability to heat up smaller bathrooms quite nicely. Apart from that, they are a bit weaker and less powerful in terms of heating, which also makes them inexpensive to run. Several radiators consist of slots cut for the purpose of hanging towels, though using it primarily for heating towels can be expensive, which thus brings us a towel rail.
Column radiators
Unlike a double panel radiator, column radiators are designed from tubes that are organized in rows, connecting at the top and bottom to form a single section. They are also referred to as being a ‘Victorian radiator’ and are a more traditional than modern design to opt for. This may be good news or not, depending on how you wish to decorate your home or if you even have a preference, to begin with.
This was all you needed to know about radiator types and how you can choose one that will suit your home the best. Be sure to keep budget, material and design in mind when making the final selection. Good luck!
