Selecting the radiators for your home isn’t as simple as deciding on which design you like. The amount of heat required to heat up your home will determine the size and style of your new radiators, which means that first and foremost, you need to calculate the heat output required.
The heat output is measured in watts and is a measurement of how much heat is needed in each room to create a comfortable environment.
Hunt Heating has a simple Heat Load Calculator that gives you an estimate of the heat output required for the rooms in your home. The calculator is a guide only, and you should always seek the assistance of a licensed professional when selecting and installing your radiators.
Once you’ve entered your information, you’ll see that the result is shown as a range to compensate for additional factors such as external temperatures, levels of insulation in your home and the presence of glazed windows. Hunt Heating recommends that the combined heat output of all the radiators in your room meets the higher end of this result to ensure your room is heated efficiently.
It’s important to note that a radiator with insufficient output may never raise the temperature to that which is required. The boiler should also be sufficient to supply all connected radiators to the sum of their maximum demand. Larger rooms such as living rooms may also require more than one radiator positioned evenly throughout the room. If this is the case, you should divide the required output between the number of radiators needed.
Assessing available space
Next, you need to consider how much space you have in each room. As a rule of thumb, radiators with larger surface areas have a greater heat output, but you might not always have space for a large model. There are plenty of different sized radiators available, ranging from tall and narrow vertical radiators to compact wall mounted radiators that can fit snugly into tighter spaces.
If you have the space in your bathroom, you might also consider installing a heated towel rail, which can add a luxurious touch to the space.
Selecting the material
The material you select for your radiator will affect the rate at which it heats up and cools down. Modern aluminium radiators have faster warm-up times, but this also means they lose their heat fairly soon after they’re switched off. On the other hand, traditional-looking cast iron radiators can take some time to warm up, but they retain their heat very well after they’ve been switched off. Hunt Heating supplies steel, aluminium and cast iron radiators in a range of modern and classic styles to suit all interiors. You can explore our range of classic and designer radiators here to get a better understanding of the designs available.
Choosing your finish
Depending on your style, you may choose a painted finish for your new radiators, such as gloss or matt. Some models can also be powder coated in a colour of your choice to suit your interiors. In fact, the options for customising your radiators are virtually endless.
There are a range of factors that will determine which radiators are suitable for your home, including your budget and personal style preferences. Most importantly, you need to enlist the services of a licensed professional to ensure you select radiators that can deliver the correct heat output for a comfortable space. Once you’ve done that, then you can enjoy the process of choosing a stylish design.
If you’d like to learn more about our range of stylish and efficient radiators, contact our friendly team today, or drop into our showroom.
