How to make your radiators more energy efficient
10 February 2020
Although designer radiators look great and add a touch of style and personality to your home, their primary purpose is to heat the room. Thankfully, there are a few things you can do to ensure your designer radiator warms your home effectively.
How do I make my radiators more efficient?
Although designer radiators look great and add a touch of style and personality to your home, their primary purpose is to heat the room. Thankfully, there are a few things you can do to ensure your designer radiator not only looks great, but also warms your home effectively.
Your first consideration should always be to work out exactly how much heat output you require from your designer radiators to heat your space properly. This is measured in British Thermal Units and to get you started, you can use our handy online BTU calculator to work out your needs. Once you’ve done that, here are a few top tips on how to make your radiators more efficient.
Bleed your radiators
If you have an airlock in any of your radiators, it could affect its performance quite significantly. An airlock comes about when air fills the space at the top of a radiator, preventing the hot water from flowing around it correctly. To check if you have one, carefully place your hand on or near the radiator and check for any cold spots. If you feel a difference in temperatures, you will need to bleed your radiator to allow any air to escape.
Place a radiator key into the radiator bleeding valve at the top of your radiator and it to the left to open it a little. You will hear the air rush out. Once water starts to pour out of the bleed valve, it means all the air has been expelled and you can tighten the valve back up. Once you have bled one radiator, you should go around all the others, starting with the one furthest away from the boiler, and bleed those too. Don’t forget to re-pressurise your hot water system once you have bled your radiators, by following the instructions on your boiler.
Is your radiator the right size?
If a room is cold compared to others in your home, your radiator may be too small. So, you should work out what heat output your room requires, using our online BTU calculator, and then upgrade your radiator to one with a higher BTU output if required.
Is your radiator in the correct position?
Most radiators are located underneath windows, but this can cause the heat it pushes out of the top to be cooled as it hits the cold glass. If this is the case, you should consider either repositioning the radiator, or if this is not possible, fitting foil behind it to reflect the heat away from the window and into the room.
Check your colours
Painted radiators tend to perform to a similar level regardless of their colour, but a chrome finish could reduce your radiator’s output by as much as 25%... something to bear in mind in kitchens or bathroom, where chrome is a popular choice.
Where can I get expert advice about make my radiators more energy efficient?
Our expert team will be on hand at our designer radiator showroom at Ashby de la Zouch, where they can answer any queries you may have about the types of designer radiator you need to heat your home as efficiently as possible.
You can also browse the designer radiators section of our website and work out what heat output you may require using our online BTU calculator. You’ll also find designer radiator inspiration, tips and ideas on our blog, which includes advice articles, pictures and product reviews, as well as updates, company news and events.
We look forward to seeing you at our designer radiator showroom soon
If you’re looking for expert advice on which designer radiator to choose to create your ideal space, why not pay us a visit for more inspiration and designer radiator ideas?
With more than 10,000 designer radiators in stock - all at factory direct prices with fast, free UK delivery - you're sure to find whatever you're looking for. Alternatively, give us a call on 0845 6181913 or email us, we’ll be happy to help.
