Radiators are crucial to the infrastructure of any home, especially when winter nights are approaching. Radiators have been used for a couple of centuries now, though wide use only started to occur in the last hundred years or so when they became essential for almost every home.

There are many different types of radiators, each designed with unique finishes and features. Made from a variety of materials, these different models differ hugely from one another, from how they look to how they function. This means that finding the ideal radiator for your home is a very important task but by no means a simple one.

This guide has been put together to help take you through some of the key factors behind the various radiators available on the market. Giving you a better idea of what you’re looking for and making navigating our extensive collections a far simpler experience.

• Types of Radiators
• What to Look for When Buying Radiators
• Radiator Maintenance
• Commonly Asked Questions
• Shop By Brand
• Shop Radiators
• What's Next?

Unless you’re building from scratch, it’s likely your home already has radiators, and these will be either plumbed in or electric. Simply put, plumbed radiators run off pipework and are connected to your hot water central heating system, while electric radiators are wired up.

Most houses will use either or, but this is not always the case – large houses, in particular, utilise mainly plumbed radiators but will feature electric in areas that aren’t connected up to the pipework. If your house only uses one of these systems, you’ll find it easier to continue the trend rather than trying to switch.

Both have pros and cons – an electric radiator is usually much cheaper to install, but plumbing radiators often prove to be longer-lasting, not to mention more durable in general. They also tend to be made from different materials, with plumbing radiators often sporting the more coveted designs and styles. However, with so many examples of both on the market, it really is down to your personal preferences, as well as what you are prioritising when looking for your radiator.

Radiator Sizes

Radiator size is incredibly important when it comes to efficiently heat your home. Traditional models can be around 600mm x 2400mm (larger estimate), but the market for radiators has expanded so that there are now countless individual styles to choose from. Getting the cubic volume of the room you want to install a radiator into (by multiplying width x length x height) is a good place to start.

Some radiator manufacturers clearly state the cubic volume of a room their radiator is capable of heating. Meanwhile, you may alternatively wish to contact a professional tradesperson who specialises in radiators in order to give you some advice. House age, size, window type/glazing, door type, and many other factors can all directly influence insulation within a room, affecting which radiators will be best suited to your needs.

Thermostatic Radiators

Some newer radiators and plumbing systems will be compatible with a thermostatic heating feature. This device can be added to your radiator, keeping track of the temperature of the component it is added to. It then allows you to heat up your plumbed radiator using electricity. Radiators that use this method are known a ‘dual fuel radiators’ though the radiator itself must be a plumbed model.

There are several benefits to dual fuel – they can offer a lot more flexibility as well as control, which can potentially save you money. They can also be used when your main central heating system is turned off. They are popular modern additions to radiators due to this increased versatility. 

Locations and System Layouts

Make sure you keep an eye on the running route of your pipework. It is preferable that it runs along the wall as it will give you more freedom over the choice of radiator for your room. Floor pipework, on the other hand, will limit you to some extent, preventing you from choosing a radiator of a different size to the one you’re replacing. Using a larger radiator in this situation will involve the physical moving of the pipes, a lengthy, arduous job that is best carried out by a professional. 

Radiator Valves

If you have a radiator that is connected to your plumbing system, then it will need a pair of valves added to it. These are used to control the heat output and, combined with other radiators in your home, provide you with greater control over which rooms receive more heat compared to others.

Radiator valves need to be purchased separately from the radiator itself, and thus these valves can differ in style, which many may find off-putting, especially if they have prioritised visual appeal when choosing their ideal radiator. To avoid this, shop valves from the same manufacturer that produced your radiator – it will help you to find the intended valve set more easily.

Another important factor to remember is pipe size – you will need to know the size of the pipes in your plumbing system to source a compatible set of valves. The type of pipe you have will also influence this decision. Most pipes in the UK are 15mm or 22mm, and as such most valves are one of these two sizes too – however, measure your pipes to make sure this is the case.

Radiator Covers and Cabinets

Other products you may want to consider purchasing alongside your radiators are covers and cabinets. These are excellent accessories designed to carry out a multitude of functions. The most important of which is that they can keep you or anyone/thing in your home from coming into direct contact with the hot surface of your radiator.

These covers are usually made from wood, though there are metal and plastic variations (the former often comes in the form of a sturdy mesh cage that prioritises safety, though even these can become painfully hot to the touch in some cases). Wood covers in particular tend to place visual appeal at the forefront of their designs.

It is also these wooden covers or cabinets that can serve extra purposes too. One of the most popular additions on many models is a shelf on top for storage. Be sure to check product descriptions and manuals before doing this, however – some covers won’t be designed for this and may still create a potential burning risk.

Radiator maintenance is crucial when it comes to keeping your homes heated. Every radiator, no matter the size or type, will require maintenance relatively frequently. This may be as simple as a quick clean or more complicated fixes, painting and bleeding.

Cleaning a radiator is rarely more complicated than cleaning any other part of the room, with a vacuum, dust, or polish usually doing the job. Radiators can prove a little more challenging due to their compact designs, which can make for a haven for any spiders looking to construct large, thick webs that quickly become heavy with dust. This is one of the main reasons cleaning your radiator of such cobwebs is so important.

Specialised radiator paint exists for those looking to rejuvenate their radiators, though bear in mind it will only be compatible with certain models – usually the standard panel models. Bleeding your radiator is a difficult task but can be carried out without the need for a professional.

How to Bleed Your Radiator?

Whilst simple, you still need the right tools for the job. This means a suitable radiator key and a cloth to catch any spilt water. With these in hand, you can turn off your heating, to let the water cool down, and then use your key to turn the valve (this should be at the top). You’ll know that you’re doing this right when you hear a hissing sound of air escaping. Be aware, water will come out so be ready with your cloth. Once the hissing stops, quickly tighten the valve and turn your heating back on. You can then check your pressure and top it up if needed using the lever or tap on your boiler. You can read more on this in our bleeding radiators guide.

Why Fit Radiators?

The answer to this is simple – to heat your home. But are there any other features you’d perhaps like to see your radiator exhibit? There are some radiators that serve multiple purposes – an example is the towel radiator, which can both hold and dry your towels while not in use. Alternatively, you may be looking for a radiator to help add aesthetical appeal to your room, in which case cast iron, flat panel or mirror radiators may be what you’re looking for.

Where Should my Radiator be Installed?

There are certain radiators that will be better suited to particular rooms than others, the bathroom being the prime example. Several different types of radiators have been specifically designed for use here, with their sleek metallic designs often complimenting the aesthetics of modern bathrooms. 

Meanwhile, smaller rooms will not require larger radiators, while bigger rooms simply won’t be efficiently warmed by smaller models. It is a good idea to consider which room or corridor you’re looking for a radiator in to narrow down your search by size and style accordingly. This being the case, it is also worth remembering that you won’t necessarily need radiators in every room. 

How Much Does a Radiator Cost Per Hour?

This will depend largely on whether you are heating your home using mains gas or electricity. More often than not mains gas is the cheaper option, long-term, with an average cost of less than 5p per kilowatt-hour (meaning, with a 24 kW boiler you’ll be looking at close to £1.20). On average electricity is more expensive, at roughly 16p per kWh though more modern, energy-efficient, models have cut this down dramatically – closer to what you could expect from gas.

Remember, these costs are entirely dependent on current energy prices.

What Size Radiator Do I Need?

Most radiators you find online should have the square meterage that they can heat in their technical data. This being the case, it is a simple matter to measure your room's length and width to find a radiator that is suitable with its dimensions.

If you can’t use this method, the slightly more complex process is to measure your room's volume and estimate heat loss to determine the ideal BTU (British thermal units). The process is as follows: {width x length x height (m)} x heat loss value (these change depend on the type of room and window glazing but, for reference, a bedroom with double glazing has a value of around 100). This calculation will give you a total BTU which you can then match to a suitable radiator.

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