Radiators might be the last thing on your mind when you’re redesigning your home. But there’s no need for these essential features to be hidden away or become an eyesore. Now it has taken a while, but finally, heating manufacturers have realised that the humble radiator can actually become a feature of the room.
In this guide, we’re going to answer some of the questions you might have about designer radiators and introduce you to some of the key designs.
Can Designer Radiators Heat a Room Effectively?
You might be wondering if designer radiators are more about form rather than function. Thankfully, there’s no need to be concerned about their ability to heat your home. That said, there are a few things to take into consideration:
Vertical vs horizontal
Radiators that are vertically shaped won’t give out the same amount of heat as a traditional horizontal orientation can. This is because they lack the length needed to draw up the same amount of cold air to allow convection to occur.
Black vs White
One of the great things about designer radiators is that you can choose from a wide range of colours. But, you do need to consider how colour impacts the emitting ability of the heat. That means that a black radiator is not going to heat a room as effectively as a white one would.
Now, in a small room, that might not be such a problem, but in a larger area, you may find that you need multiple radiators to keep the room at a comfortable temperature. That, in turn, means an increase in energy bills as well as needing to check whether your boiler is powerful enough to supply hot water to more outlets.
How Efficient Are Designer Radiators?
So, we’ve already spoken about the ability of designer radiators to heat a room, but the next question is how efficiently can they do that? Thankfully many modern radiators are made of highly conductive steel compounds. This could mean that replacing your old radiators with new ones could actually reduce your energy bills.
It’s not only your bank account that will feel the benefit of improved efficiency. That’s because when you have an efficient heating system, you’ll be using less fuel, and that means lower carbon emissions
How Easy is it to Fit a Designer Radiator?
Because there’s no need to tamper with the gas supply, radiators don’t need to be fitted by a Gas Safe Engineer. That means that, assuming you’re a relatively competent DIYer, fitting a new radiator can be completed within a couple of hours.
If this is the first time you’ve put in a new radiator, then you might want to go for one of the same size. That will mean that you won’t need to make any changes to the pipework leading from the boiler, and you may be able to use the same brackets to fit the radiator to the wall.
Don’t forget to let the boiler completely cool down and then switch it off at the mains before you attempt to drain it.
Different Styles of Designer Radiators
Now that we’ve covered all of the practicalities of designer radiators, we can now think about the design features.
Vertical radiators
Designer vertical radiators are statement-makers; there’s no hiding these behind the sofa, so make sure that you choose the perfect design for your room.
Available in a range of shapes and sizes from tall and thin through to short and stubby. Do remember that these are best suited to smaller areas unless you’re going to have multiple radiators to keep the room warm.
Stainless steel radiators
Hugely popular with designers, stainless steel is easy to manipulate into different shapes, making it the perfect material for contemporary radiators. From geometric towers to mazes and rounded front horizontals, stainless steel opens the way to unique designs that are miles away from the traditionally styled radiator.
Stainless steel is also incredibly strong and hard-wearing. It’s both noncorrosive and easy to maintain. This is the type of designer fitment that also manages to be hugely practical.
Mirrored Radiators
Hugely popular in the bathroom, the mirrored radiator is the ultimate space-saving combination. Again, it also brings light to the room, perfect for a space that can sometimes lack natural light. And with the heat coming from behind the mirror, there’s never any worries about it steaming up.
Picture Radiators
Blurring the line between function and art, picture radiators allow you to personalise the surface of the radiator with a photo or image. When clustered together in triptych style, it’s likely that no one would ever know that those ‘pictures’ are responsible for heating the room!
When we first saw picture radiators, we have to say that we were a little sceptical as to how well the image would cope with the heat. However, we’re pleased to report that there are no signs of cracking or peeling. That said, we do recommend using companies who offer a guarantee so that if you do experience any problems, they can be quickly sorted out.
