Why function and features are essential in choosing a designer radiator.

Whilst the point of designer radiators is to create a stunning feature in your room, it still needs to do its job at least as well as an ordinary radiator. So on top of picking out the look you like best, it’s vitally important to consider function and features in choosing a designer radiator.

Heat

The main function of a radiator is to produce heat, and this is the primary reason why you should choose one over another. To decide on the best radiator, you need to work out the BTU rating (British Thermal Units) or wattage required for each room. Your plumber or heating engineer can help you with this or you can use our heat calculator to work out how much output will be needed to heat your room. All radiators have a BTU/Watts rating – you can either choose one that’ll heat the whole room or two or smaller ones which add up to the same amount.

Quality

The quality of the radiator is hugely important as it impacts not only its efficiency but also its longevity. Most radiators are made from steel – a thickness of 1.5mm or more is usually the sign of a quality product. If the steel is less than that, it could affect the pressure. Aluminium, is as effective as sheet steel, and is even quicker to heat up, but can sometimes be a more expensive material.

Heated towel rails

In a small bathroom or kitchen, a heated towel rail would be a better idea than a radiator as it’ll heat the room, as well as keeping towels warm and dry. They come in a range of designs and sizes so you don’t have to compromise on looks, even for the smallest room in the house.

Plumbed or electric

Whilst the majority of designer radiators are fixed to the wall and plumbed into the hot water system, others are stand-alone and run on electricity which gives you much more flexibility with where to place them.

Valves

Every plumbed radiator will require its own valve in order to control the heat output. They allow you to manually set the temperature of individual radiators, enabling you to keep a room you don’t use very often cooler. It’s an effective way of saving money as well.