Home Heating Radiator Designs and Ideas

It's important to keep warm in winter - but we don't just have to be warm, we can be stylish too!

Take a look at some home heating radiator ideas for info on different radiator designs to suit your home...

Radiator design, these days, can make a feature out of what was formerly something ugly...

Radiator Style Explored

Contemporary radiators are sophisticated and stylish tubes and panels...

...or more traditional and classic Victorian and Edwardian reproductions can also be a real feature in your home.

Of course, fitting stylish new radiators costs money and can be a lot of hassle...

...here are some home heating radiator ideas that can help you make the right radiator design choices for your home...

Both in terms of radiator style and radiator positioning and efficiency...

Many homes will have the slightly unattractive 'bog-standard' convector radiator...

Understand your Home Radiator

• The 'average' home radiator is a double-skinned metal panel. It is filled with water, which heats up when the boiler is ignited.
• It usually has fins or surface panels to help the heat 'convect' into the room.
• Radiators can come as single panels, or double panels, for that added heat power
• The radiator has a valve at either end, so that it can be independently switched on or off.
• It has a valve at one end to get rid of air locks through 'bleeding'.
• Heat disperses from the flat surface of the radiator, and is drawn up to expel from the top too.

Choosing Radiator Capacity for Your Home

• It is usually best to choose as large a radiator as is practical for each room.
• A central heating plumber can advise you on the size of home radiator necessary to heat a particular:
  • size of room
  • wall construction type
  • window size and type
• You can use this calculator (opens in a new window) to give you a guideline idea of the heat capacities you will need each radiator to have.
• Some modern radiator designs, such as ladder styles, or towel radiators, give off less heat than the traditional radiator design, so take this into account when choosing your home heating radiator.
• Extra radiators may be required in large spaces - generally speaking, one radiator will heat only around 4m (12ft) into the room, whatever its size.

Turning up the Heat

• Ideal room temperatures which your heating and radiators should be capable of:

  Room	Celsius	Fahrenheit
  Living Room	21	70
  Dining Room	21	70
  Kitchen	16	60
  Bathroom	23	72
  Bedroom	16	60
  Hall/Landing	18	65

• Modern radiators can have TRVs (Thermostatic Radiator Contol Valves) fitted to control room heat - or you can fit a separate thermostat in each room, or heating 'zone'.

Positioning your Radiator

• Traditionally, radiators have always been positioned under windows:
  • This is often the coldest part of the room
  • This is a good position allowing you maximum choice of where to put your furniture, as you are unlikely to put much furniture in front of the window anyway.
• These days many homes have double glazed windows, so this isn't necessarily the coldest part of the room any more - in this case, you can put your radiator where you want!
• A radiator can be moved relatively easily by a heating professional, or competent DIY-er - take advice if you are not confident in what you are doing.
• You should avoid hanging long curtains, or placing furniture in front of radiators, as these tend to absorb heat, and prevent heat from getting into the room.

Decorative Radiator Covers

• It is possible, though, to use decorative radiator covers on your home heating radiators, without losing efficiency.










• Make sure air is allowed to flow through the cover at the top and bottom, so as not to lose heat.
• Radiator covers can be much more attractive to look at - but can be quite bulky in a small space.
• We've just fitted one of these over our radiator in our lounge - it's made a huge difference to how the room feels.
• If you do wish to keep your radiators under your windows, there are a few tips to retain heat:
  • Keep curtains short - sill length - long curtains drawn over radiators absorbs heat and stops it circulating into the room.
  • Fit a shelf over the top of the radiator:
    • a minimum of 5cm above the radiator
    • not too narrow
    • curtains can 'sit' on top of this
    • this helps stop the heat from the radiator discoloring the wall
    • ready-made radiator shelves can be bought

Alternative Radiator Designs

• If you want something a little more unusual or attractive than the 'bog standard' home heating radiator designs, there are lots of classic and contemporary designs and ideas you can look at...
  
  

  

  
  

  • Classic traditional designs:
  • Victorian
  • Edwardian
  • Vertical panels
  • Vertical spirals
  • Ladder styles and towel radiators
  
  
  

  

  
  
  

  • Bench style radiators with seat above
  • Towel-warmer shelf radiators
  • Towel-warmer peg radiators

Also Think About...

• You might also consider doing away with radiators altogether and go for underfloor heating...
• This can be a lot of hassle to fit, but is very efficient and does not affect where you position furniture in the room.
• Additional heating, and an attractive focal point can be achieved with a fireplace

  Find out more about fireplace design ideas to suit your home.

Return to the main Home Heating Systems page for more heating ideas and tips

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