Which Radiators?

adr0ck

Calling all plumbers...which radiators would you recommend and why?

Stelrad
Henrad
Biasi

Someone told me stelrad fall apart is this true?

jos22

Can't really help other than suggest you try a forum like https://www.diynot.com or even scewfix forum.

paul_h

adr0ck wrote:

Someone told me stelrad fall apart is this true?

Not sure about that, my parent's house has Stelrad radiators which are now 25 years old - they've never given any trouble.

There may well be some failures, but there's a hell of a lot of Stelrad radiators out there...

alanobrien

Personally i am not that fussed.
I replaced a few recently and i got those very cost effectively from Screwfix.

Rads are a relatively low cost part of a system and fairly easy to DIY replace anyway.

gromituk

There are important differences - always work out the cost per watt output - the cheapo ones really lose out in this respect. Size doesn't matter - heat output does.

Remember that even if you haven't yet got a condensing boiler, if you intend to get one you will not be able to take advantage of its efficiency gains unless you run your heating at a lower temperature than with a traditional boiler. You then need better radiators to get the same heat output. Heat output is proportional to the difference in temp between the water and the air, so it's easy to work out what you will need to change. I would always err on the side of overspecifying radiators, because you will be fitting thermostatic valves which will control them on a room by room basis to prevent waste.

The Screwfix ones are identical to the Toolstation ones, but Toolstation sells them for less (and has a lower minimum order value for free postage). They are not quite as good in terms of heat output per unit area as Heatline 2000 ones, which I have also used, but are much better value. Cheapo ones are a false economy.

plumb1_2

Imo, Stelrad roll top rads, always found them to be of better quality, plus less seems to leak.

Queenie

alanobrien wrote:

Personally i am not that fussed.
I replaced a few recently and i got those very cost effectively from Screwfix.

Rads are a relatively low cost part of a system and fairly easy to DIY replace anyway.

I'm a DIY virgin and if they are fairly easy to replace ... I would love you 4ever if you could tell me how to replace my bathroom rad which is rusting *and* lopsided!

alanobrien

Queenie wrote:

I'm a DIY virgin and if they are fairly easy to replace ... I would love you 4ever if you could tell me how to replace my bathroom rad which is rusting *and* lopsided!

Strangely enough i have to change my brothers bathroom rad for a towel rail this very week end.

There are several ways to do it depending on the system.
If its an unpressurised system its possible to do it without draining the system down.

If its pressurised you can get freezing units to bolt on the pipe work to freeze the water and then take the rad off.

I prefer to drain the whole system down. Its safer, and gives me the opportunity to flush it through and replace the inhibitor.

There are many sites that specialise in DIY and can provide you with more details. Try ;

http://www.diynot.com/
http://www.gasman.fsbusiness.co.uk/index.htm
http://www.technosolution.co.uk/diy/centralheating/chfitnewrad/fitnewrad.htm

gromituk

You don't have to drain down a "pressurised" (sealed - as used with combi boilers) system either. You simply have to release enough water for the pressure to drop to zero. No corks required!

adr0ck

thanks guys according to btu outputs

stelrad and henrad give out the same
biasi gives out a fair bit more
and delonghi gives out more again

obviously all based on same spec and size rads

therefpre from this can only assume.....biasi and delonghi are the better rad?

gromituk

They are better in terms of heat output (efficacy), yes, but you may have other criteria such as value for money!

Have you looked at the Screwfix/Toolstation ones? I can't remember what make they are but I would be surprised if you could get more heat/pound elsewhere.