Single or double radiators?

steveowen100

Hi folks


I am about to replace my bedroom radiators. The existing radiators are years old, single panel and are covered with years of white paint which i feel are trapping the heat. The bedrooms are about 11ftx11ft and have never realy got cozy with the existing units. I have just priced up some radiators and a 1200mm x 500mm single panel is about £30/40 quid and a double panel is almost double the price, will a single panel radiator give me the 'cozy' feel i want?. Obviously a double will kick out more heat, but at double the price if i can get away with a single then i will......


cheers

nickcardwell

Did your old radiator have fins on the back of it?

The metal fins give out more heat, newer single radiators have them,

moonrakerz

This may help:-

http://www.radcalcs.com/

alanobrien

By all means do the calcs but then go with what you feel.
I changed a few rads for slightly bigger ones in rooms that constantly felt chilly. The result was worth the extra few quid. Look at www.screwfix.com as well as local DIY sheds for radiator pricing, there is a lot of competition in the market so you should find what you want at reasonable prices.

steveowen100

nickcardwell wrote: »

Did your old radiator have fins on the back of it?

The metal fins give out more heat, newer single radiators have them,

Hi Nick

No the radiators are all flat panel, no fins. They are also caked with radiator

paint which i feel is holding the heat back, so im hoping a new single panel

might do the trick....

thanks for the replys

Andy_L

if you feel the radiator is it the same temp all over or are there cold spots (generally at the bottom). If there are they may just be sludged up & flushing them out may do the trick

babyblooz

We replaced some old radiators with new ones. The old ones were at least 20 years old and our plumber told us that new ones are just so more efficient, so don't bother with going for the double ones.
He was so right! :j I cannot believe the difference in the heat that comes out now, so we are planning on replacing the other two upstairs as well. I look at it like, well, you may spend on the radiators, but you get so much more heat for the same money from your central heating. The way heating costs have gone up in the last few years, it makes sense.

roddydogs

Just to clear up some confusion-fitting new radiator/s will NOT give you "Free" heat-they may -indeed almost certainly will give out more heat, but the return to the boiler will of course be colder, so will need heating up more!:cool: you will only get the heat u pay for, its not "Free"