We live in the UK, and it gets cold, so it follows that radiators are an essential feature in all of our homes. However, many people’s radiators are running inefficiently: they’re costing more money to run than is necessary, and they aren’t producing as much heat as they are able to. Here, we’re going to consider some of the things that you can do to ensure that your radiators are working to optimal capacity. By the end of this article, you should have a few good tips to help you keep those electricity and gas bills at a reasonable level, even if the gas/electric companies are trying to bleed us dry.
Use a Timed Thermostat
It is amazing how many households waste money because they don’t use a thermostat. Here is a common scenario to explain why thermostats are important, and how they can help you save money:
•Sarah works all day. She leaves the radiators off all day. When she gets home, it’s freezing cold, so she whacks the temperature up to 40 to make sure that it gets hot as quickly as possible. That costs a lot of money, and with a timed thermostat, she could have set the heating system to come on ½ an hour before she gets home. By the time she’s home the house is nice and warm, and she’s spent less money on her heating.
Bleeding the Radiators
The majority of radiators, whether residential or trade radiators, use water or oil within the system. This is because it is much better at retaining and distributing heat than air. With air, it gets warm quickly, but it cools quickly too. Air is much less efficient for radiation.
So, air is less efficient – what’s that got to do with an oil/water based radiator? Well, overtime, air will get into the system, and when this happens, it has an effect on efficiency. You need to be able to let the air out of the system when it accumulates. To do this, you bleed the radiator. A special bleed valve with key will allow you to do this.
It is important, therefore, that you bleed the radiator on a regular basis if you want to ensure your radiator remains efficient. This is true whether you are buying domestic radiators or trade radiators.
Reflector Panels
You have probably heard that if you place a piece of foil behind the radiator, that it will reflect the heat back into the room, thereby making the radiator more efficient. This is true, but today, you can purchase radiator reflector panels, which are far superior to using sheets of foil. It has been estimated that a standard two bedroom home can save an average of £50 a year. This may not sound like a lot, but money is money at the end of the day, and if you look after the pennies, the pounds look after themselves. You may have to remove the radiators to fit the panel, but that’s relatively easy.
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Use a Timed Thermostat
It is amazing how many households waste money because they don’t use a thermostat. Here is a common scenario to explain why thermostats are important, and how they can help you save money:
•Sarah works all day. She leaves the radiators off all day. When she gets home, it’s freezing cold, so she whacks the temperature up to 40 to make sure that it gets hot as quickly as possible. That costs a lot of money, and with a timed thermostat, she could have set the heating system to come on ½ an hour before she gets home. By the time she’s home the house is nice and warm, and she’s spent less money on her heating.
Bleeding the Radiators
The majority of radiators, whether residential or trade radiators, use water or oil within the system. This is because it is much better at retaining and distributing heat than air. With air, it gets warm quickly, but it cools quickly too. Air is much less efficient for radiation.
So, air is less efficient – what’s that got to do with an oil/water based radiator? Well, overtime, air will get into the system, and when this happens, it has an effect on efficiency. You need to be able to let the air out of the system when it accumulates. To do this, you bleed the radiator. A special bleed valve with key will allow you to do this.
It is important, therefore, that you bleed the radiator on a regular basis if you want to ensure your radiator remains efficient. This is true whether you are buying domestic radiators or trade radiators.
Reflector Panels
You have probably heard that if you place a piece of foil behind the radiator, that it will reflect the heat back into the room, thereby making the radiator more efficient. This is true, but today, you can purchase radiator reflector panels, which are far superior to using sheets of foil. It has been estimated that a standard two bedroom home can save an average of £50 a year. This may not sound like a lot, but money is money at the end of the day, and if you look after the pennies, the pounds look after themselves. You may have to remove the radiators to fit the panel, but that’s relatively easy.
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