What to Research When Considering the Cost of Underfloor Heating

When it comes to underfloor heating, the costs can vary substantially. This means that you won't be able to get an accurate understanding of how much it will cost you unless you do a little research. You can always get a quote from an underfloor heating installation specialist, but you must do this first costing research yourself to ensure that you are given a reasonable quotation price.

The Cost of the KIts

The first area to consider is the cost of the actual underfloor heating kits themselves. There are many different kits on the market and they vary in price.

In terms of the underfloor heating kits, you need to think about whether you want to buy a wet underfloor system or an electric underfloor system.

Underfloor heating costs vary depending on which system you by, with the electric systems cheaper to purchase than the web systems.

As well as paying attention to the type of system you buy,  you must also consider other factors on a such as the quality of the materials, the contents of the kits,  the length of the guarantee, whether the kit conforms to British safety standards, and who the brand and manufacturer is. 

Only once you have answered and researched each of these differences will, you understand the costs of buying a kit and whether the price you are given is reasonable.

The Cost of the Installation

Next, you'll have to consider the cost of installation. Again, there is a lot of variation here, but there are three main things that you can use to help you estimate the cost:

1. Are you buying a wet system or electric system? If you are buying a wet system, expect to pay more for the installation by at least £500. This is because they are much harder to install than the electric systems are.

2. Are you considering installing your own underfloor heating?  If you decide to install your own heating, then you will much reduce your underfloor heating costs. However, it is not recommended to install a wet system yourself unless you have good knowledge of how to do so.  Electric systems are easier to install, but you should have some DIY knowledge if you want to pull this off well. Otherwise, you can end up with a bit of a bodged job!

3. Get quotes just for the installation work from different businesses to get an idea of how much it costs on average.

The Running Costs

The final area of concern is the running costs.  Before you part with any cash, once you have decided which kit you are buying, you need to look at the manufacturer's figures concerning how many energy units it takes to run (e.g. watts per hour), then take your energy bills, and work out the true costs.

I hope that you have found this article useful. Underfloor heating is a great choice for your home but you need to understand how much it is going to cost you before you embark on your new project. I hope that I have helped you to do this.

How the Latest Technology Can Make Your Radiators More Efficient and Save You Money

Are your radiators efficient? Do you think that you're spending too much on your energy bills during the wintertime? If so, you need to read this article because we are going to look at some of the top technologies that you can incorporate into your central heating system to make sure that it's more efficient. Long-term, it will help to save you money.

Thermostatic Radiator Valves

These ingenious valves are a type of valve that controls the temperature of the radiator automatically. You can just leave them to do their work without having to play around with the settings.

In the past, we had manual valves. That means if you wanted to set the temperature of the radiator, you have to go around to each radiator at a specific time and change it and real-time.

Thermostatic radiator valves allow you to set the temperature in the radiator will open and close its valves itself to maintain that temperature.

Most modern radiators come with thermostatic radiator valves and standard, but if you have old-fashioned traditional radiators, you might not have them yet. Fortunately, you can buy them as after-sales items. So you can have them to radiators that don't already make use of this technology.

Thermostatic radiator valves ensure that you do not waste more energy than you need.

Smart Technology

Smart technology is awesome and it's entering the home all over the place. It is part of the internet of things and it even applies to our radiators.

Smart radiators are fantastic things to add to your home if you want to make your home more efficient. They allow you to do all sorts of things. For example, you can adjust the temperature of your radiators from the bed. Or, if you've left the heating on all day and you're at work and think that it should be switched off, you can do it from your mobile phone! 

You can control your central heating system from anywhere in the world as long as you have an internet connection. That gives you incredible control.

Radiator Reflector

Radiator reflector is something that you put behind your radiator. It prevents your radiator from losing heat in the wall behind it. You don't want to hit the wall. You want to heat your room. 

Without a radiator reflector, you can lose a lot of heat in the Wall, especially if it's a North-facing wall. The radiator reflector will prevent that. It won't stop the heat escaping completely, but will minimise the amount that you lose.

These three pieces of technology can make a huge amount of difference to your radiators, especially if you have traditional radiators, as they will make them much more efficient. Newer radiators are built better and are much more efficient, but they will still benefit from this technology.

I hope that you have enjoyed reading this article.

Want Your Home to Feel More Luxurious? Read our Top Tips

Some people find it pretentious, but luxury can be a great way to bring a sense of calm to your space and help you love your home. At the same time, many of us are strapped for cash and it isn't always easy to afford luxury. Fortunately, some cheap things that you can do will help make your space feel more luxurious.

Tip 1: Let There Be Light

The right choice of light can do wonders for your home. During the day, you want to enhance the amount of light in the home. This makes the home feel bigger, which naturally makes it feel more luxurious. 

To increase the light during the day, make sure that your paintwork and wallpaper are neutral colours, preferably in shades of white and with an eggshell or satin Sheen.

Increase the amount of mirrors and reflective surfaces in the home to make sure that the light moves around freely. For example, you should think about buying additional mirrors and mirrored radiators, such as those in the MHS radiators range.

At night, it is all about mood lighting. To this end, stand-up lamps in every room can make them feel much more luxurious.

Tip 2: Make Sure the House is Airy and Smells Nice

When I had my building survey done, one thing that the structural surveyor said to me was that I needed to keep the windows open for 10 minutes every day. This is because it helps clean out the home of bad smells and create a clean crisp environment. 

Cleanliness and airiness are both adjectives associated with luxury, so it's well worth incorporating them.

Other things that you can do to help here is to buy air-purifying plants and use wax candle burners.

Tip 3: Cover Up Any Cracks

Many people freak out about cracks in the wall, but they're pretty much a standard in every house. Homes move and this will naturally crack the plaster, but not necessarily the foundations or the walls. 

If you've noticed some cracks, don't worry too much about them unless they are in the walls themselves and not plasterwork. Otherwise, Get an interior decorator in to tape over the cracks and then feather out the paint.

Just filling in cracks can you transform space if you have too many cracks in the home? This happened to ask recently. We had a few large cracks and hired a decorator to come and cover them up and it completely transforms the house. I had a valuation done before and after and the difference was around £15,000in the value of my property. 

Tip 4: Buy a New Radiator

A new radiator will bring light into a room. Go for a high-quality radiator, such as MHS radiators, and you will see just how much they help improve the feel of your home. They're not even that expensive. You can install an excellent radiator for as little as £400 all in. The difference it can make can be very dramatic indeed.

Following the tips above will help you to make the most of your home and make it feel more luxurious. The best thing is that they aren't too expensive to implement.

How to Keep Children and Pets Safe around Radiators

When most people think about radiators, they don't think about them as something particularly dangerous. However, when you think about it in more depth, you can understand the risks and perils.  They contain very hot water and this can lead to burns.

There are several different ways in which radiators can cause injury. For example, the radiators themselves can become very hot during use, and if a pet or child accidentally falls on a hot radiator, they can receive burns.  These burns tend to be relatively minor as the pet or child will quickly move once they feel the heat. 

Another example is when a radiator becomes damaged and starts squirting out very hot water.  This is a much more serious problem and can lead to second-degree, and even third-degree, burns.

In this article, we are going to explore how you can keep your child and pet safe around your radiators.

Make sure the radiators conform to British Safety Standards

I am assuming that you live in Britain. If so, you must ensure that the radiators you by conform to British safety standards.  There is legislation governing the production of radiators and, in part, it addresses the need to ensure all valves and parts are heat resistant and unlikely to fail. 

If you buy cheap radiators online, you might be buying them from unregulated markets, such as China. You should never do this. Whilst you will have to pay more for buying them in the UK, you can still find comparatively cheap radiators here. They just can't compete with unregulated markets. 

And, that's not to say that all Chinese imports are bad. Some of them will conform to safety standards. However, it's much safer for you to buy these via the online UK-based retailers, and not directly from the Chinese markets as the UK retailers will have had the products tested to ensure they conform. 

Have Your Radiators Serviced Annually

An annual service allows you to locate issues early - before they become a problem. A plumber will be able to fix any leaky valves or any problems that might be leading to pressure build-up in your central heating system. 

They’ll be able to find those weak points and correct them. 

Use a Radiator Cover

A secured radiator cover (i.e. one that you secure to the wall, rather than leaving freestanding - I used a free-standing one once and it fell on my nephew, so you must secure it to avoid issues like that. Bless him - he's so cute!) will help to protect your pets and children from touching the radiator directly. 

They should never get hot enough to cause any type of burn. A bonus here is that you can use them to cover the radiator if you opted to buy cheap radiators online (UK radiators, of course!) and you dislike the style. It's a win-win. 

I hope you found this article useful and that you put these steps into practice. 

Why More And More People Are Are Choosing To Install Underfloor Heating?

When it comes to home heating, underfloor systems are fast becoming the option of choice for many householders.  Many of you will be wondering whether it is just a fad, or whether it is here to stay.

In this article, we are going to look at some of the reasons people are choosing to install underfloor heating in their homes. By the time you reach the end of this article, you should understand whether it's a fad or not.

Extra Levels of Comfort

There's no doubt about it when it comes to comfort, underfloor heating systems have something that most other heating systems do not. The only exception, perhaps, is the open fire, which takes us humans back to our roots and mesmerises our minds. 

Fires are cosy, but they tend to be messy and smelly too.  With underfloor heating, there is no mess. The entire system, including the underfloor heating accessories, is all hidden from view under floorboards or carpet.

Underfloor heating offers comfort in a way that no other system can. The feel of walking on a warm floor is something that everyone should experience at least once. And, if you can experience it every day, that will bring a little gem of luxury to your everyday life.

I can guarantee that if you're one of those people who love luxury, you'll find yourself lying on the floor just to get that full comfort feeling from your underfloor heating.  And your pets and children will be lying on the floor for sure!

Great Efficiency

As long as you install your underfloor heating under an acceptable flooring type, and if you buy the wet systems rather than the electric systems, then you will find that your underfloor heating is more efficient than your radiators are.

There are several reasons for this:

1. Underfloor heating offers fantastic heat distribution as it covers a wider footprint when compared to radiators for fireplaces. It effectively covers the entire room.

2. Because hot air rises, underfloor heating as able to eat more of the room than a traditional radiator can. It heats from the very bottom upwards, where a radiator heats from around 10 inches off the ground.

  

In the long term, as long as you have the right type of floor, you should start to see savings on your energy bills within a very short amount of time.  

But remember, this is true of the wet systems but not of the not the electric systems. The electric underfloor heating systems are cheaper to run than electric radiators but more expensive to run than central heating radiators.

It Can Bring a Luxury Feel to the Home

Finally, underfloor heating brings a level of luxury to the home that radiators simply can't. For this reason, installing underfloor heating and can help to increase the value of your property.  Just make sure that the underfloor heating accessories are hidden below the floor because it's all about being as understated as possible while giving as much value as possible.

Is underfloor heating here to stay? Most homeowners and builders would say yes.

How to Kill It with Your Interior Design

Are you fed up with being the person whose home always seems to lack a little style?  If you don't have that sort of flair, it can be difficult to get it right. Fortunately, flair is something that you can learn and I'm going to give you some top tips to help you make the most of your interior design.

Get It Right from the Start

The first thing you need to do is set yourself up for success, rather than failure.  To do this, all you need to do is sit down and determine your style before you start messing around with any of the designs.

By determining and defining your style from the off, you will avoid one of the most common problems with interior design, which is a lack of consistency. 

The human brain naturally prefers things that are consistent and not chaotic. It will, therefore, prefer a consistent style of decor as well.

You must establish the sort of styles you like and the sort of styles and dislike. Don't just go with the flow, or what's popular now. Just because a style is popular, it doesn't mean that you will like it. 

If you're umming and ahhing about that particular style, then it's a good idea to look for a different style.

Understand the Space You’re Working With

Next, you need to understand the space that you are working with to ensure that you select the correct decor and furniture.

For example, if you are working with a small space, you should be looking for small items that will fit in a room. For example, rather than going for a traditional horizontal radiator, you should go for vertical designer radiators instead.

With larger spaces, you need to make sure that it flows clearly through the room. To manage this, you should think about zoning the room. For example, have a zone that acts like a work area, a zone for the TV area, and the zone for the fireplace. Make sure that they blend, but that they are demarcated.

Test, Test, Test

Before settling on a colour scheme, test patches of the wall. Colour that might look ideal in a showroom isn't necessarily going to look good in your living room. It's important that you understand that a colour will change depending on the room.  

For example, grey might work very well in one particular room because it gets plenty of sunlight, but in another room, it might look too dark.

The same thing goes for certain items of furniture, such as your sofas and your radiators. Try to imagine what your room will look like with new vertical designer radiators compared to, say, horizontal designer radiators.

These tips might sound obvious or irrelevant, that they will make all the difference to your interior design. They are worth taking into account when you decorating a room.

How to Choose a Decent Radiator When You’re Overwhelmed with Choice

One thing we can say for certain is that when it comes to choice, there are a many radiator options. As with most things in life, when there is too much choice, it can start to become confusing and we can become stuck wondering if we are making the right decision, flipping from one radiator, to the next, to the next. 

Well, in this article, we are going to try to help you make sense of all of these radiator choices by providing you with some categories that you can choose to limit your search. In other words, when you use the search function on the online retail shops, you can limit your search by these parameters:

Heat Output

Different rooms require different amount of heat, so the first way to limit your search when looking for radiators for sale is to work out exactly how many BTU you need.

To do this, use an online BTU calculator. You can find them on most radiator retail sites and they are free to use. They will return to you a figure, e.g. 3000btu/ph. You then limit your search to radiators that can provide 3000btu/ph.

Size

Next, you might want to look for a particular size of radiator. For example, in a large space, you might want to buy a large radiator, as that will look best in the space.

You might be wondering how this relates to heat output as the size of the radiator makes a difference to the amount of heat it can put out. However, modern radiators have come a long way in recent years and the manufacturers have found different ways to increase surface area without increasing overall size.

This means that you do have some control over the size of the radiator, regardless of heat output. In other words, you can find 3000btu/ph. radiators in a variety of different sizes. Therefore, you can still take size into consideration.

Efficiency Rating

The efficiency of a radiator basically corresponds to the amount of energy it uses to produce a specific amount of heat. For instance, one 3000btu/ph. radiator may use 500 watts per hour (and cost around 8p per hour to run) but another 3000btu/ph. radiator may only use 400 watts per hour. This second radiator is more efficient because it uses less energy to reach the same temperature.

Fortunately, you don’t have to do your own maths. Radiators for sale in the UK have to give details of their efficiency rating to be legal. Just look for radiators that have an efficiency rating of ‘A’ or more.

Colour

Again, the traditional wisdom is that all radiators should be white. However, radiators have come a long way. Once you have all of the parameters above worked out, you can sort the rest of the radiators by colour.

Finally once you have made your choice, but haven't yet made the purchase, do some research to make sure that the radiator manufacturer has a solid reputation.

Things You Need to Be Aware of When Buying a Designer Radiator

In the past, radiators used to be pretty much standardized in terms of their style. Typically, everybody bought the traditional corrugated radiators with which you will be familiar. However, Radiator manufacturing has come a long way in recent years and now it is possible to find designer radiators.

In fact, designer radiators are so popular that there are thousands of different styles that you can choose from.

However, before you rush out and buy your new designer radiators, it is important that you understand how to make the right decision.  Just because a radiator is labelled 'designer', it doesn't mean that it is the best radiator on the market or that it will be efficient.

Instead, before you part with any money, you have to make sure that your new radiators have the following features.

It doesn't matter if you are buying expensive designer radiators or cheap designer radiators, you must buy the radiator only once these conditions have been met.

Efficiency

The first issue with designer radiators is their efficiency. Sometimes, the manufacturers will put style above efficiency. If you buy an inefficient radiator,  they will cost you more to run in the long-term.

When you are buying a designer radiator, make sure that you've looked at the efficiency rating provided by the manufacturer. It needs to be at least A-grade  in order for you to buy it. Otherwise, you will end up spending more money on your energy bills than is appropriate.

Heat Output

The next thing to look out for is the amount of heat the radiator can produce. Unfortunately, designer radiators can come in all shapes and sizes. This means that their heat output might not necessarily be as good as a traditional radiator.

You have to use a BTU calculator to work out how  much heat your room requires and then match the figure given to the radiator you are buying. You can find a free BTU calculator by following the links in this article.

Make sure that your radiator can provide enough heat by matching the BTU figure to the radiator. For example, if the  calculator tells you that you've need 2000 BTU, then the radiator must be able to produce 2000 BTU per hour.

If you are in any doubt as to how to use a BTU calculator (they are very straightforward, so the vast majority of people will have no problem here), then get in touch with your local radiator retailer for advice. They will help you to use the calculator properly.

Style

Only once you have covered the above conditions should you start to consider the style of the radiator. When buying designer radiators, imagine what they will look like in your home. Don't just go by what they look like on the internet or in the showrooms. They might look great with a particular style of decor, but with your decor, might not look as good.

It's very easy to be swept away by product descriptions and images. You need to take a step back to make sure that the radiator is suitable for your space.  Even if you buy cheap designer radiators, you still want to make sure that it fits with your style of decor. Money is money after all and you don't want to waste it.

I hope that you have found this article useful and that you now understand the sort of things that you need to be considering when buying designer radiators.

These Are an Essential Part of Any Home Refurbishment

An acquaintance has almost by accident, become a successful property developer. It can be a dangerous business and around thirty years ago, I seem to remember many crashed.

But if you remember to start small and never overreach, or put all your eggs in one basket, it can still be very rewarding.

There are a couple of daytime TV shows following the fortunes of people that buy old properties at auction and do them up for rental or resale. The most successful are the ones that have a clear plan from the beginning of which way they are going.

For resale, the area and local values dictates the type of work that should be carried out. If it's a low value area with cheap properties, then just a simple makeover may be good enough.

But if the property is in a desirable area, a great deal of high quality work and finish should be achieved.

In these cases, great emphasis is often put into a luxury kitchen/diner and bathrooms. And my acquaintance, has also identified the need for quality plumbing and central heating.

He certainly doesn't cut corners when it comes to the radiators. Whether designer vertical radiators or ones that double up as mirrors, each room will have a special unique one.

Designer radiators have become an essential component of helping create a luxury property. For older people, like me, this is a revelation.

In decades gone by, no thought was put into radiator design as there simply wasn't any. If you didn't like those Victorian cast iron or flat panel steel, then tough; there wasn't anything else.

Nowadays, it really is a pleasure to look at all these new radiator designs and have some fun picking individual ones for every room in the home.

Next time my house is to be refurbished, the old spluttering boiler will be chucked out along with the noisy radiators. The pipes that run along the top of skirting boards, will also go.

New systems, fitted well, have very little pipework on display. This accentuates the attractiveness of the radiators.

For designer vertical radiators https://www.designerradiatorsdirect.co.uk/vertical-radiators

Don’t Forget Radiators When Redecorating Your Home

When you are updating your home, you should not think as radiators as an afterthought. They are a key player in anybody’s home nowadays. You should see them as items that enhance your home rather than hide them behind covers or a sofa.

When it is about Modern Radiators a little forward planning can ultimately save you money. Once the bare bones of the room have been finished off it is time to have a look at what you’ve got in the way of furniture.

You can then choose a heater that goes with all you have got and make it a piece that complements your interior design.

You will soon find out that manufacturers are becoming increasingly inventive as far as design and colour is concerned. Of course, their primary duty is to keep you warm and you need to find out which suits your home and heating requirements best.

If you should research now whilst the months are getting hotter, you may find that there are some good bargains to be had. It is also better to have your heating work done in the summer months as you won’t need it to keep warm.

All plumbers will tell you that you need to work out how many BTUs you will need for every room and then search for radiators that match your requirements. If you are in any doubt at all, please ask your plumber to work it out for you so you buy the right sized radiators.

It all depends on the metal that your heater is made of as to what size you need. If you should choose aluminium you may find that your radiator doesn’t have to be as large as any other model.

Nowadays if you don’t like the look of radiators, not even the modern ones, you could opt for skirting radiators that do not look obtrusive and they are space saving too.

At the end of the day you will choose a radiator that matches the style of your home, whether it is Victorian or modern.

If you are looking for Modern Radiators please visit https://www.designerradiatorsdirect.co.uk/designer-radiators/.

What Are the Benefits of Underfloor Heating?

Underfloor heating seems to be all the rage nowadays. Is it warranted? This is what we are going to explore during the course of this article. We are going to look at the benefits that you will get from using underfloor heating. It isn't suitable for every property, but if it's suitable for your property, it's one of the best things that you can do in terms of your central heating.

Benefit 1: Better Heat Distribution When Compared with Radiators

The best thing about underfloor heating is that it offers great heat distribution. This means that it warms your room evenly. With radiators, the part of the room with the radiator tends to be hotter than the part of the room without the radiator. You'll end up with colder patches in the room. 

This doesn't happen with underfloor heating as the heat distribution is much more even and it warms the room from the bottom to the top, giving it a much more comprehensive coverage.

Benefit 2: It Feels Amazing On Your Feet

Have you ever walked on underfloor heating? It is delightful. It is like getting a mini massage on your feet. If you're somebody like me, who suffers from Raynaud's syndrome, underfloor heating is just about the best thing you can do for your condition. It feels amazing. I'm sure it feels great for people that don't have Raynaud's too!

Oh, and there's nothing more luxurious than lying on your rug on your underfloor heating.  I have a big fluffy rug that looks a bit like a polar bear or fluffy sheep.  Lying on the rug that is like lying on a warm fluffy cloud. Seriously, nothing beats it on a cold winter's day. I love it!

Benefit 3: It's Cheaper Than Central Heating and Electric Radiators

Wet underfloor heating is cheaper than central heating and electric radiators. The underfloor heating mats, which use electricity, are more expensive to run than central heating, but cheaper than electric radiators. However, the wet underfloor heating systems for the cheapest of all four options.

Because underfloor heating offers much better heat distribution, you don't need to use as much energy to keep your house warm. It is a fantastic invention made even better by the fact that it helps you to save money.

Benefit 4: It's Easy to Install

The wet underfloor heating systems tend to require a heating specialist to install them properly. But, the underfloor heating mats can be installed by anyone with just a decent amount of DIY knowledge. As long as you have a modicum of DIY knowledge and you know how to pick up your floor, all you need to do a slide the mats underneath and plug them into your electric system.

Benefit 5: It Makes Your House More Attractive to Buyers

If you want to sell your house at any point, the fact that it has underfloor heating will often be a selling point in the same respect that a nice new bathroom in the good selling point.

I hope that you now have a good understanding of why underfloor heating has become so popular and why it is a great addition to any household.

How to Get the Most Out of Your Home Heating

Are you feeling worried about the ever-increasing cost of energy? Perhaps you are worried about the environmental effects of your home heating and want to make it more efficient?

Regardless of the reason, with our tips, you can manage your central heating system to ensure that it runs efficiently.  An efficient system is a cheaper system.

Tip 1: Read the Manual

I have lost count of the number of people I know but do not seem to understand how the central heating system works. For some reason, people never read the manuals that come with the boiler and radiators. 

It's probably because they weren't the people who installed the system in the first place and they've simply moved into the property once the central heating is already in place.

You must understand how your boiler works and how the thermostat functions. If you don't, it is highly likely that you are using the system in ways that are less efficient. The manufacturers will give you guides about how to get the most out of your radiators and boilers.

I recently bought some Reina radiators and reading the manual taught me about adjusting the convector fins to adjust heat distribution.  This is a new feature that I wouldn't have known about had I not read the manual.

Tip 2: Bleed the Radiators Regularly

You need to bleed your radiators at least every two months during the winter. A good way to tell if you need to bleed your radiators is to look at your boiler and see where the pressure is. Low pressure can be caused by air in the system.

Central heating systems that have too much air in them are inefficient. They work with water, so let go of the air.

Tip 3: Find the Optimum Temperature

People set their thermostats all over the place. Some people set it to 14 degrees Celsius, others to 25 degrees Celsius. Both of those are extreme. The ideal is between 18 degrees Celsius and 20 degrees Celsius. 

If you feel too cold try wearing a jumper before you put the heating off. Too many people think that they should be able to walk around in their t-shirts at home during the winter and so they turn the heating up far too high.  This is definitely a waste of energy.

Tip 4: Block Chimney's with a Specialist Balloon

Chimney places are often a source of cold during the winter. The air comes down the chimney and into the room when the fire is not running.

If you use your chimney face, and you don't want to block it off to prevent the air coming down, then you can buy an ingenious device called a chimney balloon. They are a fantastic choice.

Tip 5: Make Sure That Your Radiators Are the Right Size

Finally, many people install the wrong size radiator in their properties. If the radiator is too small for the room, it will never get to temperature properly. You are waste massive amounts of energy trying to heat the room. 

Whether you buy a high-quality radiator, such as Reina radiators, ensure that you get the right radiator, by using a BTU calculator.

Follow these tips and you'll soon find your home heating to be much more efficient.

That Chrome Finish Will Never Tarnish or Corrode

All central heating radiators used to fall into two types. The old Victorian dark cast iron, and the later generation of white painted steel panel type.

But in recent years there has been a bit of a revolution in radiator material and significant design changes. Most of us take radiators for granted without realising the assortment of offerings today.

That's hardly surprising, as it would have to be a very dull day to find yourself looking them up on the internet, unless seriously thinking about buying some. But taking a look anyway, is enough to trigger the notion of changing your old ones.

There are one or two strong themes in these new designs. The slim, tall varieties seem popular. As does an anthracite or yet black shiny finish. Brushed steel makes for a soft tactile surface, and polished chrome looks great in bathrooms.

When chrome radiators are mentioned, like any other object described the same way, it's never solid chrome but simply an electroplating of chromite over a steel base. But the effect can be stunning.

Chromite is used in the manufacture of steel as it helps make it even tougher and gives an extra shine. When pure chromite is plated onto another metal it creates a beautiful polished finish that is highly prized by many lovers of large motorbikes.

But it is a dangerous material to electroplate and should only be attempted by professionals. The nuggets dug from the ground are superb sparkling ones, that have a sheen like gold, although sadly, not the same value.

As the third hardest element after carbon in the form of diamonds, and boron, it doesn't tarnish or corrode. This is the reason it is so ideal for bathroom radiators where condensation may be all around at times.

It's possible to have a bit of fun buying new radiators and the next time a home makeover beckons, consider changing all the old seventies panel radiators. And buying some different modern radiators, unique to each room in the home.

For chrome radiators https://www.designerradiatorsdirect.co.uk/chrome-radiators

The Joy of a Full Home Refurbishment from Scratch to Finish

There is at least one regular and popular program on television that follows the buying at auction of a property, and then returning when it has been refurbished.

In other words, it's to see how much added value can be made. The more run down and shabby the property, the greater the challenge.

In most cases, the largest part of the improvement budget is spent on a new bathroom and new kitchen. These are usually key points when reselling a property. Another major expense is a new central heating system.

In recent years radiators have become an important part of a room's décor. They do not have to be those regulation oblong panels, you only have to look online at a radiator suppliers' website to see the difference.

When planning a total refurbishment of a property, it's really a pleasure to strip it down to bare walls. And then with a piece of paper, pencil and tape measure, drawing the dimensions of each individual room.

Using your imagination, thinking about the fixtures and fittings along with coordinated wall covering, the number of radiators and their exact placement, helps bring the picture to life. At this point, many people like to work out exactly, the goods and materials needed.

All can be bought online, it's easy to buy radiators online along with the new boiler and all the necessary fixtures and fittings. Don't forget that when you buy radiators, the valves are bought separately.

This is because the positioning of the radiator will dictate the exact type of configuration of valves, thermostats, elbow or straight pipes. This may be a little confusing for the general DIY type, and it's advisable to get a professional central heating firm to help order everything and fit it all.

From bare walls to finished property, these part-time television property enthusiasts can spend ten thousand or a hundred and ten thousand pounds. Much will depend upon the going rate for similar properties in the area.

But the financial rewards and the satisfaction of a job done well is clearly an enjoyable one.

For ways to buy radiators online https://www.designerradiatorsdirect.co.uk/

How to Redesign Your Living Room into an Oasis of Peace

There is nothing better than coming home after a stressful day for the warm welcome of a peaceful home. For many of us though, this isn't always possible. First, there might be screaming children, but second, and probably more importantly, the house just isn't up to scratch.

Well, we can't help you with screaming children, but what we can help you with is your interior design. In this article, we are going to explore some top tips to help you Redesign the living room and create an oasis of peace.

Get rid of clutter

Clutter is like fear. It is the mind killer. If you live in clutter, you're thinking we'll feel cluttered. It's just an expression of the human condition that if you want to be calm, you need a calm environment and that means getting rid of clutter and freeing up as much space as possible.

There are plenty of things that you can do here to get rid of clutter. First of all, look around the room and work out which pieces of furniture and items of decor you really need to keep. Being ruthless and get rid of the stuff that just isn't serving its purpose anymore.

An easy way to reduce one of the largest items in your room is to swap your radiators out for underfloor heating. An underfloor heating kit is relatively cheap and easy to install, especially if you go for one of the electric kits. It's a great way to reduce the clutter without having to get rid of things that might have sentimental value. People are generally attached to their radiators!

Choose Warm Colour Schemes

One thing that we often see people get wrong is choosing a cold colour scheme. This will make the room feel more alienating, rather than welcoming.

Many people don't realise that colours come in different warmth, ranging from cold to hot. To make a warm space that feels welcoming, warm colours. For example, white can be either cold or warm and the best white colour to choose for your living room is a warm white.  All colours have warm and cold hues so make sure you pick the correct one.

Make Sure It's Adequately Heated

A room that feels cold by way of temperature will also feel cold by way of sentiment. Whether you opted to keep your radiator or invest in an underfloor heating kit, you must ensure that it provides you with enough heat to keep the room warm. This means paying attention to heat output first and then thinking about style after.

Use Nature

Maybe because we come from nature, but nature has an effect on our moods.  There is nothing better for the soul and taking a walk in nature and what you can't bring the outside inside properly, you can definitely hint at it by choosing to buy pot plants and flowers on a regular basis. It just brings that feeling of nature into the home and helps you feel at peace. Peace lilies are especially good here - it's all in the name.

I hope that you have found this article useful. These tips will help you to create the Oasis of your dreams.

Take Your Interior Design to the Next Level with These 4 Amazing Tips

If you are looking to make the most out of your interior design, then you have to read this article. Here, I explore four fantastic tips that can help to take your interior design to that next level. 

If you want to create a space that is comfortable and beautiful, then you need these tips.

Tip 1: Get Inspired

Some people are reluctant to look for inspiration when it comes to design because they feel it takes away from their individuality. This is bonkers. Whatever style you find inspiration in, you can mix it up so that it reflects part of your personality.

There are plenty of places to get inspiration, but one place that's often overlooked is ancient architecture. People spent a lot more time decorating important buildings in the past than they do now and for this reason, there are many styles that have an exceptional and innate beauty that people just don't know about.

If you're looking for inspiration, then take a look at some of the old styles of decoration from around the world and see if there's anything that piques your interest. 

You don't have to stick to it blindly, but draw ideas from it and then create your own look.

For example, you'll find that many ancient buildings use bespoke radiators. You can commission these radiators for your own home with a modern twist. 

It's things like this that will help you think out of the box and help you take it to the next level.

Tip 2:  Don't be afraid of the dark

A very popular option nowadays is to paint rooms white and use it as a backdrop for the rest of your furniture and decor. 

White is a very easy colour to use because it is a classic collar and never goes out of fashion.  It also matches every other colour.

However, this makes people reluctant to experiment with other colours and if you avoid dark colours, you might be missing a trick. They can work fantastically well for interior design, especially when used on an accent wall.

Don't be afraid of colour if you want to take your interior design to the next stage.

Tip 3: Get Collecting

When you're out and about, say visiting one of our beautiful market towns, you'll come across antique shops and art galleries. Take a wander in and see if anything catches your eye. 

Developing an interesting collection of art and antiques will give you a broad range of accessories to play within your interior design. Many of these artworks and antiques are unique and they will help to set your space apart from the rest.

It isn't just art and antiques that you can find though; you'll be able to find things such as bespoke radiators, unusual furniture, and interesting rugs and runners. All of these can help to massively transform your space.

Tip 4: Splurge on One Key Item per Room

Every room needs a focal point to take it to the next level and this often means spending a little more than perhaps you would like. 

However, having a focal point in the room that is interesting and captivating is one of the best things that you can do for your interior design.

I hope that you have found this article useful and informative. Following the advice above can really help take your design to the next level and create a space that is welcoming and beautiful all at once.

Is It a Good Idea to Buy Electric Radiators?

If you're reading this article, then it's probably because you want to buy electric radiators but you have heard that they are not very good. Electric radiators tend to have a bad reputation. They are perceived to be expensive to run and to look bad. 

Whilst it is perfectly true that older style electric radiators are indeed more expensive to run than central heating radiators are, modern electric radiators have actually come a long way and today's radiators are far superior to those of the past. 

In addition, central heating has become more expensive over time and electricity is starting to come down in price (or at least the rate at which it is becoming more expensive is slowing down). 

Here, we are going to explore some of the reasons why you might want to consider buying electric radiators. They do not deserve the negative reputation that they currently have an under certain circumstances, they actually make the best choice of radiator.

You Can Use Electric Radiators in Spaces That Don't Have Central Heating

Not every house on the street has central heating and not every room in a centrally heated house will have central heating.  If there is no central heating, and you do not want to install it because it is too expensive, then electric radiators are a perfect choice. You don't need to connect them to the central heating. You can just plug them into the electrics.

Electric Radiators Are Very Fast to Heat Up

If you're the type of person that wants to have good control over their home heating so that it comes on as and when you need it, electric radiators are a good choice. They are what we call responsive. This means that they start to heat up straight away and they can warm a room within a very short space of time.

Electric Radiators Give You Greater Control over Your Home Heating

If you want a responsive system, then electric radiators are a fantastic idea. You can even program some of them to come on at specific times of the day. For example, if you want them to come on as soon as you wake up in the morning, you can do this. In addition, because each radiator is independent of the other, you can choose different times for different rooms. 

For example, if you want your bedroom to be warm at 7 a.m., but the kitchen to be warm at 8 a.m., you can do that. This isn't something you can do with a central heating system and so modern electric radiators give you much greater control over your home heating.

This proves that the electric radiators are also more flexible than centrally heated radiators. You can effectively put them anywhere and you can use them in practically any way you wish.

I hope that you now have a better appreciation of electric radiators. In the past, they have had a bad press, but this is largely unwarranted.

The Best Tips for Buying a Designer Radiator

One of the best ways that you can instantly transform a room is to install a new designer radiator. Radiators take up such a large amount of space that they can draw your eye and if you choose a designer one, it will look great.

Many interior design specialists will use a feature radiator as a focal point in the room. They use it to bring more character and style to the space.

Fortunately, it isn't just a design expert that can capitalise on this technique. Any homeowner can, including you. All you need to do is follow the right advice for choosing a designer radiator and it will be great.

I am going to teach you what you should be looking for when buying a new designer radiator for your home. This will help you to make the right decision and to ensure that the radiator fits the space.

Tip 1: Don't Ignore Heat Output

When people decide to buy designer radiators, they can sometimes overlook the main purpose of the radiator, which is to produce heat…obviously.

You will end up feeling disappointed if you don't make sure that the radiator can produce enough for the space. You also need to make sure that the heat distributes well through the space to. For example, vertical designer radiators do not necessarily offer good heat distribution in larger rooms. You need to stick to horizontal designer radiators in bigger rooms because of the way that radiators distribute the heat, which is on a horizontal axis.

Make sure that the radiator offers you the correct heat output too. You can do this by using a BTU calculator. They are easy to use and self-evident. You can find them at most radiator retailers, both online and offline.

Tip 2: Make Sure You Go for a Reputable Brand

Designer radiators are a big industry and as such, you can find a lot of variation in the quality of the products. When you buy a designer radiator, you have to make sure that you pay for a quality one that will last a long time and that will operate safely and risk-free.

Tip 3: Make Sure It Has a Long Guarantee

A great way to verify that the radiator is good quality is to make sure that has a long guarantee. Personally, I wouldn't buy a radiator that doesn't have at least 10-years’ worth of guarantee.

Tip 4: Make Sure It Suits Your Style

There is a difference between how a radiator looks in the shop, or on Pinterest, and how it will look in your home. Those awesome looking futuristic vertical designer radiators might sweep you away but if you have a country-cottage style house, or an old Victorian style house, it might not fit the feel of the room.

Follow these four tips to find great radiators that work well for the space. If you follow these rules, you won't be disappointed.

Is It Ever Worth Buying Electric Radiators?

If you speak to any heating expert, then they will probably tell you that electric radiators are the least efficient of all the heating options available. This is true on the vast scale of things. Compared to other forms of heating, electric heating is definitely more expensive and less efficient.

However, this is not the same as saying that electric radiators are never worth buying. There are some very specific circumstances when the best option for your radiator is an electric radiator. In this article, we are going to explore some of the situations that warrant an electric radiator over a central heating radiator.  

They certainly have their place and it is silly to dismiss them out of hand. Modern electric radiators have come a long way technology-wise and they are not as bad as they used to be.  For example, they are much safer than they've ever been before and advances in night storage bricks mean that they are also much more efficient than they have ever been before.

They are not as good as central heating in terms of efficiency, but in terms of danger, because of the carbon monoxide poisoning, electric radiators could very well be safer in homes that choose to ignore the advice to buy carbon monoxide alarms.

OK, so when should you buy an electric radiator?

 There are a number of circumstances when the situation warrants and electric radiator rather than the central heating radiator, here they are:

1.                If you are buying the radiator for a room that you want to heat throughout the year. Central heating radiators are great when they are part of the system of multiple radiators. But, if you only want to heat a single radiator, then it's cheaper to just use an electric radiator.

For example, the bathroom is a room that tends to require heat throughout the year to avoid problems with mould and mildew. You don't want to have to switch on your whole central heating system just to switch on the single radiator in the bathroom. To accommodate this, you either by a dual fuel radiator or an electric radiator.

2.                      If the home does not have central heating, then clearly, your only option really is to buy an electric radiator. You do have the option of installing an entire central heating system, but these come in at around £6,000 and by the time you make your money back on the running costs, electricity are likely to be much cheaper.

In other words, whilst you might have been able to make your money back on the past doing this, doing this with modern electric radiators might not bring long-term benefits because electricity prices are dropping year-on-year and gas prices are increasing.

If either of those circumstances matches your circumstances, then buying an electric radiator is well worth your while. We hope that you have found this article useful and informative. Electric radiators aren't necessarily as good as central heating radiators, but they certainly have their place.

2 Great Tips to Make Your Lounge Look Bigger

In the UK, it's fair to say that most of us are strapped for space. We are tiny island with a massive population and space is becoming increasingly precious. 

One area where we can really feel this need for space is in our living room. I don't know about you, but my living room is tiny. It is actually the tiniest room in our house. 

I live in a Victorian Terrace and I think it's quite common for this style of house to have a small lounge -  I guessed the Victorians didn't spend a lot of time at home relaxing, what with all the workhouse activities and such.

Fortunately, there are many things that you can do to make a room feel bigger. You don't have to make any serious modifications.  You just need to know how to create the illusion of space. 

That's what I'm going to teach you now with these 2 fantastic tips to help you maximize the space in your living room:

Tip 1: Where Possible, Buy Furniture with a Greater Vertical than Horizontal Plane

If you're into fashion, then you probably already know that wearing horizontal stripes makes you look fatter and wearing vertical stripes makes you look thinner. When you look thinner, you also look taller. The same is true with interior design.  

Vertical-ness (for want of a better word), will make the room appear larger. Horizontal-ness will make the room appear shorter and squatter.

There are a few ways that you can bring vertical-ness to your living space.  Here are a few ideas:

1. Install vertical radiators. They function the same as horizontal radiators but they take up less space and they look great too.

2. Buy taller furniture. For example, if you're buying a side table to go next to your sofa choose one that is slimmer and taller than you typically would buy.

3. Use an accent wall to install vertical patterned wallpaper.  You should not decorate the entire room in vertical stripes and less you're using a very light colour. Otherwise, the darkness of the colour will minimise the impact of the strikes and you are affected me cancelling out any of these optical illusions effects.

Tip 2: Increase the Amount of Light in the Room

Light is a fantastic way to bring space to a room. There are so many different ways that you can do this in your living room. Here are a few ideas:

1. Use a light reflecting paint on the walls. These paints have special particles that reflect the light around the room and create a brighter, more open, space.

2. Choose a light coloured paint. The lighter the colour, the larger the room will feel. The best colours are warm whites, which are both cosy and illuminating. If you do want to go with a more interesting colour, such as green, mix it with a white so that it is pale.

3. Increase the number of mirrors in the room. A mirror will add a lot of light to your room, making it feel much larger. You can also buy furniture with mirrored surfaces, such as with your vertical radiators or your coffee table.

You might not believe it because it seems so simple, but these two tricks can swiftly transform your space and make it feel much larger.