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.