worth replacing old double panel radiator

[xyz321]

hi

in our new home we have old double panel radiator in all rooms.

some other info:
boiler is 2 years old, bosch worcester greenstar Ri, condensing type (i think). semi detached house with 3 bedrooms. when boiler was changed by previous owner all radiators were cleaned with anti corrision agent.

i was thinking of changing the ones in dining room, living room and hallway to new type ones. need some advise whether its worth doing.

all radiators heat up fully to top but what i seem to notice is that they are quite hot when touching them but if i put my hand few centimeters away then i dont feel a lot of heat. is this common for these old double panel type radiators?

also i had a plumber in yesterday for something else and i asked him about it. he mentioned something about water quantity in old radiators being more..i didnt understand anything at all on that point.

so questions are:

1- in general opinion is it worth spending £80-100 odd per radiator to replace it with new ones and put new TRV valves on?
2- do new ones have to be same size as current ones? how do i find out about heat output?
3- any simpler explanation of what the plumber was saying about quantity of water?
4- any other suggestions / advise / points to check?

ta

 

[rjm2k]

I think most of the heat from a radiator goes straight up, so heats the room from the top down. When you put your hand a few cm away, was it above or horizontal?

 

[xyz321]

i have tried both, vertical and horizontal and dont feel much heat.

 

[dcawkwell]

If the rooms are warm it isn't a problem.
If they aren't put new ones in. Double radiators with convectors
produce far more heat than just two panel old radiators.

 

[dcawkwell]

If the rooms are warm it isn't a problem.
If they aren't put new ones in. Double radiators with convectors
produce far more heat than just two panel old radiators.

 

[45yearsagasman]

Radiator is a misnomer, as they radiate little heat but generate convection currents which in turn heats the room.