Radiators

PhilipFrampton · 9 Jun 2014

I'm buying a house, which once we move will be fitted with it's first real CH system. I don't want to debate my choice, pending the visit from the engineer it'll probably be ASHP.

I'm looking at choices for radiators. I'm ruling out aluminium because I don't want to mix with steel and I don't think I'l have enough choice about towel rads if I go with aluminium. That and the cost for some of the large one.

I'm looking for some suggestions for some reasonable well priced (but well made) brands that make radiators that are not going to be a dust trap (like the K2 and K3). Flat panel are not an option as I'll need high BTU (probably 2000 - 4000 depending on room).

Are Stelrad any good?

Tibbot · 10 Jun 2014

All standard rads need a flow temp of 60C +. You may struggle to get that with ASHP so may need to reconsider your options.

Dan Robinson · 10 Jun 2014

High output= high surface area = fins = air movement = dust.

If you don't want dust and want efficient operation of an ASHP then your only practical option is underfloor heating.

Which, if there is no heating at the moment and the building is relatively modern is the way to go anyway.

If you must have rads it would pay to have a proper heat loss assessment of the property.

When we do them we will adjust the calcs to the flow temperature expected. Mine at home is done to 55 and the rads sized accordingly - most are double panels with a single convector.

PhilipFrampton · 10 Jun 2014

Is it too much to hope for a reply to my actual question? I'm not after personal opinion on my heating system, I'm after recommendations for quality radiator brands. There are perfectly sensible reasons why I'm having radiators and of course there will be a thermal model, I do after all want to be able to claim RHI and not waste money on poor heating.

As a start, I have a 4500 BTU B&Q radiator in my current house that cost £280 and is 1800mm high by 400mm wide. It's a nice box section design that is not too proud from the wall. But I doubt B&Q are the cheapest and best quality place to buy rads, so I was expecting some suggestions.

Tibbot · 10 Jun 2014

You can expect what you like. On this free forum you get what you're given.

Perhaps you should pay for a consultant who can at least earn something to compensate for your rude, arrogant and ungrateful attitude.

mogget · 10 Jun 2014

OP, 4500 Btu/h is approximately 1300W. This will usually be quoted at a rad temperature of 75 deg.

Air source heat pumps cannot cope with high flow temperatures so I will assume a rad temperature of 50deg which is probably optimistic.

At 50deg this '1300W' rad will output about 700W. Or in essence roughly 7 old style lightbulbs.

It is highly unlikely (read - pigs might fly) that this kind of output will keep a medium size room warm in winter unless you are building a Passivhaus.

I think you are expecting the impossible.

PhilipFrampton · 10 Jun 2014

They'll be multiples I the big rooms, I'd didn't want to go above that sort of size because (a) they'd be too big and ugly and (b) I thought it better to spread the heat sources around the room. The sizes come from an initial thermal calc of the house which is all I'll have until the engineer and I can visit it shortly before completion of the purchase. The BTU values I quotes (2000-4000) were already adjusted for typical 55-45-20 with HP.

As I'll only have a short time until I need to buy the rads and get them fitted I wanted to start looking now. In the past I've just gone by price and appearance but as this is a long term purchase I was also interested in quality and longevity.

Edit : the only reason I gave the BTU sizes was so that someone didn't recommend some lovely looking but small radiators. These will need to be a good size and look good. Imagine how ugly double or triples will look in a sitting room.

mogget · 10 Jun 2014

If you've done the calcs and they all work out then fair enough. I did not appreciate that you'd already applied the correction factor. (In fairness most people don't even have a clue what a correction factor is)

In my capacity as an experienced DIYer / occasional plumbing for others when my health is up to it person, I usually buy Stelrad radiators. I only tend to use the Elite and Compact ranges but find they're well made and long lasting. I have no reason to doubt that their fancier ranges are any different.

Can't see the point of going for multiples myself as the heat convects around the room effectively. But it's one way to achieve the output you need.

ALCPlumbing · 10 Jun 2014

If I was renovating a house to live in I would definitely go with underfloor heating. It's a more modern and comfortable form of heating. Due to the longer periods of heating and lower flow temperatures it's perect to coincide with weather comp and will allow you to take advantage of a condensing boiler.
The other obvious benefit is that you don't lose any of the walls in the rooms to radiators.
Or at least have a mixture of the two as obviously you'll want towel rails.

Dan Robinson · 10 Jun 2014

PhilipFrampton said:
Is it too much to hope for a reply to my actual question?

Ignorant klunt.

mogget · 10 Jun 2014

If we're talking alternative heating systems, fan convectors can work quite well. I have one in my living room as I am short on wall space. Provided they're sized correctly there's no reason that they shouldn't work with ASHP provided they have a low temperature cut-in. Smiths website has some good datasheets. Provided there's a rad on the same circuit to catch the air of course.

doitall · 10 Jun 2014

What are you thinking of mogget a series of hair blowers, I'd be amazed if you can run a fan heater of an ASHP for more than 5mins.

mogget · 10 Jun 2014

My ecovectors (one in the living room, one in the back room) are quite happy to run at a flow temperature of 50deg. Not that they'd keep my old house warm at those kind of temperatures, and my hot water tank wouldn't like it. But as I've already got gas I use my boiler

simond · 11 Jun 2014

The hot water issue is the one ASHP manufacturers never discuss. It takes ages to get the HW warmed up, and you have to turn off the heating.

When one takes into account that the rads are 300% bigger, it often isn't worth the aggro or the RHI. Personally I'd be looking at biomass if I was starting from scratch here.

Alfredo · 11 Jun 2014

Seeing as you don't want a debate. The only question you actually ask is "Are Stelrad any Good?" To which the answer is.

Yes.

Good luck with the rest.

Alfredo

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Radiators

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