Advice on replacing a radiator

[jameslpool]

Hi, this isn't a job i plan to DIY, but just after some advice.

all the rooms in our house are generally warm when the central heating is on, the living room though is often pretty cool and never really stays warm.

The room has 2 smallish radiators in, they are both 70cm wide and 58cm high.

The room is 5m x 4.5m

The room does have a large window area with the French doors and windows either side of the doors plus skylight windows above the doors.

Not long after we moved in, we did ask the developer is the wall insulation had definitely been put it as the side of the house that is on the end does feel very cold to touch in the winter, at the time they said it was done but they couldn't really test for how well it was done (but it would have been)

I am guessing the windows is probably where we lose a lot of the warmth but i have always felt the radiators are a bit on the small side as well, so thought it might be best all-around to look into replacing the radiator that’s situated behind the sofa.

I understand the sofa might also suck up a bit of the heat, the top of the radiator is about level with the top of the sofa. there is about a 10cm gap between the sofa and radiator.

The other radiator is actually a bit behind the tv in the corner, not great places for them i guess but where the developer put the radiators is basically where you would naturally put these things.

So i am thinking a bigger radiator might help these issues and keep the room a little warmer but i don't really know what i am best looking at and how do i know it will definitely be better than what i have? I don't really see a model no on the radiators to look them up to compare, but generally if i get a bigger one will it generally be better?

Are the fittings all the same as well, could i just buy any radiator that looks like it will suit?

Excluding the price of the radiator, how much would i expect to pay someone to fit it as well?

If anyone can give me some advice that would be great

James

 

[Mottie]

If you get one the same width but higher, maybe even a double radiator, that shouldn’t be too difficult to fit.

 

[jameslpool]

Do you think when getting a new one it would be a good idea to aim for it being a little over the height of the sofa?

 

[Mottie]

I’d possibly look to work out the heat requirements of the room and go from there but I’m no heating expert.

 

[ianmcd]

you will have to check the pipe run and diameter, you cant just fit bigger rads

 

[jameslpool]

you will have to check the pipe run and diameter, you cant just fit bigger rads

Ah would i need to get a plumber to have a look first prior to getting it done?

 

[dilalio]

Have you done a Heat loss for the room?

 

[ianmcd]

As @dilalio says use an online heat calculator and see what you come up with, pipe size might be OK , but new builds tend to just use whatever is the cheapest

 

[jameslpool]

Hi, I hadn't but i have just found a site that has a heat loss calculator and the result gave methe following based on my answers.

Heat loss in watts 2825
Heat loss in BTU's 9641

 

[oldbutnotdead]

Next trick is to check the output of your existing rads- this depends on their size, construction and water temperature/flow (measure the difference in temperature between flow & return to get the delta). You'll need a thermometer,cheap infrared one will do.
While you're playing with the thermometer, check internal and external wall temps (if you have an upstairs wall facing the same direction as your cold wall downstairs). May just be shoddy dot and dab giving draughts behind the plasterboard...

 

[Bouy]

Hi, I hadn't but i have just found a site that has a heat loss calculator and the result gave methe following based on my answers.

Heat loss in watts 2825
Heat loss in BTU's 9641

Thats about right, your rads are a bit undersized

 

[Mottie]

Doesn’t hurt to go bigger - you can always turn them down.

 

[jameslpool]

Well i have had a guy out to have a look, he recommended either the kudox premium 600 x 1400 or the 600 x 1200 We originally set on the 1400 because it might have a little more output but he did say it wont be a huge amount more.
He then went to get the stuff from screwfix and theres no 1400's available but they did have the 1200's so he said he'd recommend i go with it as they are a good bit cheaper and not a huge difference in output anyway. he said i should get a little over double the output than my original one with that anyway.