Living room radiator, how many?

[Turn5]

Hi, just in process of doing my living room up, previously had heating done about 4 years ago and at the time the living room had a dividing wall to separate the stairs from the room and create a hall, in which there was a small radiator (500x600mm double panel) and one radiator in the living room which is 800x600mm double panel.

Now taken down the dividing wall to open the room up. Spoke with one plumber who said 2 big radiators at either end of the room will be needed, an other plumber has said only one would be needed.

I have bought a new 1400x500 double panel radiator. Will one be enough under the front window, or will I better with 2 at either end of the room?

Here's a plan of what the room should look like when finished. Room dimensions are width 4.05m lenght 4.85m height 2.4m. Stairs go up to a landing which is about 2x3m with no rads on landing. living room has 2 external walls. It's a semi-detached house, stairs are on party wall.

Thanks

 

[kbdiy]

I'd say that one each end will give a better balance of heat. Not sure on sizing though.

 

[OwainDIYer]

two and go oversize. Remember that heat rises and all your living room heat will now rise up the stairs. You will also have draughts from the front door now.

 

[Whitespirit66]

Have you worked out the proper sizing for the rads? Use the calculator, and add approx 20%.

http://www.homesupply.co.uk/radiator_output_calculator.php

One half sized rad at either end of the room will always give a better, more even distribution of heat than a single full sized rad. How practical it is to install 2 rads will depend on the construction of the room and access to the ch flow and return pipes.

 

[Turn5]

I did actually use that calculator, but my problem with it was that it didn't take into account if you had a stairwell in the room going to a landing, so didn't know how reliable it would be.

Think I'll go with the 2 radiators, would be nothing worse than finishing the room, then realising it's not warm enough and having to rip walls down again to put another radiator in. I can at least always turn one off!

The room is currently stripped back to the bricks and ceiling is down, so have access to everything. The old radiator on the wall is still currently connected up. It's piped in with 10mm copper, which I can't access, so can't make a change to the size of them.

The radiator for the front window I have access to the flow and return and have not connected the radiator up for the room above yet, so I can do them all in 15 mm.

Since I have no experience of soldering, would I be fine doing the new piping with push fit, if so am I best using plastic pipe too or copper? I see they also do copper push fit too now, any one have any experience of it?

 

[Johnwayne2]

I would never use 10mm copper for anything except a gas fire. Never use plastic pipe or fittings unless you can access them after you have finished,they will eventually leak, copper won`t if installed correctly.Put the biggest rad in you can without it looking unsightly. I would fit one big rad but leave a run in for a second should it not be warm enough. Leave the second run capped off in wall if you are not surface mounting the pipes,that way you can access them or not. Sounds like it may be a bit beyond your level of expertise though with no offence intended. On the subject of copper pushfit fittings,they are as unreliable as plastic pushfit but look nicer on copper pipes oh, and you pay more.