Radiator replacement - are Aluminium radiators good?

[jker]

Hi,

We’re replacing our living room radiator with a vertical one and our plumber has sent a few options.

One is a steel radiator (~5700 BTU) and another is aluminium (~8000 BTU). Our room only needs around 5600–5700 BTU, so both would technically be enough.

The rest of the radiators in the house are original steel ones (house built in 1996, standard boiler setup).

We quite like the look of the aluminium one and the price is pretty similar, but I’m wondering if there are any real benefits beyond aesthetics.

I’ve read that aluminium heats up faster but also cools down quicker, so wondering if steel radiators would actually be a better option in that regard?

Is aluminium actually better, or does it not really matter as long as the BTU output is right?

Also, is it okay to mix aluminium and steel radiators in the same system?

I’ve seen a few mentions of potential corrosion issues when mixing metals, but the plumber said that using an inhibitor prevents this issue.

 

[denso13]

Is aluminium actually better, or does it not really matter as long as the BTU output is right?

Pros and cons to each one, but the output is most important. And connecting vertical rads the correct way round.

Inhibitor and maintenance will stop corrosion.

 

[Madrab]

The key to any radiator being efficient in heating a given space IMO is the mechanism of how it actually warms the volume of air in that space.

When it comes to larger volume spaces and wet central heating, convection is the most efficient way of heating that space, UFH not withstanding.

A radiator can have a suitable/comparable heat output, as designated by heat loss calcs and matched to existing regular classic type rads but if it can't effectively heat the air in that space and circulate that warmed air, then it can't do it's job properly or will take a lot longer to do it. That is why tubular column type rads, whilst looking good, can struggle to heat larger spaces unless there are a number of them fitted. They can heat smaller spaces more effectively but that is due to other items being located closer to them, than in a larger room and are warmed by the radiant heat and they then heat other items close to them by the same mechanism ...and so on.

Issues around corrosion etc, as suggested, are dealt with by the addition of inhibitor etc.