Siting of radiators

[Finally_motivated]

I will be getting central heating installed in my house from scratch. It currently has no heating at all. The DIY books state that the rads should be placed under windows yet an article I have read states otherwise.
To save cash, I want to install the radiators myself. Are there any 'official' siting requirements and size guidelines out there; or, do you know what they are.
(Also, any related advice greatfully accepted, eg any good makes, suppliers, other considerations etc)
Many thanks in advance.

 

[Slugbabydotcom]

Due to the great heat loss of single glazed windows, fitting a radiator on an opposite wall would cause a cold convection current to run right across your floor which would in turn make your feet feel cold. Fitting the radiator below the window would keep the dense cold air from reaching floor level meaning that the room would be more evenly heated.
Nowadays with double glazing the effect is not so noticable so it matters a lot less where you put them. Fitting rads below windows is still generally favourable though as it tends to fit in with furniture arrangements.

 

[Nige F]

Unless you`re good @ maths,and can do the heatloss calcs. Buy yourself a Mears Calculator from a plumbers merchant.. I think PTS are the best...just an opinion....and get your rads etc. there.Then you could flog the calculator on eBay to cut your loss Hundreds of sizes, several makes of rads...chose what and where to site to suit you,sir. I Recommend Drayton thermo. valves..you get what you pay for..and Grundfos pump.

 

[Diyisfun]

If you have lived in the house for a while, you will know where your furniture looks good, bear this in mind when positioning the rads, ie you dont want to be looking at a rad behind the tv & you dont want one behind the furniture, especially wood.

 

[meldrew's_mate]

Rads etc covered by others, and nothing to add to that.

If you're doing your own pipework avoid microbore, in hard water areas it blocks more easily than 15mm, and it is far easier to ding with the hoover, so it doesn't look nice for long. Also beware trying to run too many rads off a pair of 15mm pipes, the British Standard approximates to 30,000 btu/hr max capacity for 15mm, aim for no more than 20,000 (6kW) to keep the water velocity down and the system QUIET! 22mm has double the capacity of 15mm, 28mm has 3 times the capacity.

 

[bengasman]

Simple really, as every room should have a trv except the one with the roomstat. As you can, therefore, never get too warm, stick the largest double panel rad in that you have room for. Radiators under windows warm the window up better than the room, especially when you close the curtains and all the heat gets trapped. Curtains closed and radiators open works a bit better. At least 150 mm from floor to bottom of radiator and sufficient space for circulation of air.

 

[Finally_motivated]

Many thanks for all your replies. They have made for interesting reading.