Vertical or Horizontal Designer Radiator?

[mquinton1980]

Hi all

I am currently converting my garage into a kitchen and knocking through to the hallway. Where the wall is being knocked through the hallway radiator (single standard radiator approx 600wide) is being relocated to the kitchen. As this radiator will also be providing heat to the adjacent dining room I will need to go for one which is over the BTU needed in the kitchen.

I want a stylish designer radiator but I'm concious that my boiler is old and small (Ideal Classic RS30) and wonder if it will manage to heat up a 1500mm high vertical designer rad or will I be better off going for a smaller double horizontal designer rad?

I've read a few reports of people saying that the vertical rads to not heat up properly.

Any thoughts? Recommendations

Thanks

Mark

 

[mquinton1980]

Just to add, i've got 10mm microbore pipework.

 

[mquinton1980]

Any advice welcome guys

 

[TicklyT]

One Watt of output is one Watt, whether it's a chrome plated Watt, a brushed stainless steel Watt, or just a plain white painted pressed steel Watt. So as long as the designer of the 'designer radiator' has produced a radiator, not just a piece of abstract sculpture that happens to have a couple of tappings that you can screw rad. valves into, it should work.

Heat outputs per unit of area can differ greatly between designs. the output of some is much lower than a standard pressed steel rad of a similar size, so a designer rad. with a high enough output to heat the space properly could end up unfeasibly large.

Some rads require correct orientation of the flow and return connections. Get them wrong, and only part of the rad. heats up.

Some may have a much higher water capacity, meaning they may take longer to warm up initially, but on the plus side, they will continue working for longer after the boiler shuts down, so that's swings and roundabouts.

IMO you have more chance of heating a room evenly with a low wide rad than a tall narrow one. Contrary to their name, most of the output of a radiator is by convection, and a tall narrow rad will be more likely to send a relatively narrow stream of hot air upwards to heat the ceiling above it rather than a broader flow of warm air circulating around the room.

 

[Vidahomes]

We sell a lot of radiators during the course of the year and are often met with this scenario.

TicklyT's response was spot on.
Many retailers may advise that it won't matter in order to influence the purchase of taller Designer options, however the reality of the situation is that you only really get the optimum performance from a vertical radiator if the pressure running through the system is adequate.
Taller radiators are designed to fill from the bottom upwards so again as Tickly T stated they take longer to warm.

What you may be glad to know is that suppliers have now begun to offer a lot more of the wide Designer options, especially in the 2011 catalogues. Colours tend to be Black, White's and Anthracite's to ensure the best heat output, and many come in a Double Panel offering should you need even more heat!

I have attached a link to our Designer section of the site which may be of some use if you still aren't sorted. Reina tends to lead the way in terms of value for money so check the later pages of each category for their products.

If you do need any further advice or a BTU calculation performing please do not hesitate to contact us