The Radiators Resource

If cast iron radiators don’t appeal to you, you may want to consider going the electric route instead. Electric radiators have many substantial benefits to offer, especially if you’re looking for a heating solution which will apply to a single room instead of a floor or the entire home. Electric radiators offer improved efficiency and greater control over other radiator varieties. They also tend to involve lower maintenance and installation costs. For small units, there aren’t any installation costs at all! Electric radiators are a great way to go if you don’t have a large budget or a large space to heat.

Improved Efficiency
One of the great things about electric radiators is that they aren’t wasteful in terms of energy use. An electric radiator tends to use all of the electricity it takes, converting it into heat which warms the space it’s in. With less energy wasted, your utility bills are sure to be lowered. Electric radiators don’t have issues related to inherent energy inefficiencies that other kinds of radiators have. The more modern the radiator, the more efficient it tends to be.

Control and Individualization
Unlike cast iron radiators, which tend to be placed along walls due to their bulky nature, electric radiators can be placed in many different kinds of configurations. This allows you to personalize how you use it and where you want to set them up. There are even designer electric radiators which seem to the casual observer to be art pieces. Many electric radiators are actually designed with specific placements in mind, such as electric bathroom radiators or the electric towel radiator. In addition to placement, you also can control each electric radiator individually. This means that you can control which rooms have the heat turned on and which don’t. Added control gives you the opportunity to ensure that the only spaces drawing power are those that need it. You can create the warmth distribution within your home that you desire without too much effort. Because you don’t have to have the heat on where you don’t need it, your use of energy is lowered even further.

Installation and Maintenance Costs
Unlike radiators which rely on plumbing and boilers, in the majority of cases, electric radiators only need to be plugged in. This means that installation of an electric radiator is much lower than you might expect. Stand along electric radiators have no installation costs whatsoever. Maintenance is also lower because of a lack of plumbing. This makes upkeep of your heating system much easier in terms of time, effort, and costs.

The Benefits of Electric Radiators
Electric radiators definitely have their advantages. While they don’t put out as much heat per unit as other kinds of radiators, they require less energy and have less costs associated with them. Before you look into installing expensive radiator systems, make sure to check into electric radiators.

Refurbishing and restoring your cast iron radiator can be a fun task that will brighten up the whole room by improving the aesthetic of your lovely heating unit. Some simple ways of touching up your radiator that can also improve its working efficiency include painting, creation of a radiator cover, enclosures, and conversions. Resizing your radiator or adding extra fins and coils is a job best left to the professionals, though, so take care that you don’t bite off more than you can chew.

Painting Your Radiator

Painting a cast iron radiator is a little more involved than you might think, but it has definite benefits. Covering the radiator with metallic based paints will reduce the heat output by up to 20 percent, which is a significant reduction. This is definitely something to consider if your unit is putting out too much heat. You’ll need to make the choice to either cover up what’s already there or strip the old paint first. Once you’ve decided, make sure you clean the surface before you begin painting. Covering the entire surface of the radiator with a zinc or zinc chromate primer is key to making sure your paint job will last a long time. Use oil based paint for your radiator. Brush it on gently, making sure to get all of the angles. Make sure the paint dries completely before you run the radiator. Then open all the windows and let it run for awhile to get that new paint smell out.

Creating Radiator Covers

A radiator cover can greatly add to the look and efficiency of your cast iron radiator. The best benefit, though, is the huge increase in radiator safety. This should be a critical component of your refurbishing plans if safety is a concern for you. It’s definitely recommended, especially if you have small children or pets. The process for making a radiator cover isn’t too hard, but it has way too many steps to be covered here. The pros down at This Old House made a great tutorial here, which I’d recommend if you’re interested.

Enclosures

Enclosures are another way to improve the look of your radiator. This doesn’t involve the radiator itself, but rather the space around the radiator. Radiator enclosures will work to reduce the heat output into the room by the radiator, so its another solution if your rooms are getting too hot. The classic style enclose seen in many older homes has a metal perforated front and a solid top. This reduces the heat output by as much as 30%. Enclosures are similar to radiator covers, but note that they do not necessarily encompass the entire radiator.

Conversions

Converting a steam radiator to a hot water radiator is a long term project that you should consider consulting a professional for. This can involve working with your boiler, and that’s enough right there to make me nervous. Work with the pros for conversions to avoid unnecessary damage to your cast iron radiator and your home.