If you’re looking to upgrade your existing radiators you might want to go for a larger size to keep your rooms even warmer, or maybe you want to downsize your radiators to claw back some vital wall space in smaller rooms. But when it comes to radiators, does size really matter? And if so, how do you know which size radiator you need?
We’ve put together a helpful guide to answer your questions about radiator sizes and aid you in finding the right radiators for your home.
Here at North East Heating Solutions, we’re experts at providing bespoke heating solutions and have installed thousands of electric radiators in homes across the country – so we really know our stuff when it comes to radiators!
How Important is the Size of Your Radiator?
Finding the right size radiator is a careful balancing act. A radiator that’s too small won’t be able to heat your room properly to your required temperature. Whereas a radiator that’s too big will take up unnecessary space on your walls and waste excess energy at the same time.
Obviously, there are other factors that come into play when deciding which radiators to choose for your home; you should also consider material type, style, colour and compatibility with your system too!
But, we’re here to talk about size.
Can a Radiator Be Too Big?
Yes, absolutely! The bigger the better doesn’t really apply to radiators. You may assume that by installing a larger radiator, you would benefit from warmer rooms or even the ability to heat your rooms much faster.
However, if your radiator is bigger than it needs to be then you’ll just end up producing too much heat and using too much energy. Not only is this bad for the environment and your carbon footprint, but it will mean your energy bills will skyrocket unnecessarily.
A radiator that’s too big will also stick out like a sore thumb, ruining the design of your room and taking up excessive space in your home for no additional benefit!
Are Smaller Radiators Better?
Radiators that are too big are bad, so smaller radiators must be better then, right? Well no, not exactly.
A smaller radiator doesn’t mean you’ll pay less on your energy bills – in fact, it could mean the opposite! If your radiator is too small for the room it will be working even harder to try and get the room up to temperature.
This means that your radiator would be on for longer than necessary using more energy and costing you more; meanwhile, your room still isn’t at your desired temperature.
A radiator that’s too small for the room can also put an additional strain on your boiler and the rest of your system, leading to further issues and repair costs down the line.
So How Do I Know Which Size Radiator I Need?
It’s clear that a radiator being either too large or too small is not ideal for anyone, but how do you find the sweet spot and determine the perfect radiator size for your room?
Radiator Size & BTU
The size of radiator you require is worked out using something called BTU, which determines the level of heat that’s required in order to sufficiently warm up the room in question.
BTU, which stands for British Thermal Unit, is a value which takes into account the area of the room, the level of insulation present, the type of windows, the type of room, and any additional heat losses.
After some careful calculations, you’ll get the BTU of your room. You can then use this value to find the perfect radiator size with an output that matches your requirements. Like Goldilocks, you’ll be able to determine the radiator that’s just right for you!
You can find a range of BTU calculators online to make it a bit easier, but with so many factors affecting the value, it can get pretty confusing if you don’t know your stuff.
That’s why we highly recommend leaving this to the heating professionals here at North East Heating Solutions instead!
Let Us Find The Right Radiator Size For You
Why stress yourself out when you could leave it to the experts? We’ll conduct a free survey of your home, or specific room(s), during which we’ll use accurate calculations alongside our decades of experience to accurately determine your required BTU in no time.
From here, we’ll discuss your preferences and any additional requirements with you before coming up with a bespoke heating solution for you – including your perfect radiator!
Put the calculator down and book your free survey today!
Explore our premium German Electric Radiators to view the extensive range of styles, designs and sizes available or book your radiator installation in just minutes. Simply contact us today and our heating experts will answer your questions and help find the ideal heating solution for your home.