FAQ's

radsize The size and wattage you’ll need from your electric radiators depends on the size of your room, the quality of your insulation and the location of your property. Wattage measures your radiator’s maximum power output, and determines what size area it can heat.

You can use our radiator calculator to work out what wattage you need to heat your room.

You’ll need to find a radiator, or combination of radiators, which adds up to the required wattage. For example: if your required wattage is 1250W you could heat your room using a 450W and 800W radiator.

If it’s a choice between going higher or lower, always go higher. Underspecified radiators will work inefficiently when trying to heat a larger space. More powerful radiators will simply use less power when the room reaches temperature.

Please note that this calculator has been designed to calculate wattages for rooms with a standard rate of heat loss. If you are looking to heat a conservatory, high-ceilinged room, hallway, multi-storey room, garage conversion, or any other space that requires a higher heat output, you should speak to our sales team for an expert heating consultation.

The final thing to consider when choosing your radiators is the physical size. For example: maybe you could use a 1000W radiator to heat your lounge, but you might find that two 500W radiators work better with the available space.

The depth of the radiator you choose is also important to consider, especially if you’re heating smaller rooms. Choosing a slimline radiator will minimise the degree to which your radiators intrude into the room. Our slimline radiators start from as little as 7.5cm deep.

How energy efficient are they?

Energy Efficiency

Efficiency of Electric Radiators

All electric radiators offer the following energy saving benefits over traditional central heating:

Electric radiators are 100% efficient at point of use, unlike gas central heating systems which lose energy via heat radiated through pipes as water moves from the boiler to your radiators.
The modularity of a system of electric radiators allows you to heat only the rooms you need – you don’t need to send hot water all over your house to heat a single room.
Because each unit has its own electronics, electric radiators give you full control over every heating zone in your house. Each radiator has its own thermostat and programming controls, so you’ll only ever use energy when you have to. This sets electric radiators apart from storage heaters and centrally controlled heating.

Energy Saving Features

Thermostat

A thermostat on the body of each of your electric radiators measures and maintains the desired temperature in every room of your house. The more accurate the thermostat on your radiator, the more efficiently your radiators will maintain the desired level of heat. This is because a more accurate thermostat will reduce the degree to which the temperature can fluctuate. Uneven temperature levels make your radiators work harder to increase the temperature whenever it drops. The best thermostats are accurate to 0.1 of a degree and will keep your radiators maintaining required heat levels as efficiently as possible.

Programming

The programmability of electric radiators offers huge scope for energy saving – and there’s plenty of choice on the market. Radiator programming ranges between basic timers, which simply switch the heaters on or off after a certain time, to fully customisable 24/7 programmers which allow you to set a heating schedule for each room, personalised to fractions of a degree. You’ll even find Wi-Fi programmable electric radiators, which you can switch on and off and re-programme from anywhere in the world. The most advanced electric radiators allow you to save yourself the forethought of programming with innovative SMART programmers which learn your weekly routines and adapt heating schedules to suit.

Investing in a radiator with sophisticated heating programming will be most rewarding if you have a busy in-and-out lifestyle where lots of energy can be saved by reducing your heating when rooms in your house are unoccupied. However, if you spend more time at home – if you’re retired, self-employed or just fond of cosy evenings in – you may find that more rudimentary programming facilities are sufficient.

Energy Monitor

Understanding your energy habits can help you to use your heating more effectively. Choose a radiator with a built-in energy monitor if you want to keep tabs on your energy usage.

Remote Control

A remote control makes programming that little bit easier if you struggle using small screens.

Does my ceiling height matter?

Ceiling Height

Radiators heat with a balance of radiated and convected heat. Convection delivers heat through the circulation of warm air. Warm air rises, warming rooms from the ceiling downwards. This means that rooms with high ceilings will take longer to feel the benefit of convected heat and will require more powerful radiators to achieve comfortable temperatures.

If you want to heat a room with a standard ceiling height of less than 2.7 metres, you can use the sizing guide above to calculate which radiators will most effectively heat your space.

However, if your ceilings are higher you’ll need to choose more powerful radiators or radiators specifically adapted to rooms with high ceilings.

Radiators with dry stone elements are a better choice for high-ceilinged rooms because they can push out heat at a greater intensity than conventional radiators achieve, bringing high ceilinged rooms to temperature faster and more efficiently.

Victorian terraces, listed buildings, open plan offices, communal stairwells, community halls and other high-ceilinged spaces can benefit from dry stone radiators.

Conservatories, garden rooms, garage conversions, hallways, stairways, landings and rooms with large windows can be similarly difficult to heat with conventional radiators. If you’re looking to heat a room with these properties you might want to consider dry stone radiators or investigate infrared heating. If in doubt, consult an expert.

What are the different types of electric radiator?

Heating Technology

Whilst all electric radiators are powered by electricity, a range of heating elements are available to convert this electricity into heat.

Electric radiators distribute heat through a mixture of convection and radiation – no matter what style heating element they use. This is the same method of heating used by gas central heating radiators. Consequently, the heat given off by electric radiators feels very similar to that given off by central heating radiators.

Electric radiators always use fully enclosed elements, so whichever element you choose, your walls will be protected from blackening.

Dry Thermal Elements

Dry thermal elements are the best choice for fast and accurate heat management. Thin wire-like metal elements enclosed within the radiator heat up quickly and cool down rapidly according to the radiator’s thermostat, ensuring that the desired temperature is reached quickly and maintained accurately. Typically made of aluminium, dry thermal elements are lightweight and ultra slim, so radiators that use this form of heating technology tend to be slimmer and more stylish than their thermal fluid counterparts. Because radiators with aluminium elements do not use liquids, there is no chance they will ever leak. Dry thermal radiators are the most popular choice for standard sized rooms and offices.

Thermal Fluids

Thermal fluids and thermodynamic gels are used principally for their heat retention properties. Contained within the body of the radiator, these thermal liquids spread evenly across the radiator’s inner surfaces to ensure even heat distribution across the room. The liquids are specially formulated for optimum heat retention, so the radiator does not have to work hard to keep warm. This makes radiators with thermal fluids an energy efficient choice for larger rooms.

Dry Stone Elements

Dry stone elements produce a higher intensity heat which is ideal for hard-to-heat areas such as high-ceilinged rooms, open-plan offices and listed buildings. Ceramic dry stone elements within the radiator body heat up quickly and push heat out into all four corners of the room. Dry stone heating elements have good heat retention properties which help them remain efficient whilst maintaining comfort temperatures. Because of the size and weight of the elements, dry stone radiators tend to be somewhat bulkier than radiators with metal or liquid elements. Dry stone radiators are the best choice for large and lofty rooms or open-plan spaces.

What are the fitting options?

Fitting

One of the first questions you should ask yourself when purchasing a new electric radiator is: how do you want to fit it? Wall mounted or free standing?

Wall Mounted Radiators

Wall mounted radiators are suitable for DIY plug-in installation. They can also be hard-wired into the wall by a certified electrician.

Wall mounted radiators take up less room than free standing radiators. Depending on the slimness of the radiator you choose, a wall mounted radiator will intrude into the room as little as 10cm when wall mounted.

You can still choose a wall mounted radiator if your rooms have plasterboard partition walls. Make sure you choose a lightweight electric radiator and fit the brackets onto the wall struts.

Wall mounting is the best choice if you want a discreet fitting with no loose cables or sockets. If you’re happy to pay for installation, a professional electrician can hardwire your wall mounted electric radiator into a fused spur.

Freestanding Radiators

Radiators available with a set of feet or wheels can be mounted free standing. The feet simply click into place and the radiator plugs into the nearest socket, allowing you to move the radiator around the room.

Freestanding radiators are the best choice if you have limited space on your walls – for example in workshops, libraries or conservatories.

Freestanding radiators can be easily repositioned. This makes them the perfect choice if:

If you want to move the heater between rooms.
If you want to redirect the flow of heat in a single room. For example, if you work alone in the house during the day time you may want a radiator which you can move closer to your workstation – be it a desk or an armchair!
If you can’t or don’t want to install the radiator.
If you’re in rented accommodation.
If the radiator is for a caravan.

If you’re planning on moving your radiator around on a regular basis, make sure you choose a lightweight radiator which you can lift easily.

Many of our radiators are compatible with both freestanding and wall mounted fitting, so if you’re not sure how you want to fit your radiators, we recommend purchasing a model with a set of feet to give you the option of freestanding fitting until you’re ready to wall mount.

How are they installed and do they need any maintenance?

Installation & Maintenance

Installation

Most electric radiators are suitable for DIY installation. This is an easy task that requires a minimum of DIY skill. The radiators simply screw to the wall and plug into the nearest socket – just like a TV.

If you want to mount your radiator free standing, make sure the radiator is available with a set of feet or wheels.

If you don’t want to install the radiators yourself, you can pay an electrician to do the job. Electricians will mount the radiator for you and can also hardwire the radiator into the wall. This is recommended if you want a discreet fitting with no loose cables or plug sockets. Make sure you use a NICEIC registered electrician to ensure a reliable service and a good fitting. You can expect to pay £50 to fit a single radiator or an hourly rate of between £25 and £50 if you need multiple radiators fitting. Professional fitting is most economical if you have a large number of radiators to fit. A good choice for large houses and commercial properties.

Installing electric radiators is a quick and easy task that requires no plumbing work. It’s cheaper, faster and less disruptive than fitting central heating.

Radiators for bathrooms, shower rooms and other wet rooms must be installed by a professional electrician; however, we do not recommend electric radiators for use in these spaces because most are not suitable for towel drying. It’s easy to get careless and leave a towel on an electric radiator without thinking but this can cause a serious hazard if it blocks the thermostat or any venting. It’s often best to err on the side of caution and opt for a towel rail instead.

Electric radiators should not be used with radiator covers.

Maintenance

One of the great advantages of electric radiators is the low level of maintenance they require: they don’t lose pressure, they don’t need bleeding, they don’t build up sediment – all you need to do is keep them clean.

Electric radiators cannot produce carbon monoxide. This is because they do not use fuel-burning elements. This makes them a very safe choice and a great solution for the forgetful; if making an appointment to have your boiler serviced is the sort of thing that easily slips your mind, electric radiators might be the perfect choice! A heating system comprised solely of electric radiators does not need the same safety checks required by a fuel-burning central heating system, so you can say goodbye to visits from the gas man.

The low level of maintenance makes electric radiators ideal for people with reduced mobility. They are also a great choice in care homes and assisted living houses where responsibility for heating safety is shared.

Will it look good in my home?

Style & Aesthetics

It’s always worth considering the effect on your interior design when you purchase a new set of radiators. With a wide range of designs available you should be able to find electric radiators which look at home in everything from the most traditional to the most contemporary interior design styles.

Contemporary Radiators

Because electric radiators use fully enclosed heating elements, electric radiator manufacturers have a lot of freedom when designing the shape and style of their products. This is why a lot of electric radiators sport elegant contemporary designs with smooth curves and bright white surfaces. These radiators are both a natural fit in modern and contemporary homes and a discreet choice for period properties.

Traditional Radiators

Electric radiators are also available in traditional styles. If you prefer conventional heating designs, you’ll find a range of electric radiators which are indistinguishable from ordinary central heating radiators. Traditional style radiators may be the best choice if your home has a retro design scheme or you’re adding electric radiators to an existing central heating system. Traditional style electric radiators range from ordinary central heating lookalikes to designer cast iron radiators which would not look out of place in a stately home.

What safety features do I need?

Safety Features

Keep warm and stay safe – make sure you choose a radiator with the following safety features:

Surface Temperature Limiter

To prevent burns, all electric radiators should be fitted with a thermal safety limiter which will cut power to the radiator if the surface temperature exceeds a set limit. This prevents your radiator overheating and is particularly important in homes with young children or vulnerable adults.

Fully Enclosed Elements

All electric radiators should have fully enclosed heating elements. This prevents the hot elements making contact with the air which can lead to wall blackening. Electric heaters with unenclosed heating elements, such as panel heaters, are more cheaply available than electric radiators but should not be used as a permanent heating system.

Warranty

You should never purchase an electric radiator without a warranty. Should anything go wrong with your radiator, a warranty provides a guarantee that the heater will be fixed or replaced. The length of warranty offered with each radiator is a good measure of its quality. Many electric radiators come with separate warranties for the radiator’s body and its electronics. This is because the radiator body should be expected to outlast any electrical components. Separate warranties allow the manufacturers to support customers for longer.

Safety Accreditation

Whenever you purchase an electric radiator you should make sure the product is validated by the appropriate safety accreditation schemes. At the very least, your electric radiator should carry the CE mark, which is the manufacturer’s declaration that the heater meets the minimum safety standards required by European law.

Can they replace my storage heaters?

Replacing Storage Heaters

Electric radiators make ideal replacements for old-fashioned storage heaters. Here are a few things to think about before you make the change:

Cost

In most households, electric radiators are cheaper to run than storage heaters. Storage heaters can be run on cheaper night time tariffs. However, electric radiators are more efficient: both in the way they deliver heat and their controllability. Electric radiators deliver heat through a combination of convection and radiated heat; storage heaters deliver heat only through convection. Electric radiators are highly controllable, with intelligent 24/7 programmers which allow you to set the temperature of your heating hour-by-hour.

Storage heaters, by comparison, give you very little control. They heat up overnight and release heat during the day, requiring you to predict your heating needs in advance – wasting heat if the weather turns warm, leaving you chilly if the weather turns cold. Storage heaters release a low level of heat from the moment they begin charging, warming your home throughout the night, throughout the day and into the evening. Unless you want or need this level of heating, you will save money by cutting down your energy usage with electric radiators.

Tariff Benefits

Night time tariffs such as the Economy 7 tariff offer lower prices for energy used overnight – typically between midnight and 7am. However, they also charge higher rates on energy used during the day. In theory, storage heaters can save you money on your heating by charging up at night when electricity rates are low. However, as soon as you need a little more heat than your storage heaters can provide, any extra heaters used during the day will be charged at the more expensive day time rates. In many cases, switching to a standard energy tariff will actually help you save money. On a normal daytime tariff, you’ll pay less for all the appliances you use throughout the day – including TVs, computers, kitchen appliances and lighting; and with intelligent electric radiators, you can cut the amount of energy used for your heating down to a minimum.

Size

Electric radiators are lighter, slimmer and usually more attractive than storage heaters. Storage heaters store their heat in large bricks inside the radiator casing, making them unavoidably bulky, heavy and boxy. Switching to electric radiators will save you space and update your interior design instantly.

Health

Storage heaters heat purely by convection. Hot bricks inside the heater body warm up the air as it circulates around the room. Warm currents of air circulate around the room from the moment the heaters start charging to the point where the heaters run out of power. These strong convection currents, running all day long, can disturb and distribute dust – which can agitate allergies. Electric radiators, meanwhile, heat with a mixture of radiation and convection heat. Unlike storage heaters, the radiators only operate when you need heat, and with an intelligent thermostat they can spend up to a third of the heating period switched off. This makes electric radiators a better choice if members of your household suffer from allergies.

Lifestyle

Storage heaters are only a cost effective choice if you want or need a low level of heat throughout the night and day. This can make storage heaters a good choice if you’re retired or you work from home. However, electric radiators will remain the most economical option if you:

Are out of the house during the day
Need heat for longer in the evenings
Prefer cooler temperatures at night
Want to heat different rooms at different times
Want to vary the level of heat at different times
Want immediate control over your heating

Home Maintenance

Storage heaters use unenclosed elements to heat up the air in the room. The hot bricks inside the heater body reach high temperatures and can burn the air. This can lead to wall blackening. Electric radiators use fully enclosed elements which cannot burn the air. This makes radiators the best choice if you want to keep your walls clean.

Top Tip

If you’re not sure about switching to electric radiators, we recommend you try replacing the storage heater in your bedroom first. Most of us only need heat in our bedrooms when we go to sleep at night and when we wake up in the morning. Too much heat during the night can make it difficult to sleep. This makes your bedroom the prime location for testing the benefits of fully controllable heating.

Are they eco friendly?

Eco Credentials

Using Green Energy

Almost all renewable power sources generate electricity. This makes electric radiators the obvious choice for heating if you use solar panels, wind turbines or hydro power.

Recycled Materials

If you’re keeping an eye on the sustainability of your appliances, you’ll be pleased to find an increasing number of radiators constructed from recycled aluminium and other sustainably sourced materials. To make the most environmentally friendly choice, look out for radiators manufactured from recycled materials which are themselves recyclable.

Carbon Neutral Heating

Electric radiators do not burn fuel so they do not produce carbon dioxide. Used with green electricity, this makes electric heating one of the few truly carbon neutral heating solutions out there. However, mains electricity is often generated by fossil-fuel burning power stations. This means that electric radiators running on mains electricity are not truly carbon free.

Efficiency

One of the fundamental principles of green living is cutting down on waste. Choosing an energy efficient heating system will help you reduce the amount of energy you use to heat your home. Look out for electric radiators with high precision digital thermostats, 24/7 programming and heat retentive elements to make the most efficient choice for your home.

Do conservatories, bathrooms or hallways need specialist radiators?

Conservatories, Bathrooms & Hallways

Conservatories

The high volume of glass in conservatory walls makes them susceptible to heat loss. This means you will need a more powerful radiator than you would for a standard room of the same dimensions.

The glass walls in your conservatory may also mean that you have limited space to fit your electric radiators. If this is the case, we recommend purchasing a free standing radiator or a conservatory radiator specifically designed to fit conservatory dwarf walls.

Bathrooms

As a rule, electric radiators are not the best choice for bathroom heating because the vast majority can’t be used to dry towels or damp clothes. If a towel obstructs the thermostat or any venting, it may cause the radiator to needlessly overheat and pose a potential fire hazard. Needless to say, this is best avoided! A towel rail will almost always be the better choice and provides a convenient storage solution as well as effective bathroom heating. If you have your heart set on a radiator, it’s best to look for a product where the manufacturer has specifically stated that they can be used for towel drying.

If you do decide to use an electric radiator, it is very important to make sure your chosen product has an appropriate IP rating for the bathroom location in which it will be installed. If you want to install the radiator in a Zone 1 or Zone 2 location (within 0.6m of an open water source) it will need an IP rating of at least IPX4. There are no restrictions on the IP rating of appliances installed outside these zones, however, many small bathrooms do not have spaces outside these zones which are large enough to fit an electric radiator. Electric radiators for bathrooms must be hardwired into a fused spur by a qualified electrician.

If your bathroom has limited space, you will benefit from a slimline electric radiator which will intrude as little as possible into the room. Alternatively, you may want to consider an electric towel rail or an infrared bathroom heater. These will help you make better use of the space by providing multiple functions.

Always check the manufacturer’s guidelines when it comes to installing a product in bathrooms to ensure they are fitted in a suitable bathroom zone.

Hallways

Heating a hallway, staircase or landing can be difficult because you’re effectively trying to heat multiple rooms at the same time.

If your hallway opens onto a multi-level space, you will need to choose more powerful radiators than those specified for single-storeyed rooms of the same dimension.

These high-ceilinged spaces not only need more power – they also require careful radiator placement. Because heat rises, a radiator at the bottom of the stairs will send all its heat to the upstairs landing. Similarly, a radiator at the top of the stairs will not heat the hallway below at all. We recommend placing a radiator at each end of your hallway – one above, one below – to ensure even heat levels throughout.