Worth replacing radiator?

Penn

Hey all,

The stairs to the first floor are within the living room, which means I currently have one radiator heating a pretty big space especially vertically. The current radiator is 500x1200 double panel convector radiator, and it struggles to heat the living room to the point where I have to set the temperature on the boiler higher (26deg on Climote) and even then the room still isn't 'warm'.

I'm trying to decide whether I should just try close off the bottom of the stairs with a new wall/door, which is achievable but I'd rather leave it open. There's also no real wall space for a new radiator (and obviously that's bigger works to achieve that). Would upgrading to a more modern radiator, perhaps 700x1200 likely have enough of an effect?

This radiator on Screwfix has approx 8200BTUs, but I don't know what the BTUs of the older type of radiator would be.

Any advice appreciated. Thanks.

ted1

Penn wrote: »

Hey all,

The stairs to the first floor are within the living room, which means I currently have one radiator heating a pretty big space especially vertically. The current radiator is 500x1200 double panel convector radiator, and it struggles to heat the living room to the point where I have to set the temperature on the boiler higher (26deg on Climote) and even then the room still isn't 'warm'.

I'm trying to decide whether I should just try close off the bottom of the stairs with a new wall/door, which is achievable but I'd rather leave it open. There's also no real wall space for a new radiator (and obviously that's bigger works to achieve that). Would upgrading to a more modern radiator, perhaps 700x1200 likely have enough of an effect?

This radiator on Screwfix has approx 8200BTUs, but I don't know what the BTUs of the older type of radiator would be.

Any advice appreciated. Thanks.

Is the existing rad heating up fully. That’s a decent size rad and should heat the space.

Is the climote in the sane room? Maybe relocate it, it’s clearly in a spot that heat up much faster

Wearb

I would try a 2kw electric heater in that room along with haveing that radiator running . That will tell you if upgrading to a bigger radiator will improve your comfort.

Is your radiator too hot to keep your hand on top and bottom centre when running?

Penn

ted1 wrote: »

Is the existing rad heating up fully. That’s a decent dude rad and should heat the space.

Is the climote in the sane room? Maybe relocate it, it’s clearly in a spot that heat up much faster

The thermostat for the Climote is at the bottom of the stairs, opposite wall to the radiator.

I used an online BTU calculator with approx room dimensions (to within 0.5m) and it was saying I needed about 9500BTU to heat the space. If the 700x1200 is only giving 8200BTU then I'd have thought the existing 500x1200 would be 6000BTU at most.

Wearb wrote: »

I would try a 2kw electric heater in that room along with haveing that radiator running . That will tell you if upgrading to a bigger radiator will improve your comfort.

Is your radiator too hot to keep your hand on top and bottom centre when running?

I put my hand on it a few nights ago, and it seemed fine. Was still hot at the bottom so doesn't need bleeding (I checked because I did have that problem with other rads previously). I'll check again this evening though to see just how hot it is as I only really ran my hand across it. I have an open flame gas fireplace which I throw on when it's too cold for the rad on its own but I have no idea if it's worth putting it on more often in terms of my gas bill or should I spend more now upgrading the radiator.

Wearb

Penn wrote: »

The thermostat for the Climote is at the bottom of the stairs, opposite wall to the radiator.

I used an online BTU calculator with approx room dimensions (to within 0.5m) and it was saying I needed about 9500BTU to heat the space. If the 700x1200 is only giving 8200BTU then I'd have thought the existing 500x1200 would be 6000BTU at most.



I put my hand on it a few nights ago, and it seemed fine. Was still hot at the bottom so doesn't need bleeding (I checked because I did have that problem with other rads previously). I'll check again this evening though to see just how hot it is as I only really ran my hand across it. I have an open flame gas fireplace which I throw on when it's too cold for the rad on its own but I have no idea if it's worth putting it on more often in terms of my gas bill or should I spend more now upgrading the radiator.

You most likely don't know what the exact heat output from that is.
That's why I suggested a 2Kw electric heater. That'll tell you if 2Kw extra is enough or not.

ted1

Penn wrote: »

The thermostat for the Climote is at the bottom of the stairs, opposite wall to the radiator.

If you are setting it to 26 then sometime is wrong as it shouldn’t. Shut down till the place reaches actually 26, what the temperature on the actual
Boiler set to? Is the room slow to heat vs the duration uou have the temperature setting

MicktheMan

Penn wrote: »

Hey all,

The stairs to the first floor are within the living room, which means I currently have one radiator heating a pretty big space especially vertically. The current radiator is 500x1200 double panel convector radiator, and it struggles to heat the living room to the point where I have to set the temperature on the boiler higher (26deg on Climote) and even then the room still isn't 'warm'.

I'm trying to decide whether I should just try close off the bottom of the stairs with a new wall/door, which is achievable but I'd rather leave it open. There's also no real wall space for a new radiator (and obviously that's bigger works to achieve that). Would upgrading to a more modern radiator, perhaps 700x1200 likely have enough of an effect?

This radiator on Screwfix has approx 8200BTUs, but I don't know what the BTUs of the older type of radiator would be.

Any advice appreciated. Thanks.

A different approach perhaps;
As the reason for the radiator is not to heat the space but to replace the heat lost from the space, the solution may be to first find / understand where you're losing the heat and address this first.

Penn

MicktheMan wrote: »

A different approach perhaps;
As the reason for the radiator is not to heat the space but to replace the heat lost from the space, the solution may be to first find / understand where you're losing the heat and address this first.

House is about 15 years old, so insulation is relatively okay. Attic insulated, double glazing. I've closed the wall air vent cover (as in not blocked the vent, just closed the adjustable cover). I could look at increasing the attic insulation but my concern is still with the open stairwell (with only first floor ceiling and rooflight shaft over) and landing, heat is just rising and the rad isn't sized to heat the space as a whole.

I just took a look at the boiler (Ideal Logic S24IE) and it's set to Economy temperature setting, so perhaps it's worth putting it more towards Max. I'll check the temperature display later when it's on to see what it's at when on Economy.

MicktheMan

Penn wrote: »

House is about 15 years old, so insulation is relatively okay. Attic insulated, double glazing. I've closed the wall air vent cover (as in not blocked the vent, just closed the adjustable cover). I could look at increasing the attic insulation but my concern is still with the open stairwell (with only first floor ceiling and rooflight shaft over) and landing, heat is just rising and the rad isn't sized to heat the space as a whole.

In my experience, heat loss by air leakage is much more prominent than insulation deficiencies even in houses built in last 20 years.

Penn

MicktheMan wrote: »

In my experience, heat loss by air leakage is much more prominent than insulation deficiencies even in houses built in last 20 years.

I'd agree, but I'm not having similar issues in any other room. Even the next biggest room would be the Kitchen, double panel 500x800 radiator and large window and french doors, room is always warm.

Put heating on boost at lunchtime as a test. Radiator was definitely hot, but could keep hand on it. Bottom was still hot but maybe a little less than the top. Boiler says water temp on Economy setting was at 69deg. I'll try bleed the rad later just to be sure.

Wearb

Penn wrote: »

I'd agree, but I'm not having similar issues in any other room. Even the next biggest room would be the Kitchen, double panel 500x800 radiator and large window and french doors, room is always warm.

Put heating on boost at lunchtime as a test. Radiator was definitely hot, but could keep hand on it. Bottom was still hot but maybe a little less than the top. Boiler says water temp on Economy setting was at 69deg. I'll try bleed the rad later just to be sure.

If it's hot on top, it not likely to be air. Turn off most of the other rads to see if that gets any hotter. At 69/70C, it should be difficult to hold your hand on it. Also make sure both valves on that radiator are fully open.



Any of the other rads too hot to keep your hand on?