Column radiators effective?

[Xena2012]

Can anyone tell me if 'designer' column radiators are less effective than double panel ones. A plumber told me that they only radiate, they don't convect heat and most heat in a room is via convection therefore the column radiator is less effective. This is a bit awkward as I have already bought some column radiators.

Can someone confirm if this is true or not? if less effective, is the difference significant? I could take the radiators back but we prefer the column style and I would like impartial advice.

Thanks

 

[dancinplumba]

Hi,yes and yes, get your plumber to calculate the heat loss requirement

 

[plumber0808]

It depends on the radiator and its design, I recently fitted a column radiator from b&q that a customer purchased and I was surprised by its btu output as normally they are quiet low.

 

[AWheating]

you need to calculate the heat requirements of the room then buy a radiator that has the correct heat output.

 

[Xena2012]

A plumber did that and the radiators I bought matched that. So one room required 2.8kw and I have 2 column radiators to meet that requirement, each about 1.4kw. Today's plumber said that even though the rads say 1.4 kw each they are still less effective and might not heat the room.

so I guess the question is if we have done the heat requirement calcs and bought rads that can supply that (even if they are column rads) then is this good enough or will we still have cold rooms as they don't convect and are less effective. Or will they just take a bit longer to heat the room?

 

[tamz]

Radiators are quite wrongly named as they don't actually radiate much heat. If you stand a foot in front of a radiator you will hardly feel any heat radiating from it, if at all.
Radiant heat is like standing in front of a bar electric fire where even if you are standing a few feet in front of it, you can feel the heat hitting you.

Radiators should really be called convectors. Convection is the movement of air currents. No matter what style "radiators" they are they still convect but some do so better than others.
Your designer rads will still convect heat but just not as well as panel rads do.
The output of any radiator is what it is as stated by the manu so no matter what the output is, if the rad is properly sized for the heat loss of the room it will still heat it.

 

[dancinplumba]

Wish I was as eloquent as Tamz :-( x

 

[aligorgon]

As above!

The output of a rad is the output it doesnt matter what size shape etc it is..

It its says 6000btus then its 6000btus.

You column rad may have to be larger to give this output but a manufacturer cant lie about it

 

[tamz]

Wish I was as eloquent as Tamz :-( x

I was just going to write your plumber is talking pysh but thought it better to explain why :lol:

 

[chris watkins]

As above!

The output of a rad is the output it doesnt matter what size shape etc it is..

It its says 6000btus then its 6000btus.

You column rad may have to be larger to give this output but a manufacturer cant lie about it

It is all about surface area I believe, however if it says 1.75kW (6000) & you put in cooler water than they did, you will not get the same out !! check your deta T's & do the adjustments.