Which style radiator shall I choose?

[LondonSuperTrooper]

I?d like to get some advice please. We are in process of overhauling the ancient central heating system in the house we are in process of buying. The house was built in the early 80?s. I like this type of radiator throughout our new home:

www.mrcentralheating.co.uk/radiators/column-radiators/three-column-horizontal/revive-300-x-1180-three-column-horizontal-radiator

My DH is concerned with dirt and dust getting trapped in-between the radiator columns. My concern is that will this radiator look dated in 5-10 years time? Or shall we play it safe and go for this type of radiator?

www.mrcentralheating.co.uk/radiators/compact-radiators/double-premium-radiators/revive-400h-x-1400l-double-premium-radiator

I'm so sorry but I do not know how to hyperlink!

Please help as I?m just going around in circles!

Thanks!

[LondonSuperTrooper]

Anyone?

[Isabeller]

No answers but I feel your pain

These are your links

horizontal


premium

[AntimonySalts]

First one is lovely. Second one is utilitarian. My DH would love the second one. I wouldn't give it house room.

[whatyoulookinat]

We have the horizontal ones, they do collect dust & my hoover nozel doesn't fit in the gaps to clean between. Not sure what make ours are but the white coating does chip quite easily.
Look much nicer than standard raidiators though !

[BirdyArms]

I much prefer the first one. We have old fashioned style cast iron radiators and clean the similar small gaps easily with a long duster type thing - john lewis sell a range!

[Skittish]

We have the first style and not only do they look fab but they blast out the heat and stay hot for a good half hour after the heating is turned off.

I have no idea if they collect dust as I do not dust

[wendybird77]

First ones. I'm getting similar, but in black. I'm hoping the black will hide more dust, but I have a feather duster in case

[LondonSuperTrooper]

Thanks for your thoughts. I'm still leaning towards the first ones and it's nice to have it confirmed by you all.

Thank you

[catclarks]

We have the first one from MrCentralHeating and they look great. They take a wee bit longer to heat up but retain the heat far longer than regular radiators. Can't see them looking dated given that the style has been around for donkeys yonks. Just had a look at mine which are never rarely dusted and they're pretty clean

[LondonSuperTrooper]

Cat what's the quality like? I'm planning to buy mine from Mrcentralheating too. Do they chip easily?

[catclarks]

Quality seems to be really good. We have had ours in a year now and no chips, despite the fact we have 3 children and their friends tearing about the house. The plumber, who we had a lot of trust in recommended Mrcentralheating as he reckoned the radiators from there are good quality, and cheaper than the likes of B&Q.

[Virgil]

Ooo thanks for this that. We are about to have our bathroom redone and I'm now going to put one of those horizontal radiators in there. Much much nicer than the other style and definitely won't date since they are very similar to the old fashioned ones.

[Virgil]

Stupid ipad. I meant thanks for this thread!

[digerd]

I had the first type replacing my 40 year-old, 4 years ago, and didn't like the "convectors" as, although they heated up rapidly, they left me cold with breathing in dry air. Also convected all the dust/grime in the air up and over the ceiling and back again < when hot air had already cooled>. Also cooled down rapidly when thermostat turned off the heat. They are more like a background heat than a toasty body warming heat. I miss my 40 year-old rads but can't get them back and are obsolete now.
No 1 in pic. is much deeper and takes up more room, though.
Neighbour has one, and as I entered his house I could feel the heat coming off it, unlike any of my new ones. His is a triple depth .

[digerd]

Ps.
I had the 2nd type, not the first, replacing my old rads. The ones with top grills and side panels.
My neighbour has one of the 1st type
Sorry.

[GuinevereOfTheRoyalCourt]

Gosh, I didn't know there was a type of radiator that weren't convectors...

I do like the look of the old fashioned ones (first type) in the right setting. They go well with floorboards etc. But they do take up a bit more space. All depends on the rest of the furniture & fittings in the room - sometimes radiator covers look better. The second type is easier to disguise.

I hadn't really considered that the victorian style ones were less efficient (which is the case if they take longer to heat up & cool down). That would put me off installing them unless they were going somewhere that they would be focal point. We used to have a rubbish central heating system, and I so like that I have a new one that is quickly controllable!

[GuinevereOfTheRoyalCourt]

Ah, reread that, and I realise now you are referring to convector electrical heaters! I was confused...

[digerd]

They are an old shape but modern construction and usually very expensive and due to the no fins for extra convection, the Btus are stated as much lower than the convectors.
My convectors have a highter BTU but in reality don't give me the warmth that my neighbours column rad does.
My 40 year-old flat panel rads took 60 minutes to get cold, and after 20 minutes had not cooled at all, 40 minutes not so hot but still very warm. They made me much warmer at a much lower air temp..

[digerd]

Ps
My Brothers 1984 heating system of the old convector type/flat panel and same aged boiler is toasty warm.

[PigletJohn]

are they iron, or aluminium?

[LondonSuperTrooper]

Everyone, thanks for your thoughts.

These are gas radiators.

pigletjohn I really don't know which material these radiators are made of. Which would you recommend?

[PigletJohn]

well, I am always cautious of aluminium, because it corrodes with the water inside and copper pipes and can go into holes or block.

old iron radiators usually hold a lot of rust or black oxide, but there are chemicals and filters to remove most of it. It takes a very long time for cast iron to rust into holes.

[LondonSuperTrooper]

cat thanks for the info. It's good to know that you're radiators have survived so far.

pigletjohn thanks, I'll definitely check the material of the radiators. One would think that the plumber would give me all this info!