vertical radiator - will it warm the room?

Jennie · Feb 7, 2017

Hi all,
My customer wants to install a vertical radiator in his living room (to replace a conventional double panel/single fin rad). His reasons are aesthetic.
We've done a heat loss calculation through the website bestheating.com, through which he intends to buy the rad. The loss is 1.28 watts.
It will be the only heat source in the room, which measures 3.3x4.5m (so a medium sized living room).
This rad has taken his fancy:
Milano Aruba - White Vertical Designer Radiator 1600mm x 354mm (Double Panel)
But at 1.36w, it's a bit borderline on the heat output.
The next one up is 2 watts, but double the price (£319).
My thoughts are that he'd be better off with the larger rad, which will be fitted with a TRV. (Hanging a second rad would mean running a lot of new pipework, which I'm not sure he wants to do).
What do you all reckon?
Thanks for your advice,
Jennie

king of pipes · Feb 7, 2017

Play safe tell him its not enough output for the room your the one whos got to come back and its gonna cost more than £200 to fit at a later date where is the room stat be aware of that . regards k

steadyon · Feb 7, 2017

You also need to be careful of the flow and return temperatures. The radiator you quote only gives out 1.36Kw at deltaT of 65 degrees. At deltaT of 50 degrees, its only 0.97Kw, and at deltaT 30, falls to 0.5Kw.

Quite agree with king of pipes - need the next one up at least. I'd also be careful of the heat loss calculation, don't forget that also depends on desired temperature, outside / other room temperatures and coefficients of thermal conductivity. You've only got to be a bit off on one of them and it can seriously affect your choice of radiator. Don't forget who the customer will come looking for when he / she is cold!