Heating costs Help and information on all topics relating to your central heating, air conditioning and ventilation issues.

[kenajohnson]

If I change my single radiators to double radiators, what effect will this have on running costs.

[plumbbob]

It depends on a number of things.

[kenajohnson]

Such as?

[Perry525]

The warmest place in a room is between the radiator and the wall behind it.
A vast amount of heat from a radiator is lost heating the wall behind it, or the window above it, and often the world outside.
With a double radiator more of the heat will get into the room but, the comfort factor relies on radiant heat, while most of the heat is convected rising to heat the walls and ceiling and this is lost to you. A better idea is to follow the continental system, which is to fit radiators sized 50% bigger than you expect to need.
In real life the cost difference cannot be certain, but the comfort will be noticed.

[htg engineer]

I wouldn't advise just changing radiators 'willy nilly', the one's you have are hopefully the right size for the rooms, if you want to save abit of money you could fit TRV's and room stat.

Why do you want to change them to double panel radiators ? do they not heat the rooms ?

With TRV's as each room reaches the desired temperature they shut down - meaning the boiler will reach temp quicker and save abit on gas.

As we're talking about costs - you're not being charged per word on this forum - lol - providing more info will get you much clearer answers.


htg

[DEEARR2]

The original heating design for your property would take into consideration the radiator sizes and and KW requirement of the boiler to supply the calculated demand. Meaning that the boiler may only have sufficient capability to supply the original radiarors.
Shoiuld you double the heating output of the radiators then you may be demanding a load that the boiler cannot supply and cause it to run indefinately at great cost in fuel.
Should the boiler be big enough and you go ahead with rad changes then take advice from htg engineer and fit thermostatic rad valves.
Difficult to calculate cost as there are a few factors to be considered. Like programmed on times, time taken to reach required room temps, boiler flow temperature setting, boiler size etc,etc,