On National Radiator Day – show your Radiator some TLC

1st Nov 2016

 

Today, (1st November) is National Radiator Day, and the Manufacturers’ Association of Radiators and Convectors, MARC, is asking homeowners to mark the day by showing their radiators some tender loving care.

  1. Remove trapped air - Over time, air can become trapped inside your radiators. This means that the radiator doesn’t heat you, or the room as well as it should. If you think that a room in your house is colder than it used to be, there’s a good chance that the radiator needs bleeding.
  2. Improve control - The installation of TRVs (thermostatic radiator valves), providing independent temperature control in every room, can significantly improve comfort for householders by providing satisfactory heat distribution around the home. This is not achieved without TRVs, even if the system is balanced.
  3. Painting precautions – Too many coats of paint on a radiator reduces the efficiency of the radiator. Removing paint from a radiator and re-applying is a long and messy job and it is sometimes more cost effective to replace an older radiator.
  4. Keep clear - We would not recommend using radiator covers, this is because thermostatic radiator valves (TRVs) sense the air temperature around them and control the flow rate depending on what level they're set at. Having a cover over the radiator means that the TRV is enclosed, which is likely to make it think that the room temperature is higher than it actually is - because heat will be trapped between the radiator and the cover. Covers also prevent warm air from circulating around the room, resulting in your heating system having to work harder to heat your home to the required temperature.
  5. Don’t mix and match – Need to add or change a radiator? Stick to the same type of metal. Introducing more than one type of metal radiator into your heating system can increase the risk of corrosion.

Follow us on Twitter @eua_marc #LoveYourRadiator and to find out more about National Radiator Day please visit www.marcuk.com