There are lots of different sized radiators. But which size is best for what type room? Get a radiator too large and it will give too much heat and lose its economical value. But a radiator not large enough will provide an insufficient performances taking too long to heat a room.
To avoid this, here’s BestHeating.com’s Radiator Size Guide to help you plan your purchase.
Choosing the right radiator
There are two main points which determine what size radiator your need in a room:
1) The heating output of the radiator in question.
2) How much heat the room in question loses.
Home heating temperatures are down to the individual’s choice, but as a rule:
- Stairs & hallway = 18°C
- Kitchen = 16°C
- Lounge = 21°C
- Dining Room = 21°C
- Bathroom = 23°C
- Bedroom = 15°C
Knowing how much heat a room loses is not the easiest to calculate as it can vary greatly due to factors such as how room’s size, the amount of doors, the type, number and size of windows, insulation and so on. The best way is to use a BTU calculator which will assess these factors and give an estimated heat output the room being calculated needs.
What is BTU?
BTU stands for British Thermal Units per Hour and it is how the heat output of a radiator is measured. You may also sees radiators measured in Watts, with around 3.5 Watts to every 1 BTU.
To calculate your BTU use the free BestHeating BTU calculator.
Author: Laura Davis