WHAT IS A CENTRAL HEATING RADIATOR
Central heating is made up of several elements. Concretely it has a heat generator , which can be a boiler for example, heating a coolant whose purpose is to convey the heat to radiators رادیاتور شوفاژ which will take care of distributing it in the various rooms of the house. . The radiators only use the water heated by the boiler (40 to 70 ° C) which circulates through pipes in a closed circuit . Hot water in contact with the emitters creates heat exchange and heats the ambient air by convection and radiation.
Central heating radiators can be made of aluminum, cast iron, steel, vertical or horizontal and are classified in the category of inertial heaters and more precisely in the niche of soft heat heaters . Central heating radiators have the same type of operation as the towel radiators that are increasingly found in bathrooms in French homes and elsewhere. During your installation, it will therefore be necessary to have several radiators arranged throughout the home and which will guarantee your thermal comfort .
WHICH CENTRAL HEATING RADIATOR TO CHOOSE?
As we have seen previously there is no such thing as a central heating radiator; indeed you can find several types of materials, power and meaning. Here is a quick point of the advantages and disadvantages of materials:
Steel radiators : Generally they are quite designer and rise quickly in temperature which makes them more efficient more quickly. In addition, they are easy to install, fairly light compared to other models and present less risk of leaks . However, once switched off, the temperature drops just as quickly as it rose and it seems that they are less resistant to shocks. Its manufacturing cost is low, so it is very common for sale and distributed in mass.
Cast iron radiators : Vintage and rustic in appearance, cast iron radiators are essential in the sector, they constantly restore heat and are recognized for their strength and quality . However, they are often quite expensive and it is better to hire a professional to install them.
Aluminum radiators : They are between the two models described above: they are referred to as average inertia , which means that the temperature still remains for a certain time after the heating has been switched off. In addition, aluminum radiators are generally more affordable than cast iron ones. This type of radiators heats up more quickly because they are very good conductors of heat . It is an assembly of several elements so they present more risk of leaks. In addition, they are noted as the least bulky and the most aesthetic .
As a general rule, it is not recommended to mix the materials too much, so it should be understood that once your choice has been made it is preferable to put the same radiators in all the rooms of the home .
There are also vertical models as well as horizontal models , but in practice this does not change much to the performance of your central heating radiators. This deal is more a matter of design and personal choice, but also of practicality in your home. The power on the other hand must play an important role in the selection of the model which you will have to choose. The power required for your radiators will depend entirely on your home, since it relates to the volume of the rooms and their insulation.. As a general rule, a 3 kW radiator is recommended for a room of 30 m2. Of course this is an average and it is better to go through a professional because each case is specific.
HOW TO PROPERLY MAINTAIN YOUR CENTRAL HEATING RADIATOR?
It is important to ensure that your radiator is properly maintained, initially to ensure its longevity and its proper functioning, but also to avoid overconsumption of electricity. During this operation you will hear of two terms: sludge removal and purging . It is indeed necessary to ask for explanations on the meaning of these.
The sludge removal is a simple technique that eliminates sludge accumulated in your network to prevent water that circulates is corrosive and damages your system. There are certain signs that there is sludge inside your piping system , for example your central heating radiators suddenly make a lot of noise or they are partially cold. It is a sign that something must be done; first, it is advisable to bleed your radiators . And therefore to evacuate the air present in a hot water radiator. If the operation is not conclusive, you will have the choice between two types of sludge removal:
Or hydrodynamic sludge removal which consists of injecting high pressure air into the circuits.
Or chemical sludge , more common, which consists of introducing a chemical into the piping network.
HOW MUCH DOES A CENTRAL HEATING RADIATOR COST? HOW TO SAVE MONEY?
It is certain that the complete installation of radiators for central heating comes at a cost. Indeed, you will need a budget within a fairly wide price range , initially determined by the type of product chosen:
Although, the budget initially seems important, it should not be forgotten that initially this type of radiator allows in the state to make quite significant savings on your electric bill which makes the investment already worthwhile.
But additional means exist to make your installation even more profitable and still save on your bills . Providing yourself with a thermostat, for example, is currently one of the best known tips to reduce the cost of your radiators , you can also think of reducing the temperature.
A constant and daily maintenance of all your central heating system will also allow you to achieve significant savings by year end.