Question 1

What systems are our radiators compatible with?

Accepted Answer

All radiators and towel rails featured on this website are suitable for indirect/closed systems that comply with 'BS5449, section 1 forced circulation hot water systems'.

Certain Heated Towel Rails like our Stainless Steel Vivianna (https://www.radiatorsdirect.co.uk/vivianna)can also be fitted on a direct hot water system.

Question 2

What is the difference between an indirect and direct system?

Accepted Answer

An indirect system is filled with water that remains in the system and is circulated through the boiler and radiators.

A direct system uses mains water that is continually replaced within the system – this causes an influx of oxygen and bacteria in the water, meaning Stainless Steel (https://www.radiatorsdirect.co.uk/radiators/stainless-steel-radiators)or Brass radiators should be used to avoid rusting of the radiators or contamination of the water supply.

Question 3

I want to install aluminium radiators, is there anything I need to know?

Accepted Answer

Aluminium (https://www.radiatorsdirect.co.uk/radiators/aluminium-radiators)radiators are installed in exactly the same way as steel (https://www.radiatorsdirect.co.uk/radiators/steel-radiators)or cast iron,(https://www.radiatorsdirect.co.uk/radiators/cast-iron-radiators) as with all central heating systems a suitable quality and quantity of inhibitor must be used to avoid corrosion. Mixed metal inhibitors are now readily available from most plumbers’ merchants. Be sure to ask your plumber about mixed metal inhibitors.

Question 4

Are the cast iron radiators from Radiators Direct compatible with my system?

Accepted Answer

Our Cast Iron Radiators (https://www.radiatorsdirect.co.uk/radiators/cast-iron-radiators)are compatible with normal central heating systems and have British Standard fittings. On an existing system, you can replace all the radiators or just the ones you want. It is always worth confirming with your installer that your pipework and system set-up is suitable for additional radiators.

Question 5

Do cast iron radiators take longer to warm up than standard radiators?

Accepted Answer

Yes, however, because there is a lot of mass with cast iron, the radiators have the advantage of staying warm long after the central heating has been turned off. This means that the changes in temperature in a room with cast iron radiators are gentler than those in a room heated with steel radiators.

Most people tend to run their central heating twice per day, once in the morning and then again at night, if a third short period is added into the middle of these two times then the warm-up time is greatly reduced and the house will remain warm all day and night. When mixing standard radiators with cast iron we find that if the central heating thermostat is situated near a standard radiator, the heating may close down before the cast iron radiators located elsewhere have reached full temperature. The solution is to slow down the standard radiator, influencing the thermostat by partially closing the lockshield valve on that radiator (the usually covered end valve opposite the temperature control valve on the radiator used to balance the central heating system).

Heating a home is partly about heating the fabric of the building. Cast iron radiators are again becoming popular amongst heating engineers and architects (particularly for older buildings) as they tend to retain the warmth in the fabric of the building which in turn counteracts dampness and condensation.

Question 6

Are our radiators suitable for single pipe systems?

Accepted Answer

All our radiators are compatible with a single pipe system. However, depending on the setup of your one-pipe system, you may need specialist valves. If you are unsure about the compatibility of our valves with your single pipe system, please feel free to contact us (https://www.radiatorsdirect.co.uk/contact-us)or discuss this with your installer.

Question 7

Do my radiators need bleeding, and how do I do it?

Accepted Answer

Pockets of oxygen naturally build up in central heating systems due to the amount of fresh water running through them - this in turn causes radiators to become less efficient. Radiators require bleeding to alleviate the build-up of air, typically indicated by being cold at the top and hot at the bottom, which in most cases is a manual process.

How to bleed your radiator:

1. Take care to protect decorated surfaces with a cloth or small bowl to catch the water prior to opening the air vent.

2. Venting is best carried out when the system is cold, to do so, simply turn off the heating system and slightly open the air vent (some radiators will require a radiator vent key, others may need a small screwdriver) until water is noted at the air vent (this means all air has been purged from the radiator).

3. Gently close the vent and then switch the system back on.

If your radiators require frequent bleeding, then there may be a fault with the system and a heating engineer should be contacted.

Question 8

Why are my radiators hot at the top and cold at the bottom?

Accepted Answer

This indicates that the radiator may be receiving an insufficient flow of water; typically, large radiators need a higher water flow than small radiators. There may be several reasons for this, such as incorrect balancing, incorrect pipe size or an under-performing or under-sized pump, there may also simply be a blockage in the radiator or there could be pockets of oxygen that need bleeding.

A heating engineer should be called to carry out further investigations.

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