Radiators move with the times
Traditional-style radiators are well suited to the lower water temperatures associated with heat sources such as condensing boilers and heat pumps, says John Colling.
Radiators work well with lower water temperatures. It seems such a simple sentence, but it is an important message for our industry — and one which is not recognised as the plain fact that it is. In an age where technology such as heat pumps and condensing boilers increasingly provide us with an economical and eco-friendly way of providing heating, this message is as important as ever.
Quite often, the perceptions people base their decisions upon are not solid fact, and the potential effects of misconceptions about the efficacy of radiators with eco sources led to the launch of a new report into the future of the product earlier this year.
When the Manufacturers’ Association of Radiators & Convectors (MARC) launched that report, we were careful to base the findings upon fact, not fiction. Heartening for the industry as a whole, the facts pointed to radiators as the smart choice for the future of heating.
These facts ranged from the vast numbers of homes which currently have radiators to the use of the products during Winter months for drying clothes.
But most interesting, especially in this eco-focused era, was the efficiency of radiators with low-water-temperature sources.
Tests clearly showed that, in modern and sufficiently insulated buildings, panel radiators can be operated with supply temperatures of 40°C and below without any problems.
This capability is aided by advances in welding techniques developed by people in our industry in the 1980s, which allowed convectors to be attached to panel radiators, increasing output and paving the way for smaller products to become very efficient.
Another key reason why radiators do not need to be bigger to perform well with lower supply temperatures revolves around developments in building insulation and related technology.
This means better insulation qualities in buildings than in those the standard calculations are based upon, which also applies to renovations. In such buildings, heat demand is sometimes so low that a small number of cleverly positioned and dimensioned radiators can fully meet the heating needs. Similar smart system design can provide efficient heat for commercial premises.
The potential for reducing costs is massive, not considering the already reasonable price of radiators, their excellent shelf life of up to 40 years, and the lack of annual maintenance requirements. An up-to-date panel radiator with low supply temperatures, in the right conditions, can achieve an average cost reduction of 15% while giving a much higher degree of thermal comfort.
Tests on a reduced supply temperature with a new boiler and radiators can bring as much as 40% lower costs.
As the whole system is less prone to faults than other emitters and panel radiators are 100% recyclable, it is easy to see that there are countless reasons why radiators are still at the forefront of the market.
However, care must be taken when selecting a radiator because of a worrying trend, which must be wiped out.
Most steel-panel radiators sold in the UK — in excess of 65% — are manufactured in this country. As an industry, and in an era where the trade deficit is in excess of £4 billion a month, we are proud that we are selling more of our own products here than are being imported and we are protective of the reputation of the UK radiator market.
So, when the issue of radiators being imported from overseas and claiming output levels in excess of their actual capability arises, sometimes significantly so, we are understandably concerned about that reputation.
When a radiator is marketed as being able to offer a certain output, this should be based upon fact — and the product should be capable of doing so, because efficiency is the key to modern heating.
That is why, as representatives of more than 90% of the UK radiator industry, those of us which comprise MARC are calling for zero tolerance on companies which mislead customers on the output of their products.
Our industry’s customers, whether they are plumbers, heating engineers or the end users themselves, are being misled by such false claims on packaging and in marketing materials — and it is time that a stop was put to such practices.
So, how do you make sure that you do not fall victim to this problem?
The simplest answer is to check for the industry kitemark. Anybody buying a radiator should look out for the British Standard (BS) EN442 accreditation on packaging or on the product itself. If it is not there, move on, this product is not for you.
Radiators sold in the UK have to conform to and have outputs verified to BS EN442, which is the European standard for radiators. All radiator literature needs to display BS EN442 compliance, which enables specifiers to show compliance with the European construction products directive.
BS EN442 shows that the stated outputs have been independently tested and verified, but some products are finding their way into the country without undergoing this process.
If sub-standard radiators are installed, customers lose out on warmth and efficiency and end up disappointed, having generally paid over the odds based upon the stated outputs. That cannot be acceptable in our industry and must be eradicated.
Real care must be taken by those who buy products, for themselves or their customers.
As well as rejecting such products, reporting goods which do not comply to the BS EN442 requirements to local trading standards can also help to put an end to this problem.
So many steps have been taken forward in heat efficiency that it would be criminal to take a chance on unverified products.
MARC represents more than 90% of the UK radiator market. Its membership includes Rettig Group (Myson, Purmo, Vogel &Noot), ISG (Stelrad, Henrad), Quinn (Quinn Radiators, Merriott), Zehnder Group (Bisque, Zehnder), Vaillant Group (Heatline) and Kudox.
John Colling is chairman of the Manufacturers’ Association of Radiators & Convectors.
