Choosing your preferred type and style of radiator will provide you with a basis from which to form your next design decisions. Radiators from Rutland London are offered in two types, cast iron and steel. Each of these types has their own unique characteristics which should be considered prior to purchase:

CAST IRON RADIATORS

Cast iron radiators offer a unique aesthetic which makes them ideally suited to historic properties. In addition, the way by which they are built means that they can be assembled in England allowing for shorter lead times.

However, cast iron radiators are extremely heavy (in some instances they weigh in excess of 250kg) and can be more complex to install due to the joint design between sections. Both of these factors can be easily overcome, but should be considered prior to purchase.

STEEL RADIATORS

Steel radiators capture a timeless aesthetic which effortlessly blends with both traditional and contemporary settings. Manufactured to order in Italy, steel radiators are considerably lighter than their cast iron counterparts and are considered to be easier to install due to being manufactured to size at the foundry rather than assembled from sections as is the case with cast iron.

However, due to being manufactured to your required size at the foundry in Italy, steel radiators often are associated with longer lead times. In addition, due to the tubular style, there is less availability in styles than is found with cast iron.

Each of the benefits of the available types of radiators should be discussed with your installer prior to purchase to ensure compatibility with your heating system and project.

Once you have identified your preferred type of radiator (cast iron or steel) you should then identify the style of radiator you prefer. At this stage, you should not overly worry about sizing, but instead focus on the various aesthetic styles available and whether you require floor mounted, or wall mounted radiators.

Ensuring your radiators are correctly sized for each respective interior space within your project is essential to ensure the efficient operation of radiators once installed. To ensure accuracy, we recommend you arrange for your heating engineer to undertake a detailed survey whereby property construction type, room sizes and window details are all captured amongst other relevant characteristics which can affect your heating requirements.

For those working with historic properties, it is always helpful to advise your heating engineer of any unique requirements such as draughty windows so that a pragmatic view can be taken as to what impact this may have on your heat requirements.

During this survey, your heating engineer should also look to confirm the Delta at which your heating system is operating. Most modern heating systems (powered by a condensing boiler) operate at Delta T50 but if you operate an air source heat pump, your Delta may be lower.

Once this survey has been completed, you should have a wattage requirement* for each space which will inform your decision with regards to sizing alongside any size limitations which you need to be aware of.

*Please note: in the latest guidance (2014 onwards), radiator heat outputs should be in Watts. Many engineers and designers still work in BTUs and Rutland London would be delighted to assist you in converting from either unit.

Alongside collecting heat output requirements, you should also record any limitations which may limit your choice of radiator. Common limitations include:

EXISTING PIPEWORK

Particularly in historic properties, pipework may not be able to be moved. In addition, it should be noted that moving pipework can be costly.

WINDOWS & FEATURES

Often, the height of window sills and other features within your space may limit your options when it comes to sizing your radiators. 

COST & LEAD TIME

Ordering bespoke sized radiators may ensure you are able to meet heat requirements, but bespoke radiators are often more expensive and can take a little longer to manufacture. It should however be noted that bespoke sizing may save money on installation if the product can be manufactured to meet your existing pipework arrangements.

Once you have identified your required heat requirements along with any limitations, you should now be in the position to “size” your radiators. There are three ways to approach this:

HEAT OUTPUT BASED

Ideally suited to new-builds where limitations may be minimal, this approach looks purely at the heat output required in each space. If for example you require 770 Watts, you would specify a suitable radiator (with an output within 10% of this figure) regardless of size.

This approach can lead to clashes onsite if limitations are not considered, but does generally ensure your radiators will provide a sufficient heat output.

LIMITATION BASED

This approach looks purely at the limitations and bases the radiator sizes on these. This is a common approach in historic / listed properties where there may be an obligation for radiators to match the sizes of previous radiators as closely as possible.

This approach can lead to radiators being inefficient due to either underheating or overheating the space.

HYBRID BASED

This hybrid approach is the preferred sizing method in most instances. It aims to balance your heat output requirements with any applicable limitations to identify required radiators which satisfy both requirements and limitations.

The final part of selecting your radiators is to confirm your preferred colour for each radiator. Rutland London is able to offer our radiators both in a range of standard colours, but also in a colour of your choice from popular paint brands including Farrow & Ball, Little Greene, Edward Bulmer and Paint & Paper Library amongst many others.

Paint finishes are achieved with a '2-pack' paint formula similar to that used by the automotive industry and are applied via complex compressed air systems to ensure a uniform, durable finish.

There is no doubt that luxury radiators are a significant investment which we hope will serve you for many years to come. However, there are several considerations which albeit not exhaustive, should be considered when specifying your radiators.

UK policy appears to focus ever-more closely on air source heat pumps (ASHP) and therefore we consider it to be prudent that you consider this when specifying radiators. As a rough rule-of-thumb, the resultant impact of an air source heat pump is that your heating system will likely operate at a lower delta - eg, Delta 30. A lower Delta will mean you will need to increase the size of your radiators.

Rutland London understands that choosing new radiators may seem daunting. Our experienced colleagues remain available to guide you through the process outlined in this guide.. For further information and support, please contact Rutland London via email (sales@rutlandlondon.co.uk) or via telephone (020 7993 6736).

Whether you wish to discuss the ageing characteristics of our 20+ brassware finishes, or to discover more about the process by which we finish each product to order, our team of expert Showroom Assistants are available at our Chelsea Showroom to answer your questions and provide information on our full range of products.

Please note: to ensure colleague availability, we encourage all visitors to arrabge an appointment prior to visiting and it should be noted that Saturday visits are strictly appointment only.

Rutland London (Chelsea Showroom),

Kings Road,

London

SW6 2DX

Monday - Friday: 09:00 - 17:30

Saturday: By Appointment

Sunday & Bank Holidays: Closed

E: showroom@rutlandlondon.co.uk

T: +44 (0) 20 7993 6736