Old Style Radiator

G

gsh3451

Guest
I am considering getting old style cast-iron or steel radiators, and am looking for any advice regarding them. They have been described by some people as old schoolhouse radiators and I feel they would add character to our house.
Thanks in advance
 
We've just put in cast iron radiators and can recommend them. They are nice objects in themselves and give good heat. Generally they take longer to heat up and retain heat longer, so you switch them on an hour before you need them and turn them off an hour earlier. They are not as easy to find as you might think- they're expensive and not that popular in modern buildings. We got ours from Hevac in Coolock. Declan there is good to deal with and will give the trade discount of 20%. Wherever you buy, it's worth asking for a discount. We were looking for the ornate kind and these are made by several manufacturers. Priced them in the UK but including shipping it was not cheaper. There is a company in Wicklow who seemed competitive- Google.
Some watch-outs: they weigh a lot and you wouldn't fit them after you've 'done' wooden floors given a choice; they hold more water and the piping may need a wider bore- ours did.You can find them in salvage yards- this would clearly be cheaper if you have the time and wanted to get into painting/sourcing fittings etc. Some of the new ones come painted in a small choice of colours and some can custom-paint- we left ours the dark gun-metal they come and that's handsome.Generally they are pleasing objects and instantly look like original features in an old house... so no doubt adding value. Hope this helps- good hunting.
 
And there is a reason why you find them in scrap yards-they are scrap concerning efficiency.
 
A couple of years ago we replace old rads with the newer rads with the fins (the zig-zags between the dounle rads), and the difference was hugh.....house is much warmer, and I can say it looks any worse...
 
Diverging views there GSH, which is healthy. Having lived in a lot of variously heated homes and paid plenty of fuel bills I still recommend them. As they do the job perfectly well and you don't need to run them for any longer, the efficiency argument seems specious. In fact, replacing the rads presented the opportunity to re-assess the BTU output per room and we were able to revise downwards. Forgot to say we left the 'modern' rads in the upper bedrooms and bathroom, where immediate heat is preferable.
One longer view of the efficiency aspect may be to ask whether the slimline rads rolling off the production line today will last long enough to make it to a 22nd century salvage yard. Different strokes for different folks, and if you like them you like them.
 
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