Why choose a feature radiator when there are much cheaper options out there? Well most radiators are more of a necessity than anything else, those ugly white rectangles that take up much needed wall space and stick out like a sore thumb against your décor. If you have a central heating system, then radiators are a must. For years we have tried to hide them with covers or paints or even behind curtains and pieces of furniture. Over the last twenty years or so that has all changed.

Feature radiators are a new breed of vibrant, stylish products that are designed to stand out. Many don't look much like radiators at all with their different shapes, colours and designs. They fit equally well in contemporary and modern homes or the more traditional building. No longer are they something to hide away.

The humble radiator has transformed and evolved into something of an art form. We first saw this in the bathroom where space was limited and the new towel rails solved the problem of heating your room as well as hanging, drying and warming your towels. But since then these little mites have crept their way into every room in your home.

Feature radiators sit at the top end of the market with design being of utmost importance these pieces are available in all kinds of styles and shapes with finishes ranging from mirrored, stainless steel and in every conceivable colour too. So whatever you taste in décor there is a feature radiator to suit.

But let's not forget that they can't just look great, over the years manufacturers have worked to ensure that they also perform well too. Outputs have improved considerably and feature radiators are no longer the weaker counterpart when it comes to heating your home.

Towel Radiators for the bathroom have become incredibly popular over the last 25 years or so and we have a gentleman called Geoffrey Ward to thank for it. After holidaying in France he came across a towel rail and thought it was a brilliant idea. So brilliant in fact that he brought one back to the UK on his return.

Initially they were only really seen in hotels or very small bathrooms and en-suites but gradually more and more people have had them installed in their bathroom. Because of their dual function they have become pretty much standard in all new homes and they help save space too which is equally important. In the UK we tend to have smaller rooms compared to the rest of the World and so bathrooms are smaller too, a towel radiator helps save wall space and heats your room efficiently at the same time.

You can opt for a towel rail than runs off of your central heating system or an electric radiator where you don't have central heating pipes present. It is a much more cost effective way to have an electric version and many of the standard products we stock are available as electric radiators too so please do ask us.

Like most things, opting for cheap cheerful can end up being a complete waste of money. Many towel rails will only heat your towels and won't keep your bathroom warm at all so check for the BTU's (heat output) before buying a radiator. You should opt for about 100 Watts for each square metre of room space, and then to work out the BTU's you simply multiply the number by 3.14.

Once you know what the heat output needs to be and the space you have available in your bathroom to install your towel radiator the rest of the decision making process comes down to your individual style and the décor of the room. There are many different colours and finishes available so you can go as crazy or as conservative as you like.

It's a common misconception that designer radiators are all about looks and very little about substance, there is a belief that they have an inferior heat output compared to more traditional panel radiators. This just isn't the case anymore. There is a huge range of contemporary radiators that offer fantastic outputs as well as looking the part.

We think that this is because when designer radiators were first launched onto the market the focus was all about style but that just isn't true anymore. Most manufacturers (and all the ones we work with) quickly realised that in order to be successful they had to offer products that were functional as well as aesthetically pleasing.

Performance is just as important as style these days and so all good quality designer radiators will offer great levels of heat output, in fact this is often built into the design by increasing the surface area of the radiator in other ways, such as the shapes of the tubes that make up the radiator.

The material that is used also has a big impact on its efficiency and the amount of heat generated. For example, something like chrome which is a very popular finish does not radiate as much heat as stainless steel. This is something that you need to consider when deciding which model is right for you, the best place to start is first of all understanding what your requirements are in terms of output.

These differences also help explain why pricing can vary so much from one designer radiator to another even though they may look very similar. Like many products out there the materials used along with the manufacturing process will have a large impact on how much it costs. But this is a good thing for consumers as no matter what your budget is you can usually find a designer radiator that looks great, performs great and is affordable too.

Modern radiators are a new breed of stylish and colourful replacements for the boring white versions of old. For anyone living in a colder country central heating is somewhat of a necessity. In the UK, the heating tends to go on when the clocks change in the autumn and then back off again in March when we finally get a bit more sunshine.

So for many heating their home is a necessary and expensive business and so having an efficient system is incredibly important. Radiators form a big part of any system and modern radiators perform a lot more efficiently than their older counterparts. There is a bit of a myth that the designer end of the market doesn't work quite as well and don't have the same level of heat output. Well that simply isn't true anymore.

So now that the 'boring' technical stuff is out of the way let's talk about the aesthetics. Probably the more familiar modern radiators will be the ones you will have no doubt seen in people's bathrooms but the range of what is available these days is enormous. There are versions to suit every room in the house, even those tricky spaces such as under bay windows or in loft conversions.

We have every shape, style and colour you could possibly imagine and a wide range of finishes to suit every age and type of property as well as suiting your own individual taste. There are mirrored or printed modern radiators available where you can have your own design added to them, or if you want a more traditional looking radiator then we have those available too.

So please do take a look at our range of modern radiators as we are sure you will find something you like.

There are 3 main types of radiator valves; here we will take a look at each in turn.

Manual Valves

Manual valves looked beautiful and are adjusted by hand, this allows the water to flow constantly through your radiator and will continue to do so unless the temperature of your rom thermostat is reached or you turn it off. This means that regardless of the temperature in each individual room, the water will continue to flow.

TRV (Thermostatic Radiator Valves)

Unlike the manual radiator valves, these can be controlled on a room by room basis. They are a really good investment if you have particular rooms in your home that aren’t in constant use and are a much more efficient way of running your heating system. In fact TRV’s are a requirement in all new builds because of their energy saving benefits. They are also great for example if you prefer to keep the bedrooms cooler to aid sleep as this does not impact other rooms in the house.

Each valve has an inbuilt thermostat and so to operate you simply turn the valves up or down depending on how warm you want each room. Once the desired temperature is reached the radiator will turn off whilst other radiators in the house continue to work as normal.

Self Bleeding Valves

Some of our radiators come fitted with self bleeding valves which alleviate the need to manually bleed your radiators. The valves continually vent any air trapped inside which helps you heating system in a number of ways. Firstly, they can save you money by enabling your system to run more efficiently. They help relieve corrosion levels within the heating system and also stop the banging noises that you get when there is air present.

There are two different types available, the HV30C radiator valve is for modern style radiators and the Micro for older types and so if you don’t want to update or change all of the radiators in your home at once, you can still have a system that works more efficiently by fitting these valves.

If you want a radiator to last, then a stainless steel radiator is for you. They come with a manufacturer’s guarantee of up to 20 years purely because of the properties of this material. Stainless steel is hardwearing, easy to clean and doesn’t corrode in the same way some other materials do. So if longevity is a key consideration for you then this material may just be the one for you.

But don’t worry, just because they are high quality doesn’t mean that their looks are compromised. Stainless steel radiators are usually tubular in style and come in a variety of finishes, from polished and shiny to brushed and industrial looking. They suit contemporary styles and are definitely a statement piece. Finished by hand, you can be sure that you are getting a product that looks great and will last you years to come.

So what about heat output? Well this is really the icing on the cake; stainless steel radiators have a higher heat output than most other types of radiator. This means you get more heat from a smaller surface. It also means that it takes much longer to cool down once the heating has gone off and so if you plan it right you can save money on your energy bills by turning it off way before you go to bed and it will continue to heat your room.

Most stainless steel radiators are tubular in design, this gives them that contemporary feel mentioned earlier. Depending on your individual needs these tubes can be small or larger to suit and are available for any room in the house, including the bathroom and so if you were undergoing a big project you could have them installed in every room. We always recommend you get a professional to install any radiators that you purchase, your guarantee is not valid if they are not installed correctly.

Why not browse our range today; we are sure you won’t be disappointed.