A Brief Guide to Central Heating Systems (UK)
If you live in the UK, then, without a doubt, you have radiators. In the UK, you will have either a central heating system (a boiler and a collection of radiators) or storage heaters (standalone units that generally use electricity and are heated overnight, unless requiring heat on an ad hoc basis). Below, we have created a guide to central heating radiators UK, so if you have storage heaters you will need to read an alternative article.
The Central Heating System
There are several components in a central heating system, so we will start with the main one: the boiler.
The boiler: this is where all the action happens. It is usually filled with water, which is then heated using an element. This heat is then pumped around the system. Boilers come in a range of models. Some are large, while others are smaller. Clearly, the more radiators you have in your home, the larger the boiler, although this is not necessarily the case, as the total volume of water throughout the system is always dependent on the water in the radiators, too. The size of your boiler is usually determined by the size of the property. Usually, the choice of boiler is left to the professionals, as they will understand your requirements better than a layperson. Boilers can be electric or gas powered. At present, gas boilers are cheaper to run than electric boilers, but this may change as gas supplies diminish across the world.
Regardless of the type of boiler (gas or water) they all work in a similar fashion, the water is heated using an element or a flame and this water is then pumped around the system.
Different boilers have different efficiency ratings. These ratings refer to the amount of energy required to heat the water. A Band A boiler is more efficient than a Band G boiler, so Band A boilers will save you more money in the long term. However, the higher the efficiency, the higher the initial purchase may be.
In the UK, you can find Combination boilers, some people think that this means they use electric or gas depending on whichever is cheaper at the time, but this is not true. A combination boiler is one that produces both the hot water for the taps, and the hot water for the radiators UK.
The radiators: through a series of pipes, the radiators are connected to the boiler. A pump is then used to push the water around the system. You can find many different types of radiators in the UK, but most common are aluminium, copper, cast iron, and steel.
Under floor heating: this is becoming increasingly popular and does away with radiators entirely. Instead, pipes run under the floor and heat radiates upwards into the room. These are popular, but when they run into problems, it can be serious. They can leak, and when this happens, the floor needs to be pulled up to replace the pipes. You also need to be careful about the type of floor upon which the pipes are laid. Most experts recommend wooden floors.
The system is controlled by a thermostat – which dictates the amount of heat emitted – and valves on the radiators – which dictate how much water pumps through the radiator, and at what speed, which contributes to the levels of heat emitted by the individual radiator.
