Why should I buy from Feature Radiators?

Choice can be a gift and a curse, the more we have to choose from the better? Or too much to choose from and how do you differentiate?

The designer radiator market is now full of choice, many different products and many different retailers to choose from. Feature Radiators is a pioneer in this market with 19 years’ experience within the industry. We were ‘The’ original radiator retailer, only focusing on radiators, not bathrooms, not kitchens, we specialise in radiators!

Now in a diluted market we try to stand out by continuing our longstanding ethos of quality products and quality service. All of us here are self-professed radiator geeks with an eye for interior design.

For you the customer how do you possibly select the best company to go with? It would be easy enough for us to write, ‘just use us, simple’, but we think it’s best to justify that somewhat.

If Feature Radiators being the pioneer in the industry isn’t enough then consider the fact that we do evaluate literally every radiator that we sell. A strict process is undertaken when we look at a new radiator, we quite literally feel and touch the product. We obtain a sample in exactly the same way you would receive it, so we can make sure everything from packaging to labelling and how the brackets are sent are as we would expect.

Our range is second to none, just because a radiator exists doesn’t give it the privilege to adorn our website and brochures, we scrutinise quality, style, heat output, size variants, price, to name a few. What you see on our website are the best radiators, selected by people with an extensive overview of the market and in combined years, over 95 years’ experience. The people here have lived through the start of this designer radiator movement when there was literally a handful of models available to the now saturated market with copycat models and inferior models available from one pop up radiator site to the next.

We actually exist! Seems odd we need to let you know that we live and breath and we have an office, 10 humans and the UKs largest radiator showroom, in the online age this is oh so relevant, we champion those points!

Due to the fact we are humans we want to know you, not necessarily down to the knee complaint from tennis but certainly your next room décor ideas or any mood board ideas, we work with you sending emails back and forth, giving you a quick call to check the finer details, we like to communicate, we don’t disappear into the online abyss at the drop of a hat.

We’re not competitor bashers, as we are confident in what we do. That said, something we do want you to know is that a good amount of the first pagers on Google are what we deem as ‘pop up’ retailers, short life span, set up by larger e commerce companies who in the background sell anything from light bulbs to online payment systems, they are far from specialist, stacked high sold cheap. They imitate and we innovate.

www.featureradiators.co.uk

01274 567789

Contact@featureradiators.co.uk

Facebook: https://en-gb.facebook.com/FeatureRadiators

Twitter: @featureradiator

Instagram: @featureradiators

How to turn a central heating radiator into an electric radiator

Electric radiators are an increasingly popular option. Consequently Feature Radiators offers a wide range of electric heater styles including a number of column, cast iron and traditional style radiators as we can provide a DIY electric element kit to convert some of our standard radiators into electric models.

This video shows you how to convert one of our central heating radiators into an electric version with the installation of an electric element. 

All our electric radiators can be controlled via PC, tablet or smartphone using our smart app technology and/or linked to form a centrally controlled electric heating system.  Call our expert team on 01274 567789 for more information or visit www.featureradiators.co.uk.

How to choose a heated towel rail or bathroom radiator

The choice of towel radiators these days is huge.  In this video our radiator expert, Jason, offers a layperson's guide to choosing the best heated towel rail or bathroom radiator for your particular circumstances.  He shows a range of contemporary and traditional towel radiator designs and gives advice on ensuring the appropriate heat output for you bathroom, wet room or en-suite. 

For more tailored advice, please call our expert team directly on 01274 567789 or, for more information, visit www.featureradiators.co.uk.

How efficient are electric radiators?

Feature Radiators are a leading expert in electric radiators and electric heating systems and electric heating is becoming more common in homes in the UK.  So here our expert, Jason, provides a beginners guide to electric radiators, how to judge the efficiency and what choice in electric radiators are now available. 


Feature Radiators offers a huge range of models, sizes and finishes of electric radiators including traditional and contemporary radiators.  We also offer a range of different levels of controls for electric radiators including smart controls to enable radiators to be controlled via PC, tablet or smartphone.


For expert advice on electric radiators, please call our team on 01274 567789 or visit www.featureradiators.co.uk

Coloured and painted radiators

Next time you think heating, think hue.  Why go for radiators in white when the heating industry now offers a rainbow of radiator finishes and you’ll be tickled pink by the palette of possibilities; consider radiators in yummy yellows, rosy reds or beautiful blues that will make your neighbours green with envy. 

With the summer being a wash-out, decorators are using colour to bring warmth to the inside of our homes.  Radiators provide the perfect base for a splash of colour.

“Bright colours are the most natural anti-depressant in the world,” says the interior and product designer Jonathan Adler. “Whenever I look at an orange cushion my serotonin levels start soaring, it gets me in my gut. Colours are cheering, that’s all there is to it.”
Consider Feature Radiators’ Colori radiator, a stunning piece of design that in neutral tones could easily blend in to a white wall, however in an outrageous orange, it’s a different story; suddenly a blast of colour adds interest and warmth to what could otherwise be a dull space. 

Choosing a radiator in an accent colour can really help tie in your fixings and fittings.  For instance, the Svelte radiator stocked in bromine red looks stunning when used alongside red appliances. 

Pastels can work as well as primary and secondary colours, adding a subtle but equally sophisticated finish to any interior.  The Classic radiator from Feature Radiators is available in 100s of colours including baby blues, pretty pinks and minty greens.

Coloured radiators can also be used to develop specific themes within a room; why not go for navy to give a nautical feel, go green to bring the outside in or pick purple for a funky vibe.

If you want a specific colour match, then speak to a radiator specialist who will be able to advise you of the range available.  Many radiators can be finished in colours to match those of household paint manufacturers such as Dulux and Farrow & Ball; if you ask for radiator painted in “Dead Salmon” or “Elephant’s Breath” then it’s good to know your supplier won’t think that you’re requesting bizarre sacrificial offerings! 

So go magenta, not magnolia. Go crimson, not cream.  And don’t go white, go wild!

For information on radiators in a huge range of colours, speak to a radiator expert such as Feature Radiators.  View their rainbow of radiators at their showroom in West Yorkshire, visit their website http://www.featureradiators.co.uk or call them directly on 01274 567789.

Hotting up for Summer

With summer just around the corner, the time to store away the winter bedding and take the heating off its timer is fast approaching.  But before you bask in the sunshine and the harsh winter nights become a distant memory, spare a thought for your radiators.  Not surprisingly, most of us don’t think about heating our houses until its cold.  But when it comes to changing your radiators, summer is the best time to do it.  No need to shiver without heating in the cold months, wait for your plumber to slot you in, or limit your choice of radiators to stock items because you need warmth quickly. 

 
If it’s stylish radiators you want, then there’s good news as there is now a wealth of stunning designs on the market.  From traditional cast iron to cutting edge contemporary designs, there’s something for everyone.  While some radiators are designed to make a striking statement in a myriad of colours and finishes, others can blend discreetly into walls so you barely notice they are there.  There are central heating, electric and dual fuel formats and with a wide range of pricing, there are models to match every budget.  “Feature radiators” are now a firm favourite amongst architects, developers, heating engineers and homeowners alike, not just for their aesthetic appeal but also for the high heat outputs they can provide.  

As heating requirements change to reflect the way we live, the market has been quick to respond with innovative products to match demand. For example, electric radiators, such as the award winning iRad from Feature Radiators, have become the product of choice putting the heat and all year usability into garden buildings and summerhouses.  And in line with the increasing number of sliding folding doors and large picture windows gracing our homes, “trench heating” has been launched, an ingenious and efficient heating solution that has the additional benefit of eliminating condensation and the cold feel of glass.   

Choosing the right radiators for your home is crucial and contacting a true radiator expert will ensure that you get it right.  Look for a company whose sales team don’t work on commission to ensure that the advice you receive is genuine and unbiased; a knowledgeable and solution driven sales person will guide you to the best product in terms of heat output, budget, style, dimensions, finish and lead times; quality is vital as well as functionality, design, and of course value for money. 

It is crucial to consider that your particular situation will have its own unique set of requirements and restrictions, whether the issue is lead time, budget, heat output, limited wall space, design or all of them.  So if you want to review your heating system to find the best way of meeting your specific heating needs, then speak to a radiator specialist. 

Contact Feature Radiators’ team on 01274 567789 or via their website http://www.featureradiators.co.uk.  You can also visit Feature Radiators’ expert team at their showroom where they have over 250 radiators on display:

Feature Radiators, The Old Post Office, 134-140 Main Street, Bingley, West Yorkshire, BD16 2HL.

Heating A Conservatory – What Options Do I Have?

Even with rising global temperatures, a conservatory in the UK will need heating if it is to be used all year round.

There are several heating options for conservatories, and the best choice will depend on various factors particular to your project.

Conservatories can have high heating requirements, due to large expanses of glass, outside walls and high ceilings. Greater heat loss will occur through glass (even specialist glass such as Pilkington glass, or gas filled glass) than through a standard interior or exterior wall. Similarly, conservatories are subject to more extreme heat variations than other rooms. When the sun disappears and the outside temperature drops, good efficient heating enables continual use of a conservatory.

There are several options available for heating conservatories:
· Electric underfloor heating;
· Piped underfloor heating run off a boiler;
· Additional radiator on an extended piped hot water central heating system;
· Independent electric radiator;
· Additional radiator on an electric central heating systems; and
· Trench radiators.

The suitability will depend on how a household uses a space so it is important to consider both the pros and cons when deciding on the right heating choice for your conservatory.

And, whichever option you go for, it is essential that the particular heat output required is calculated, to ensure that the temperature of the conservatory is kept at a comfortable level.

Underfloor heating This option is available in two formats: electric (dry) and central heating (piped hot water). In general, underfloor heating provides a warm floor and will equally act to radiate heat upwards into the conservatory to provide even warmth in the room, with no space lost to radiators. However there are a number of negatives to bear in mind when considering underfloor heating for your conservatory. · Conservatories tend to have high ceilings and big expanses of glass relative to their floor area; so underfloor heating often isn’t sufficient to heat some conservatories during the colder months. Additional heating such as radiators may be required. · Underfloor heating takes a long time to warm up, so planned rather than spontaneous use of the conservatories in the colder months is needed.· This slow response time can also result in the conservatory becoming too hot and taking many hours to cool down. · Certain floor coverings are best avoided for use with underfloor heating – such as carpet, which will insulate the heat and stop it rising, or solid wood, which is prone to split or warp when used with underfloor heating. Tiles or engineered wood flooring (including laminate) are a good choice instead. · Piped underfloor heating systems are often only an option at the design stage of the build and due to the disruption and labour involved, installation costs can be prohibitively expensive. Also, installation needs to be carefully co-ordinated with the construction of the conservatory itself. · Electric underfloor minimises installation costs as it is easier and more convenient to install and can be fitted retrospectively, however with the slow response time and the cost of electricity still being more than gas, running costs could be relatively high. So for many homeowners, underfloor is not a suitable option leading them to look for alternatives.

Electric radiators

A popular and straightforward option to heating a conservatory is adding an electric radiator. As you don’t need to extend any pipework, it eliminates the disruption and cost of installing or extending a fully piped, wet system. Electric radiators are a perfect solution:
· If there isn’t already a central heating system in the rest of the house;
· If you don’t want to extend the existing central heating system from elsewhere in the house to the conservatory; or
· If you need additional heat in the conservatory.
The market in electric radiators has boomed over the last few years and as a result the choice of electric radiators has increased significantly. Many shapes, sizes and finishes are now available ranging from minimalist flat panels in white, ultra modern spirals in chrome and traditional cast iron designs.

Due to the large amount of glass, conservatories often lack wall space; so electric radiator options now include low level and tall, skinny wall-mounted designs as well as floor-mounted options.

Electric radiators offer efficient performance and the nature of their design means they can bring a room up to temperature relatively quickly, in comparison to other options such as underfloor heating.

Extending your piped central heating system and adding a radiator
Adding another radiator to your central heating system is a good option provided you already have a central heating system that can be extended.
Radiators, whether they are central heating or electric, can achieve the necessary heat output required a conservatory in full due to their increasingly high performance.
Following the boom in the interior decoration industry over the last 20 years, radiators are now available in a vast array of designs and finishes, in styles to suit any interior whether it is contemporary or traditional.
There is now a wide range of radiators that are popular for heating conservatories, where the heat output required is high, yet wall space is limited. A wealth of vertical models are now available that can utilise otherwise unused space, short radiators are now often in heights to go underneath windowsills in conservatories and bench radiators offer the option of combining your radiator with a piece of furniture.
Modern radiator valves have also followed suit with a wide variety of models available to match any radiator, alongside offering the option of thermostats that ensure a room never gets too hot and heat isn’t wasted.

Trench Heating

A less recognised option, but effective none the less, trench heating offers a toasty warm room with the benefits of radiators, without the loss of wall or floor space. A trench provides a site for a radiator below floor level with a stylish grille being placed over the top at floor level allowing heat to convect up without the slow response times of underfloor heating.

Summary

As there are many factors affecting heat loss in conservatories, your conservatory supplier or heating engineer is best informed to work out how much heat is needed to keep your conservatory warm. Failing that, a real underfloor heating or radiator expert can work out the approximate heat outputs required, based on the information provided by you – e.g. dimensions, materials, etc.

For more information on heating conservatories then speak to a specialist such as Feature Radiators. You can visit their website http://www.featureradiators.co.uk call their expert team on 01274 515734 or visit them at the showroom in West Yorkshire.

Cracking radiators

Is Jack Frost nipping at your…radiators?

The recent cold snap and record-breaking low temperatures have led the British public to encounter a rarely seen phenomenon: cracking radiators! This is despite the radiators being inside a property and on a functioning central heating system.

But radiators are known as strong and durable pieces of engineering, so how can a radiator crack?

When water freezes: its volume expands by around 10%. A radiator full of water that is in a particularly cold room such as a conservatory, can freeze and the expansion of the freezing water can cause cracks; usually at weld points and seams on the radiator.

Radiator experts, Feature Radiators, recommend some options to prevent radiators freezing and the consequential damage.

Firstly, install a “frost stat”. This is a device that will override your regular central heating timer and thermostat by automatically switching on your central heating when it senses the temperature drop below a pre-determined amount.

Secondly, invest in some thermostatic valves as these have a “frost protection” setting. This means that when the thermostat on the valves measures the room temperature as approaching 0°C, the valve opens a little, allowing water into the radiator to ensure that it doesn’t freeze. However, this will only work when the central heating is “ON” as thermostatic valves are not able to turn the boiler on.

The frost protection setting on thermostatic valves is great for protecting your radiators and pipes during the day when your central heating system is switched on and working. However, a frost stat will ensure that you protect your radiators and pipes when your central heating system is switched off overnight or when you’re away during the winter and it is this period when most frost damage occurs.

Feature Radiators also recommends you consider frost damage when purchasing reclaimed cast iron radiators. These are often purchased from salvage yards and can be stored outdoors leading to cracking. Pressure testing of reclaimed radiators is essential to ensure that radiators are functioning correctly and that they are free from leaks.

For more information on radiators, contact specialists Feature Radiators on 01274 567789 or visit their website http://www.featureradiators.co.uk/.

Oil-filled radiators

Many customers and heating installers often ask for oil-filled radiators when a property does not have a boiler fed central heating system as this was historically the most popular solution when it came to electric heating. However, oil brings with it a number of negatives; it’s slow to heat up, can prevent a radiator from being recycled and is increasingly expensive.

But technological advances have led to a huge increase in the choice of electric radiators available and now no longer are ugly oil-filled radiators the only option.

Electric radiators now come in many formats. A popular option are water-filled radiators, which are essentially radiators that have been designed to go on a piped central heating system, but have been “electrified” with the addition of water, corrosion inhibitor and an electric element. Water-filled electric radiators are quick to heat up and clean, providing a simple, attractive yet inexpensive option to suit many interiors.

Water-filled electric radiators are available in a range of designs, different materials (such as cast iron, steel and aluminium), hundreds of colours, and a wealth of sizes both in horizontal and vertical forms. And they still offer the benefits offered by oil-filled radiators such as portability and availability in both floor-mounted and wall-hung versions.

But liquid filled radiators are not the only option. For instance, the Electric Romana is a stone radiator made of high quality marble or granite. Its award-winning design incorporates the excellent heat-retention properties of natural stone. No liquid content means that it can be mounted horizontally or vertically. Thanks to the particular molecular make up of stone, the warm air is radiated directly and evenly into the surroundings providing heating that is highly effective, efficient and clean.

The latest addition to the electric radiator market is iRad, a radiant panel that contains no liquid at all, emits a high heat output, and can be wirelessly linked to other iRad radiators providing a highly efficient central heating system, without the expense and inconvenience of installing pipework. Using iRads with wireless controllers enables the user to set time and temperature settings as well as being able to “zone” radiators. The iRad is available in a number of sizes and in various colours, as well as brushed stainless steel, polished stainless steel, glass and mirror finishes.

In summary, the developments in the industry mean that oil-filled radiators are rapidly becoming obsolete and cleaner, greener alternatives are now becoming the norm. Increased options mean that consumers don’t need to compromise on aesthetics, performance or price when it comes to electric heating.

For more information on stylish electric radiators, contact Feature Radiators at www.featureradiators.com/Electric or call 01274 567789.

Feature Radiators celebrates Central Heating Day!!

The 1st October is “Central Heating Day”, the day when many people turn on their central heating. And this year Feature Radiators marked the day with a party for their team and customers at their West Yorkshire showroom.

"Central heating has come on leaps and bounds just in the last decade." commented Helena Gerwitz, General Manager at Feature Radiators. “We wanted to celebrate Central Heating Day to help the public recognise the developments in central heating since its invention and how important it is to us all."

Feature Radiators is a clear illustration of how quickly the industry has been to respond to consumer demand for attractive, efficient, well designed radiators, with an impressive range of products made from a wide range of eco-friendly materials and including attractive valves with thermostatic controls. As well as the traditional heating systems that are powered by gas or oil, there are now some superb all electric systems that can take advantage of alternative fuels but can also act as “central heating”.

The celebration really kicked off the heating season as well as demonstrating the progress we have made in keeping our homes warm and cosy.

For more information contact Helena at Feature Radiators on 01274 515734 or email Helena@featureradiators.co.uk

http://www.featureradiators.co.uk/