Panel Radiators

Anyone having been born and raised in the UK has grown up with radiators being a part of everyday life; we don’t often give them a second thought as they are just ‘there’ in any room we happen to be in. The only times we are not likely to encounter a radiator is in a newer home or public building built in the past couple of decades or so. Prior to that, central heating systems all connected to radiators throughout the building and they were all controlled from one central boiler somewhere deep in the bowels of the basement.

Bulky Traditional Floor Radiators

Traditional radiators stood on the floor and were connected to either one or two pipes. We would come in as children, throw our wet overcoat on the radiator to dry up a bit, and that was just the way things were. Many of us longed for the day when we would have a newer home without the encumbrance of a bulky bit of iron taking up floor space and hissing and coughing at us without the slightest provocation. We swore that when we were grown we’d have one of those new central heating systems that pushed air up through vents in the floor.

Recognising the Problems with Hot Air Furnaces

Oddly, most of us have come about face 180 degrees because those hot air furnaces are not as tidy as all that. They put dust and fumes in the air and are more expensive to run in the cold winter months than we care to pay for. This is how panel radiators came into being and why they are in such high demand today. There is actually a bit of interesting history to them which many of us aren’t even aware of.

The Energy Crisis of the 1970’s Leads to Larger Flat Panel Radiators

Around the mid 1970’s when the first real ‘energy crisis’ came about, countries began mandating how much energy we could expend heating our homes during winter months. Germany was one such country that legislated homes could heat water no higher than 75 degrees Celsius, even on the coldest days. Because of this mandate, radiator designers needed to make larger flat panel radiators to ‘spread’ the heat to larger areas in order to pass enough heat into a room to take the chill out. If it had not been for the high cost of energy and the lack of crude oil during this time, large flat panel radiators may never have been necessary.

Today’s Designer Panel Radiators

Since those days, panel radiators have come a long way and innovative designers have created some of the trendiest radiators which are often mistaken as artwork. In fact, many people are amazed at the heat coming from those panels which they had thought was an art canvas or a metal sculpture upon entering a room. Here at the Radiator Gallery we have some very artistic panel radiators which have quickly become favourites and amongst the most sought after radiators in our stock.

Electrotechnique Designer Radiator

As one of the most stylish of our vertical panel radiators, the Electrotechnique is elegant and highly sought after as both a source of heat as well as for the artistry it lends to modern homes. Some people wonder whether the radiator has been designed especially for the homeowner since it is so unique in its airbrushed design in pastel shades of yellow, blue and pink.

Entropy Designer Panel Radiator

As one of the most popular designs in our showroom the Entropy is a work of art created by Karim Rashid, an artist that is popular amongst those born of the digital age. The geometric lines are fluid and gracefully weave in and out in sinuous shapes across the surface. This particular radiator is almost as much a statement piece as it is a source of heat and sure to be the centre of attention as anyone enters the room for the first time. Entropy comes in both a single and double version.

Arteplano Designer Radiator

Even as recently as a decade ago it would be almost unimaginable to think that a panel radiator could add elegance to a room but the Arteplano belies that theory. There truly isn’t a more elegant radiator that conceals the heating tubes behind an amazingly beautiful metal plate which comes in a wide assortment of finishes and colours. Two of the finishes can be etched into the metal plate which makes it even more unbelievably chic. If the etched finishes are chosen, you should be aware that your radiator will be unique because of the process used to do the etching. No one on earth will have a panel radiator quite like the one gracing your home.

Nuage Holes Panel Radiator

As part of our series of three fluorescent lit mirrored radiators, the Nuage Holes is extraordinary both in design as well as in function. This particular panel radiator is ideal for the bedroom, a dressing room and is becoming increasingly popular with teens because of the punched-hole lighting that is popular amongst the younger crowd. This particular panel radiator however requires 240V wiring for the lights to work. Because the lights are rated IP40 this particular model is not suited well for bathrooms.

In these times when the cost of energy has gone up more than six-fold within just the past year, large panel radiators can serve you well just as they did your parents and grandparents back in the 1970’s. The larger surface radiates more heat and this efficiency alone is well worth the cost of a new radiator. Even so, our prices are amongst the most reasonable you will find anywhere throughout the UK but the quality of our product is unsurpassed. Whether you are looking for function or style, you can’t go wrong with a panel radiator from the specially chosen collection here at the Radiator Gallery.