Radiator Heater
Warm water radiator central heating is a very efficient way to heat both existing homes and new homes. Not only does it deliver high levels of comfort, it is also suited to our changeable weather and busy lifestyles. For a long time central heating was considered to be a luxury and far too expensive for most households. Luckily these systems are not nearly as expensive to install as people think. We think you may be surprised at the installation costs.
These systems give you the convenience and comfort of pre-programming the system to heat your home in anticipation of your arrival and allows for control of heating in individual rooms.
How do radiators work?
A boiler heats water and pumps it through piping into radiator in individual rooms throughout your home. Radiator heater use hot water to heat the air that flows past them. Warm air rises from the radiator and colder air in the rooms falls. This circulation develops a flow of air around the room sending warm air from the radiator and delivering cool air back to the heater. The water returns to the boiler for reheating and continues to cycle back to radiators.
Modern radiators are made of pressed steel, which heats up and cools down quickly. Most modern radiators have fins on the back or between panels; this increases the surface area to heat up air and allows for smaller models to heat up a room a lot more efficiently.
The system is regulated by a programmable controller, which can be set to turn on and off at your convenience.
The boiler can run on a variety of fuel sources:
- Natural gas
- LPG
- Diesel
- Wood
These systems can also be installed with a heat pump water heater. This system relies on a heat pump to transfer heat energy from outside air to the water that circulates through the radiator heater.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Radiator
Advantages:
- Easy to run
- Heats the whole house
- Discreet and stylish design
- Healthy and safe
- Can add value to your home
- Easy to control
- Can be installed to new or existing homes
Disadvantages:
- Water transfer central heating systems are more efficient than air transfer systems, but are more expensive to install
- Water transfer systems require a new hot water system
What to look out for
There are many variables that can influence the cost of installation. Before choosing a system you need to research which one is best for you. You’ll need to consider your family’s needs, house size, cost, installation, availability of fuel to keep it running and design. It pays to consult with the experts to make sure your choice is right for you.
Here are some other things to keep in mind:
- Latest technology: The next generation of central heating systems will be controlled from your smartphone and will intuitively sense which areas to warm up and when.
- Design: The investment into research and development has resulted in a range of sleek and chic radiators. Not only is there a model for every style of home, they can also be painted to blend with your wall colour.
- Energy efficiency: Choosing a system that is correctly sized to your home is essential for efficiency. Make sure you consult with the professionals to confirm the right size for your home.
Radiator Installation costs
Typically the cost to install a radiator central heating system depends on many things:
- The size of your home
- The number of rooms you’d like to heat
- The availability of fuel sources
- The type of water heater to be installed
- The accessibility to install the system (this mainly affects the labour costs)
A classic installation in a 3 bedroom home with design will include the following:
- 1 heater unit (boiler or hot water heat pump)
- 7 x 1kW radiators (sized to suit)
- All labour and materials involved
- Plumbing and gasfitting work
- Commissioning and certification
We design each central heating system to your home and individual needs, as there is never a one size fits all solution to central heating. Therefore, we tailor our costs and packages accordingly. Each build is different for us.
Radiator Running costs
Running costs are always unique to each household and there are many factors that can influence how much it will cost to run. One of the most important factors is the heat loss in your home. The heat loss is affected by:
- Amount of insulation in your home
- The height of your ceilings
- The size of your windows
- Do you have curtains
Running costs varies from household to household, but as a guide:
- Natural gas will cost approximately $275 per month
- LPG will cost approximately $575 per month
- Diesel will cost approximately $352 per month
- Firewood will cost approximately $270 per month
- Air to water heat pumps will cost approximately $265 per month
It’s very important to engage with us well before you build your new home, installing central heating system with radiators requires forward planning to ensure there is enough room for pipes throughout your home. If you have an existing build and you’d like to see if your home is compatible with one of our systems, get in touch with us today. We can confirm if your home is suitable and start planning the installation.
Installed new wet back cylinder to wood fired oven 2 years ago..
Interested in costs to install 4 radiators in lounge and bedrooms.
Hi Marc, Shaun one of the directors is an expert in heating. He can help you with costs for radiators on your heating system.
Can I get you phone number please?
Hi, we have installed a wood burner capable of wet back/radiators, we want to install at least two radiators or possibly more spending on cost. Can you give us an indication Of what we would have to do and possible cost. Do we have to upgrade our hot water system, it’s directly behind our fireplace so that helps. We want old style radiators as our house is 170 years old. My email address is theresa.stanaway@gmail.com. Thank you Theresa
Morning Theresa
I will get Shaun to contact you and advise what we can do.
Most likely we will need to do a site visit first.
Can I get a phone number for you please?
Thanks Regan
Hi,
Are you actually able to publish how much a standard 3 bedroom home would cost to install the unit you referenced? (7x 1kW radiator, boiler)
Regards
John
Hi John, I have just had a chat to Shaun, a fellow director and our heating expert. He said it’s very hard to say without knowing more about the home, however if you allowed $12,000 + GST, that would be a good base point. There is a lot of variables, access for installation, what boiler you use, or heating source, what type of radiators, etc. If you want a quote, we can give you one. NOTE: we only install in Auckland, or not too far out of Auckland, sometimes we’ll go to Waipu, or Hamilton. That’s about out limit at this time. Thanks Regan
Can you please quote on installation of radiators into a two bedroom bungalow at Piha please.
Hi Michelle
Yes we can provide a quote on radiators for you.
Please just call the office on 0800 PLUMBER to book Shaun in to come and have a look.
He is a genius on radiator heating systems.
Cheers Regan