Heating elements are an extremely important part of most radiators!
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From towel rail radiators, standard radiators and Designer radiators Almost every radiator needs a heating element to function. We explain what heating elements are, why you need them and what you shouldn't pay attention to with heating elements.
What are heating elements?
Heating elements convert electrical energy into heat. Although you can't always see them, they are always there, working away, and helping to keep your home or work place warm. Heating elements are not only found in radiators, but also in many household items such as hair dryers, kettles, toasters and electric stoves. Radiator heating elements are similar in appearance to metal rods inserted into the side or bottom of a radiator inlet.
By using a heating element in your radiator, you can transform your radiator into a dual-fuel or electric radiator. The difference between these is that a dual fuel radiator works on and off your central heating system, while an electric radiator works purely independently.
Which radiators work with a heating element?
Electric heating elements can be used in most standard radiators. The only thing to consider when choosing a heating element for your radiator is the correct wattage. This will ensure that enough heat is provided for the room your radiator is in.
What are heating elements made of?
This can depend on the function they are performing. Heating elements are made of many different materials, but often stainless steel combined with ABS. Many can also have a stylish exterior, such as B. a chrome finish that matches other chrome bathroom fixtures.
It should be noted that not all radiators require a metal heating element. For example, high-resistance PTC heating elements, refractory ceramics, thick film heating, polymer PTC rubber and composite materials or coated elements and many other non-metallic options.
What types of heating elements are there?
There are two main types of heating elements: simple electrical heating elements and thermostatic electrical heating elements.
Simple electrical heating elements simply heat up the radiator as required. They range from 500W to 1200W output power. In contrast, thermostatic electric heating elements offer more functionality than manual valves. This means that thermostatic heating elements provide more sophisticated heating mechanisms than simple heating elements.
Which heating element size is right for me?
Calculating the heat needs of your electric heating element is a lot easier than you might think. This can be done using a BTU heat loss calculator, much like looking for a central heating radiator. The key metric to consider here is wattage. In this way you can see how powerful your element must be in order to heat your room successfully.
However, when installing multiple radiators in your room, take this into account. As long as all of the elements together make up your total wattage, you can easily find out which type of heating element is right for you.
