Cast iron radiators can be a great addition to any room, but if you have never had one before, or don’t know what to be looking for when buying one, you may end up confusing yourself trying to find the right radiator for your home, But no worries as you can find answers to all your questions regarding this on Radiator Outlet.
Before you start shopping around, it helps to have knowledge about this unique part of the radiator world and why they’re seen as a high-demand item. Here is everything you should know about cast iron radiators.
They are reliable
There’s a good reason why, in this day of designer radiators and electric heaters, why cast iron radiators are still around. They are an incredibly resourceful and dependable heating solution. Although most cast iron manufacturers will be slightly hesitant and usually only give a ten to fifteen-year guarantee on the product, the average product will last at least twenty years.
By comparison, a budget panel radiator tends to have a five-year guarantee on the product. When you want a long-lasting radiator, it could be the way to go.
They are expensive for a reason
Cast iron is a sturdy and long-lasting material but getting anything made with cast-iron is a time-intensive process. You may notice when shopping around that cast iron radiators tend to be more expensive than other styles in similar sizes.
A big reason for this is that the forging of the radiator takes a lot longer. You’re paying that little extra knowing that there’s some craftsmanship involved.
They’ve got the “Rainbow Connection”
In no way are cast iron radiators associated with Kermit the Frog, but one thing that gives them the edge over many modern radiator types is that they can be painted any colour of the rainbow. Cast iron can take pretty much any style of paint pretty well, which means you could buy a cheap cast iron radiator second-hand and do a little touch-up yourself.
When it comes to painting a radiator, just make sure you oil or acrylic based paints, as other paints will harden and chip when the heat is on. If you’d rather get it done professionally, have a look at some of the colour options available at https://www.traderadiators.com/radiators/cast-iron. I’ve seen everything from gold to neon pink.
They have excellent heat retention
Heat retention is an underlooked feature in most radiators. When your heating is turned off, would you rather have a radiator that gets cold and lowers the room temperature immediately, or would you rather have a radiator which can keep its heat for a more extended period, so a room stays warm for longer?
Well, cast iron is here to help again. Iron has a high degree of heat retention, making it an excellent choice when working with tricky rooms that can all too easily have a chill in the air.
They take in more air
Most modern radiators steal a simple design feature from cast iron without us even noticing. If you look at a standard radiator hanging on your wall just now, it may have a row of fins on the back. Those fins are there to increase the surface area the radiator covers. Cast iron radiators do this by default.
Why would they? It’s merely the case that the more surface area you can take up without getting more prominent, the more cold air you can draw in, which in turn will become warm air and travel around the room more easily (remember that heat always rises as it circulates).
They are heavy
One final point I’d like to mention is the simple fact that cast iron can take a few knocks. If you want to have a radiator in an area where lots of people will walk by, and you know objects will hit off it from time to time, the sturdiness of cast iron makes it foolproof in most rooms. The fact they’re heavy also means they can’t be easily knocked over or see surface damage.
Are you getting ready to install new radiators?
If you’re in the middle of making some changes like this around the home, make sure you check out all the latest home improvements posts from the blog right here.
