What are the best radiators for heat pumps?
Heat pumps heat your home a bit differently to traditional boilers, so sometimes require a few changes to your central heating system.
In this article, we discuss whether you need to replace your radiators when getting a heat pump, and what type of radiators work best with a heat pump to keep your home warm and cosy.
What type of radiators will I find in my home?
These are the most common types of radiators we tend to see in different ages of property.
- Period homes: Period homes often have cast iron column radiators. These types of radiators retain heat well, which is good for heat pumps, but they may need upgrading to larger versions to increase the surface area.
- Mid-century homes: Properties built at this time tended to have steel panel radiators. These are likely to need upsizing or replacing with more efficient modern versions.
- Modern homes: Properties built in the last 20 years tend to be fitted with slimline panel radiators that may already be compatible with heat pump systems.
Do you need new radiators with a heat pump?
Heat pumps work best when they emit constant low-level warmth through your radiators, rather than the short high-temperature bursts you’re used to with a boiler. Because of this, you may be advised to replace some of your radiators when you get a heat pump installed. Radiators with a larger surface area can emit more heat and therefore efficiently get each room to your target temperature.
At Good Energy, we carry out a detailed home survey before designing your heat pump system. In this survey, we calculate your heat loss in each room – based on its size, insulation and factors like windows. We also calculate the energy output required from your radiators to heat your rooms to your target temperature.
Following your survey, we’ll advise you which existing radiators in your home would work well with a heat pump; and which radiators are too small, and by how much. You can then use this information to decide how many radiators to replace as part of your heat pump installation.
For example, if a radiator is only slightly undersized, sometimes customers opt to keep it and accept a slightly cooler than optimal room as a result. It’s also possible to replace radiators at a later date if your budget doesn’t stretch to doing it all at once.
Here’s an illustration of what you would receive as part of your design proposal.
What are the best radiators for a heat pump?
Heat pumps work best with radiators that have a large surface area, which includes underfloor heating. Here are some of the best radiators for heat pumps.
- Your existing radiators might be perfectly sized for your rooms already – in which case keeping them would be the best option for your home and budget.
- Underfloor heating is often seen as the most efficient way to heat your home, especially when paired with a heat pump. However, heat pumps can still work really well if you don’t have underfloor heating.
- Modern panel radiators have large surface areas, ideal for the lower flow temperature provided by heat pumps.
- Vertical panel radiators are also comprised of panels with a large surface area. This type of radiator is perfect for rooms with limited wall space.
- Column radiators are a style of radiator that is usually found in older homes. Modern column radiators help you to retain the style of a period property while heating your home efficiently.
Ultimately, the best radiators for a heat pump are those with a larger surface area, that are correctly sized for the room they are in. How many you need to replace and the style you choose will depend on your home’s unique requirements and your personal tastes.
Get in touch to organise your heat pump design consultation to find out what’s best for your home.
