TECHNICAL BULLETIN
ISSUE 36
DECEMBER 2020
RADIATORS WHAT YOU CAN CHECK FOR DURING A SURVEY ANDY FLOOK, BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR, SAVA
Radiators are the most common heat emitter in residential dwellings and they play an important role in heating our homes yet generally, radiators are not reported on in surveys. Older, unmaintained radiators can be inefficient, and this article explains the reasons why and simple checks you can make during a survey to provide clients with useful information with regards to the often-overlooked radiator. How radiators work
Radiators in domestic dwellings are designed to heat the surrounding space through both radiation and convection. A radiator is generally heated through a primary heat source such as a central heating boiler or heat pump. The primary heat source creates heat (ordinarily by burning a fuel such as natural gas, oil, or LPG) which is then pumped around a heating circuit through each radiator. A conventional radiator will have an inlet and outlet to enable hot water to run through the radiator and a closable air vent towards the top which allows the periodic release of any air that may have entered the system.
Figure 1 – direction of water flow through a radiator
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