Most FAQS

  • Are electric radiators expensive to run?

    Whilst gas is currently available at cheaper rates than electricity, electric radiators can still work out cheaper to run than gas central heating or storage heaters.

    100% efficient at point of use, electric radiators utilise every watt of energy taken from the wall, which means nothing in wasted. In stark contrast, other heating systems such as gas, see a number of losses through the combustion process and along the pipe network, so you end up paying for energy you won’t benefit from.

    Electric radiators set themselves apart from competing heating systems through their cutting-edge control. Packed full of energy-saving features including WiFi app control, 24/7 programming, open window detection and adaptive start, they give you infinite scope to finetune your energy usage. Fitted with individual precise thermostats, electric radiators can also be managed on a room-by-room basis, so you don’t waste energy in unused rooms. Set up unique temperatures and heating schedules for each room, precisely adapted to your lifestyle.

    Self-learning electric radiators make this even easier by learning your lifestyle and adapting a heating programme for you. With an unparalleled level of control that’s simply impossible with clunkier gas central heating systems, electric radiators give you endless scope to slim down your heating bills.

  • How do self-learning electric radiators work?

    Haverland SmartWave Self Learning Electric Radiators use built in infrared sensors to learn your weekly routine and adapt a heating programme that warms the room when you’re there and saves energy when you’re away. The first of its kind available in the UK, the SmartWave sets a new bar for electric heating control and efficiency.

    Haverland SmartWave Electric Radiators have three operating modes: self-learning, sensor and manual. The three modes, along with Wifi controllability available when you purchase your SmartWaves with a Wifi SmartBox, give you total freedom to choose how you control your SmartWave radiators.

  • How do you install an electric towel rail?

    Electric towel rails for bathroom installation must be fitted by a certified electrician and are not designed as DIY products. Bathroom heating appliances must be hardwired into a fused spur to ensure safe operation. If installing in Zone 1 or Zone 2 in a bathroom, your towel rails must carry an IP rating of at least IPX4. Always defer to the instructions provided by the manufacturer in the product manual before having the product installed. 

     

    Although electric towel rails cannot be installed as a DIY task, fitting a towel rail is an easy job for a qualified electrician which comes with none of the mess and expense of installing central heating. This makes electric towel rails an excellent retro fitting option in period properties and family homes.

  • What size electric radiator do I need?

    To heat your room effectively you will need to choose radiators with a high enough wattage to efficiently heat the space. To calculate the wattage required to heat your space you can use our radiator calculator, which will calculate the required wattage based on the dimensions of your room and your property type.

     

    You will then need to choose a radiator or combination of radiators which add up to the required wattage. If your wattage calculation is on the borderline between two sizes we always recommend choosing the larger radiator. Under-specifying your heating will either leave you cold or will overwork your radiators, wasting energy and shortening their lifespans. Larger radiators will simply spend less time switched on, saving you money whilst maintaining comfortable temperatures.

     

    Please be aware that the radiator calculator is for guidance only. We cannot guarantee that the recommended wattages will heat your home effectively. If in doubt, seek the advice of a qualified electrician.

  • Can I install my bathroom electric radiators myself?

    No. You should only install your bathroom radiators yourself if you are a qualified electrician. To comply with European Council electrical safety directives, all electrical appliances fitted in bathrooms must be installed by a certified professional. Any guidelines supplied in the product manual must also be followed to ensure a safe, futureproof fitting. 

  • Can I put an electric radiator in my bathroom?

    We have a range of bathroom electric radiators. Any products in this range are suitable for installation in bathrooms but must be fitted by a qualified electrician – this is strictly NOT a DIY task. For any radiators not in this range, we do not recommend bathroom installation. This is because there is the temptation to hang towels over the appliance to dry, which can obstruct ventilation and cause a hazard. In most bathrooms, electric towel rails provide a more practical option, making better use of the space. They give you somewhere to hang your towels while also keeping the room toasty warm.

     

    All towel rails for bathroom installation must be installed by a professional electrician.

  • What makes electric radiators efficient?

    100% of the electricity used by electric radiators is turned into usable heat, making them completely efficient at point of use. When paired with renewable energy, electric radiators are a carbon-neutral heating solution. But there’s more to it than that.

    With a wealth of energy-saving features including WiFi app control, 24/7 programming, open window detection and so much more, there are multiple ways to finetune your energy usage.

    Unlike gas central heating, which is typically controlled by a single, central thermostat, electric radiators work individually, with each radiator equipped with its own thermostat and programmable timer. This immediately gives electric radiators an advantage because they do not waste energy, as central heating systems do, with an unrepresentative thermostat and lost heat radiating from pipes.

    Electric radiators also offer several advantages over other systems such as gas central heating. Firstly, electric radiators are much cheaper to install than gas central heating. They’re also more reliable and require barely any maintenance – you’ll never have to bleed a radiator again or spend money on annual callout fees! But more fundamentally, electric radiators offer much more scope to increase the efficiency of your heating because they take advantage of more sophisticated electronic heating control technology.

  • Where should I place my electric radiators?

    Where you place your electric radiators depends on a range of factors:

    • Installation – if you opt for DIY installation, placing your radiator close to a plug socket is a must. If you choose hardwired installation, you’ll need the help of an electrician to advise further.

    • Positioning – many of our electric radiators are suitable for wall mounted and freestanding installation. Freestanding gives you complete freedom to position your radiator where you need it most, whereas wall mounted fitting allows for a more permanent solution.

    • Windows - some people prefer to place radiators beneath windows, because they believe it counters the effect of down-draughts from cold window panes and frees up wall space elsewhere in the room. However, other people argue that placing radiators beneath draughty windows wastes energy because the warm air produced by the radiator is immediately chilled by the windowpane. Ultimately, this decision is up to you but we’d recommend placing your radiator away from windows.

    • Bathrooms – make sure you check your installation manual to see if your radiator is suitable for bathroom installation. Only radiators with an IPX4 rating or above can be used in these areas.

    • Styling – key for many interiors, the layout and design of your space is a huge consideration. As long as you follow the above, find the place that looks best with the rest of your furniture.

    Please note, as a general rule, we recommend the following: Do not place your radiators behind obstructions such as sofas, tables or long curtains. The radiators will not be able to radiate heat into the room if their surfaces are covered. If you’re heating a larger room that requires more than one radiator, try and space your radiators evenly along the walls. This will ensure an even distribution of heat.

  • Do electric radiators heat up quickly?

    Electric radiators boast some of the fastest heat-up times on the market. Unlike storage heaters, which must be charged up overnight, and unlike central heating radiators, which must wait for water to be heated and sent upstairs through the pipes, electric radiators start heating up from the moment they are switched on. Electric radiators with aluminium heating elements, such as the Haverland RC Wave, offer the fastest heat up times and make great heating solutions for bedrooms where you may want fast-acting heating on demand if you decide to go to bed early on a chilly night.

  • How do you install electric radiators?

    The majority of our electric radiators are suitable for DIY installation: they simply screw to the wall and plug into a normal 13amp socket. We provide a fitting template and all the necessary fixtures – it couldn’t be easier. Electric radiators that don't come supplied with a plug can be hardwired into the wall by a professional electrician - please refer to the individual product page and installation section for more details.

     

    If you prefer a more discreet fitting, or you’re fitting a radiator or towel rail in the bathroom, the heaters can be installed quickly and easily by a qualified electrician. This is cheaper, faster and much less invasive than the extensive plumbing work required to fit central heating.

     

    The ease and economy of installing electric radiators and towel rails make them a great retro-fitting choice for period properties and family homes.

  • What are the best electric radiators for rooms with high ceilings?

    Rooms with high ceilings can be difficult to heat because they hold a much higher volume of air, but we have you covered.

    Ceramic radiators such as the Ecostrad iQ Ceramic, Ecostrad Klasse iQ and Haverland Inerzia are specifically designed to provide lasting and efficient warmth to harder to heat rooms. This is because they use ceramic stones with excellent heat-retentive properties engineered to hold warmth for longer and emit heat at a higher intensity. Unlike other radiators, they deliver an even combination of radiation and convection to warm you directly as well as the surrounding air. This is a more efficient way to heat rooms with large air volume as the warmth delivered is more robust than any standard radiator on the market. Our Haverland Inerzia radiators are specifically designed for rooms with high-ceilings. Instead of using a thermal fluid or solid state aluminium elements, the Inerzia range heats using lightweight ceramic stones. These stones boast excellent heat retention properties and throw out heat at a higher intensity than other heating elements, packing more power into the radiator’s compact body and providing the oomph needed to fill the entire room with warm air.

    Ceramic radiators are an excellent choice for Victorian terraces, open-plan living areas, high-ceilinged offices, stairwells, hallways and community halls.

  • Are electric radiators better than gas central heating?

    Gas central heating is one of the most popular heating systems in the country, used in the majority of homes across the UK. However, in the last few decades electric heating technology has developed at such a rate that energy efficient electric radiators now offer an economical alternative. Innovative new thermal elements, fast and effective electrical components and state-of-the-art heating control features allow you to trim down your energy usage like never before – giving you the potential to significantly reduce your heating costs. Here are a few advantages electric radiators offer over gas central heating:

    No System Losses

    Gas central heating systems waste energy through the pipe system. As hot water makes its journey through the house towards the radiators, heat will radiate out from the pipes, needlessly heating the walls – a red flag for inefficiency. Another drawback with a piped heating system is that the entire system must be activated to use a single radiator – so you’ll be sending heat through the whole house even if you just want to heat your bedroom.

    Accurate Thermostats

    Gas central heating systems normally use a universal thermostat fitted in a central location. The problem with this is that the central thermostat will provide an unrepresentative temperature reading for the rest of the house. Temperatures will naturally vary across your home – it will always be harder to heat a draughty high-ceilinged living room than it will be to heat a well-insulated kitchen where you’re busy cooking. If you have a thermostat set to 20˚C in your living room, your gas central heating will work to heat the whole house whenever the temperature drops in this room – regardless of the temperature in other rooms. In the kitchen, it may already be 22˚C – so by engaging the heating system your thermostat is overheating the room and wasting energy and money.

    Each of our electric radiators are fitted with a high precision thermostat built into the body of the radiator. These thermostats provide accurate temperature readings for each room and will control each room separately – so the radiators in a draughty sitting room might be switching on whilst the radiators in the next-door kitchen are switching off to maintain comfortable levels of heat. These high precision thermostats, minimise heat fluctuation – preventing the radiators working hard to top up the heating after significant drops in temperature.

    Heat Zoning & Programming

    Most gas central heating systems can be pre-programmed to a heating schedule which suits your lifestyle. However, you cannot control different rooms separately. This limits the energy you can save. Unless you physically switch off the upstairs radiators a gas central heating will always waste energy heating rooms that aren’t in use.

    When you use electric radiators, their sophisticated digital programmers allow you to set up a heating programme tailored to your individual rooms which controls the heat across the different rooms in your house. You can programme the radiators in your bedroom to wait until 10pm to switch on, programme your bathroom radiators to switch on first thing in the morning and mid-evening, and programme the radiators in that spare room to operate at an anti-freeze level. This gives you endless scope to reduce your energy consumption and cut down your heating bills.

    No Maintenance & Cheap Installation

    Installing a gas central heating system is a big job. It can take several weeks for a professional plumber to fit new pipes and radiators, a messy job which involves lifting floorboards, damage to walls and sometimes several weeks with limited hot water and heating. To make it worse, at the end of the process you’ll find a hefty plumber’s bill waiting for you. Then, because gas central heating systems burn fuel within your home, there is always a risk of carbon monoxide production – so you’ll need to organise and pay for a visit from the gasman each year.

    Since electric radiators aren’t powered by combustion, they require no maintenance. All of our electric radiators are suitable for DIY installation, a quick and easy process that only takes 10 minutes – so you can refit your whole home within a morning. Even if you prefer a hardwired installation, or you want to put an electric radiator in a bathroom, getting an electrician to install your radiators is still a quick job with minimal installation costs compared to gas central heating.

    Cheaper for you?

    While gas is usually cheaper than electricity, the losses made from the inherent inefficiencies of central heating and the costs involved in installation and maintenance quickly accumulate. For many people, this can mean gas central heating works out more expensive than electric heating. The cost of gas, a fossil fuel, is also likely to increase as limited supplies become scarcer.

    In many cases, the savings made possible with energy efficient electric heating technology, state-of-the-art energy management systems, DIY installation and maintenance-free care can make our electric radiators a cheaper way to heat your home than gas central heating systems. If you don’t want or need to replace your whole home heating system, replacing individual heaters with electric radiators is a great way to make your home heating more controllable at low cost. This is ideal in bathrooms, bedrooms, conservatories and home offices where you may want heat at very different times to the rest of the house. Check your energy tariff or speak to our expert advisors to find out if electric radiators could be an economical alternative for you.

     

  • What’s the difference between dry thermal and thermal fluid heating elements?

    At Electric Radiators Direct you’ll find electric radiators using a variety of different heating elements. Each of these elements has its advantages and may be the best choice for you depending on the space you want to heat.

     

    Dry thermal elements include the lightweight aluminium wire elements found in the Haverland RC Wave and the ceramic stones used inside Ecostrad iQ Ceramic radiators and Haverland Inerzia radiators. Dry thermal elements typically heat up faster than thermal fluids, making them the best choice for precision heating and fast heat-up times. Aluminium elements have the advantage of being particularly light, allowing you to mount radiators such as the RC Wave on stud or partition walls. On the other hand, ceramic stones retain heat for longer than aluminium strips, making them a good choice for heating high-ceilinged and open plan spaces.

     

    Thermal fluid elements are used inside our Ecostrad Allora, Ecostrad Ascoli and our Haverland TT electric radiators. It's a common misconception that thermal fluid radiators use plumbing or pipes. The liquid element is entirely contained within the radiator body, which simply plugs into the wall like all our other electric radiators. Thermal fluids ensure an even heat distribution across the room. They also retain heat well, making them an energy efficient choice in larger rooms you use regularly.

  • Can I use electric radiators to heat my hallway?

    Rooms with a staircase can be difficult to heat because you’re effectively trying to heat two floors: the room will have twice the volume of air as a room of the same dimensions with only one floor. Because heat rises, a radiator placed at the top of the landing will do little to heat the hallway downstairs. Likewise, a radiator placed at the foot of the stairs will send most of its heat upstairs. 

     

    The best way to achieve balanced and consistent heating across your hallway, staircase and landing is to use two electric radiators: one at the bottom of the stairs and one at the top of the landing. If in doubt, consult your electrician.

  • What’s the difference between electric radiators and panel heaters?

    Panel heaters are low cost home heaters which heat purely by convection. Panel heaters heat rooms by warming the air. Hot elements in the panel body heat the air as it circulates around the room, keeping the room’s occupants warm by surrounding them with heated air. Because the elements which heat the air are unenclosed, the heaters are cheaper and easier to manufacture than electric radiators. Whilst convection heaters can be a fast and effective source of heat, they also come with three significant disadvantages which you should consider before choosing this cheaper option:

     

    Panel heaters are less efficient than electric radiators because convected heat is inherently less efficient than radiated heat. This means that you’ll need to use more power to heat your room with panel heaters than you would with energy efficient electric radiators. This will mean that, if you use panel heaters regularly, the increase in your heating bills will quickly eclipse the savings made with your initial purchase.

     

    Panel heaters are not suitable for constant use because the unenclosed elements which make panel heaters cheap to manufacture can burn dust particles carried in the air. Over time this can cause wall blackening and damage to paintwork. Circulating dust particles can also agitate allergies. This is a disadvantage common to all convection heaters – no matter what the brand, price or style.

     

    Panel heaters are less durable than electric radiators because they have to work much harder to heat home spaces. This can give them significantly shorter lifespans than energy efficient radiators. The lifespans of panel heaters often suffer from cheaper manufacturing designed to satisfy a demand for low priced heaters.

     

    So, is it ever appropriate to use a panel heater instead of an electric radiator?

     

    There’s no question that energy efficient electric radiators are superior to electric panel heaters – and certainly a more economical choice for principal home heating. However, we do think there is an important place in the market for electric panel heaters. We know that kitting out an entire house with electric radiators is an expense which can quickly add up. Cheaper panel heaters give you a low cost option which still allows you to effectively heat less visited spaces such as your study, spare bedroom or conservatory. They also make effective top-up heaters for use alongside night storage heaters or slow-to-heat-up underfloor heating systems. Used infrequently, panel heaters should not wear out quickly and the running costs will not make a significant impact on your monthly bills.

     

    That’s why we sell our Haverland Lodel Electric Panel Radiators. The Lodel combines the economy of panel heaters with the contemporary styling and extensive programming facilities of designer electric radiators, allowing you to control the heating in your spare rooms as effectively as the heating in the rest of your house.

  • Are electric radiators safe?

    Electric radiators offer a very safe and reliable heating solution.

     

    With no boiler or any other internal combustion element there’s absolutely no risk of carbon monoxide production, so your electric heating system won’t need a regular service.

     

    With no pipes or water in your radiators there’s no risk of leaks and you’ll never have to bleed a radiator again.

     

    All our electric radiators conform to the electrical safety regulations set by the European Council. Check individual products for details. They are also fitted with thermal safety limiters which prevent overheating by cutting power to the radiator if the temperature rises above the set limit.

  • Can electric radiators replace storage heaters?

    Absolutely. If you are struggling to heat your home with old-fashioned storage heaters, electric radiators provide the perfect alternative.

     

    Unlike storage heaters, electric radiators are completely controllable. They do not need to be charged up the night before as storage heaters do, so you will not have to guess what your heating needs will be the following day. This means you’ll never be caught short without heating on a cold day again – and you won’t be wasting energy by heating unnecessarily on a warm day.

     

    The controllability of electric radiators makes them much more efficient than storage heaters. Storage heaters release heat at a low level from the moment they begin charging – when you may not want or need it. Electric radiators are equipped with thermostats and programmable timers that allow you to set different heating schedules in each room of your house – so you’re only heating when and where you need it.

     

    If you make the switch from storage heaters to electric radiators you will need to switch from your Economy tariff to a standard electricity tariff. Standard electricity tariff rates are more expensive than the night time rate offered by Economy 7, but standard tariffs are also significantly cheaper than the Economy daytime rate. Whilst you will be using more expensive electricity to run your radiators, you’ll use so much less of it that in almost all cases you will still save money on your heating bills. And you’ll no longer have to worry about using electric appliances during the day – they’ll no longer be charged at the inflated daytime rate offered with Economy tariffs.

     

    Alongside these benefits, electric radiators are also slimmer, more stylish and they won’t cause wall blackening – as some storage heaters do. They are also gentler on allergies, because they do not rely solely on convection to heat. Easy to install, all you have to do to switch from storage heaters to electric radiators is remove the storage heaters and plug your radiators into the sockets they used. Whilst our electric radiators are suitable for DIY installation, we recommend having your storage heaters removed by a professional electrician. 

  • Who are Haverland?

    Marsan Industrial, owner of Haverland, were formed back in 1971. It is still owned by the same family today and now boasts a production facility of 7,000m² where they produce more than 300,000 different units annually. Their range of products are sold in over 30 countries throughout the world.

     

    Haverland’s comprehensive range of modern electric heating solutions has been tried and tested throughout Europe, Scandinavia, North and South America, Russia and East Asia, including China and Japan.

     

    Haverland’s technological innovation and manufacturing quality is widely respected around the world by consultants, contractors and private customers alike. Their electrical heating expertise covers a wide cross-section of applications: including shops, offices, listed properties, public buildings, hotels, social housing and many more domestic, commercial and industrial settings.

     

    We are proud to be the UK's sole distributor of the Haverland RC Wave range, Haverland’s most advanced electric radiator yet. You won't find this top-quality heating product anywhere else!

  • Are electric radiators eco-friendly?

    Electric radiators are carbon neutral at point of use. This means that they do not produce carbon dioxide or other pollutants. When used with green electricity generated from sustainable energy sources, they offer one of the few entirely carbon free heating systems on the planet.

     

    Of course, if you’re using mains electricity to power your radiators you may well be using electricity generated by fossil fuel burning power stations. If this is the case, any form of electric heating that you use cannot truly be classed as carbon-free.

     

    However, as the energy sector makes further shifts towards renewable energy we may well reach the point where all electricity supplied through the mains will be carbon free – and at that point electric radiators will offer a truly eco-friendly heating option.

     

    Many of our electric radiators are manufactured from recycled steel and aluminium. These radiators are also 100% recyclable – so when your radiators reach the end of their life, they won’t have to languish in landfill.

  • Why buy from Electric Radiators Direct?

    Electric Radiators Direct are a heating company based in North Yorkshire who specialise in cutting edge electric heating systems. Our buyers, heating advisors, customer support team and website developers work together to make our site the one-stop destination for top-of-the-range electric radiators at the best prices in the UK.

     

    Our buyers have sourced top-quality electric radiators from around the world to sell in the UK at the most competitive prices. We stock electric radiators in a range of sizes suitable for heating everything from a small study to an open plan public space, with a selection of designs and your choice of useful additional features: including remote control, energy monitor and wheels for freestanding fitting. You’ll even find a diverse range of energy efficient electric towel rails for your bathroom. So whether you're operating on a budget or seeking top-of-the-range designer products, we're confident that we can find you the best electric radiators for your property. We're particularly proud to be the sole UK distributer of the Haverland RC Wave electric radiator range – one of the most advanced electric radiators on the market.

     

    You can explore our website with complete confidence in our 100% secure site and expert heating knowledge. The site is packed full of useful information, including a breakdown of every product in our radiator range and a radiator calculator to help you calculate the wattages required for your room sizes. And if you need a little more help, our friendly sales team are always on hand to give you expert advice and a free quotation. Our customer service really is second to none; our dedicated customer service team won't rest until they’re sure that all our customers are 100% satisfied and enjoying top-quality heating. But don't take our word for it – check out our Feefo reviews. Feefo have awarded us 'Platinum Trusted Merchant' status, proof of our reliability and dedication to finding you the most efficient electric radiators for your home or business.

     

    We also offer free next working day delivery on most of our products, as well as a 30 day no-quibble money back guarantee.

     

    For more information about the site or any of our products, give our customer service team a call on 0330 300 4444.

Choosing your Radiator

  • What size electric radiator do I need?

    To heat your room effectively you will need to choose electric radiators with a wattage high enough to efficiently heat the space. To calculate the wattage required to heat your space you can use our radiator calculator, which will calculate your required wattage based on the dimensions of your room and your property type.

     

    Next step is to choose a radiator or combination of radiators which add up to the required wattage. If your wattage calculation is on the borderline between two sizes, we always recommend choosing the larger radiator. Under-specifying your heating will either leave you cold or will overwork your radiators, wasting energy and shortening the radiators’ lifespans. Larger radiators will simply spend less time switched on, saving you money whilst continuing to maintain your comfort temperatures.

     

    Please consider that the radiator calculator is for guidance only. We cannot guarantee that your recommended wattage will heat your home effectively. If in doubt, always seek the advice of a qualified electrician.

  • Do I need an electric radiator with a programmer?

    To make the most of the energy saving potential of electric radiators we always recommend choosing a radiator with programming facilities. To truly cut down your heating to the areas and times when you need it, a high precision thermostat, a digital programmer and the ability to zone your heating room by room gives you the control you need to reduce your heating bills to a minimum. The savings you will make on your heating bills will quickly eclipse the added cost of buying a programmable radiator. Our extensive range of economical heaters includes something for every home, guaranteeing comfort and control on even the tightest of budgets.

  • Should I choose an electric radiator with a remote control?

    We recommend purchasing your electric radiators with a remote control if you struggle with programming, or you want to be able to adjust your heating from the comfort of your favourite chair. Remote controls are especially useful if you are elderly or have limited mobility.

     

    Our Haverland RC Wave radiators and Haverland Lodel panel heater radiators are available with a programming remote control. Whilst the remote control is included with all Lodel panel heater radiators, you will need to purchase the remote as an optional extra with the RC Wave.

  • What is your most slimline electric radiator?

    Our slimmest electric radiators are our Haverland RC Wave and Haverland SmartWave electric radiators, which boast a depth of only 7.5cm.

     

    Our most slimline panel heater is the Haverland Lodel, which combines the economy of panel heating with the style and controllability of electric radiators. The Lodel is only 5.5cm deep.

  • How much do electric radiators weigh?

    The weight of our different electric radiators depends on the type of heating element they use.

     

    Our most lightweight electric radiators use solid state aluminium elements, such as the Haverland RC Wave and the Haverland Smart Wave. A 450w SmartWave electric radiator weighs no more than 5kg – perfect for mounting on partition walls.

     

    Electric radiators which use stone or thermal fluid heating elements are somewhat heavier. For instance, the smallest model of the Haverland Designer TT, which uses a specially formulated thermodynamic gel, weighs in at 11kg.

     

    Of course, the larger your radiator and the higher its wattage, the heavier it will be. To find out the weight of your chosen product, check the specifications on individual product pages.

Heating Technology

  • What's the difference between thermal fluid and dry thermal heating elements?

    In our range of electric radiators you'll find models which use a variety of different heating elements. Each of these elements has its benefits and may be the best choice for you depending on the room you are heating.

     

    Dry thermal heating elements include the lightweight aluminium elements found in the Haverland RC Wave and the ceramic stone used inside Ecostrad iQ Ceramic radiators and Haverland Inerzia radiators. Dry thermal elements typically heat up faster than thermal fluids, making them the best choice for precision heating and fast heat-up times. Aluminium elements have the advantage of being particularly light, making it possible for you to mount radiators such as the RC Wave on stud or partition walls. On the other hand, ceramic stones retain heat for longer than aluminium strips, making them a better choice for heating high-ceilinged rooms and open plan spaces.

     

    Thermal fluid elements are used inside our Ecostrad Allora, Ecostrad Ascoli and Haverland Designer TT electric radiators. It's a common misconception that thermal fluid radiators use plumbing or pipes. The liquid element is entirely contained within the radiator body, which simply plugs into the wall like the rest of our electric radiators. Thermal fluids deliver an even heat distribution across the room. They also retain heat well, making them an energy efficient choice in larger rooms that you use regularly.

  • How eco-friendly are electric radiators?

    At point of use, electric radiators are carbon neutral. In other words, they do not produce carbon dioxide or other pollutants. When used with green electricity generated from sustainable energy sources, they offer one of the few genuinely carbon free heating systems on the planet.

     

    Of course, if you’re using mains electricity to power your radiators you will probably be using electricity generated, at least in part, by fossil fuel burning power stations. If this is the case, any form of electric heating that you use cannot truly be classed as carbon-free.

     

    However, as the energy sector makes further moves towards renewable energy we may well reach the point where all electricity supplied through the mains will be carbon free. When that time comes, electric radiators will at last offer a truly eco-friendly heating option.

     

    Many of our electric radiators are manufactured from recycled steel and aluminium. These radiators are also 100% recyclable – so you can buy with the confidence that when your radiators reach the end of their lifetime, they won’t have to languish in landfill.

  • How quickly do electric radiators heat up?

    Electric radiators boast some of the quickest heat-up times on the market. Unlike central heating radiators, which must wait for water to be heated and sent upstairs through the pipes, and unlike storage heaters, which must be charged up overnight, electric radiators start heating up from the moment they are switched on. Electric radiators with aluminium heating elements, such as the Haverland Designer RC Wave, offer the fastest heat up times, making them ideal heating solutions for rooms where you regularly need heating on demand.

  • How do electric panel heaters work?

    The main difference between panel heaters and electric radiators is that panel heaters heat by convection only. Hot elements in the bottom of each heater warm the air as it circulates around the room. The temperature in the room rises as the overall temperature of the air increases. Unlike radiators, panel heaters do not give off radiant heat.

  • What is a designer radiator?

    Designer electric radiators typically sport stylish contemporary designs and the most sophisticated programming controls. Stylish yet simple, striking yet slimline, designer electric radiators provide energy efficient heating in an package. Our designer electric radiators use fully enclosed heating elements so there’s never any chance of wall-blackening. Designer radiators are the perfect choice to complement contemporary design schemes in modern flats, houses and offices – and can also make striking additions to period properties.

  • How are electric radiators controlled?

    All the radiators for sale at Electric Radiators Direct come with their own thermostats, temperature settings and programmable timers, making it possible to programme every radiator in your house separately to fit within your daily schedule. With a thermostat accurate to within fractions of a degree and 24/7 hourly programming, you can truly control the heating in every part of your home. Perhaps you have an office which you only use during the week, or maybe you only want to heat the bedroom for those couple of hours before you go to sleep? It could be that you’re away at work all day and only need limited heating in the mornings and evenings, or maybe you work from home on a Thursday and like a low level of heat throughout the day. Electric radiators with digital controls make it possible to adapt your heating schedule to your lifestyle, meaning you're saving energy every day and wasting less money.

     

    Many households use boiler powered gas central heating systems which offer limited controllability and are inherently susceptible to heat loss and energy wastage. When you factor in maintenance costs, the risk of burst water pipes and the inaccuracy of most central thermostats, gas central heating often works out as a wasteful and expensive option. For unbeatable energy-efficiency, controllability and comfort tailored to your lifestyle, wall mounted electric radiators offer an exciting alternative to traditional gas central heating, storage heaters or conventional convection radiators, giving you levels of control never previously thought possible in home heating.

  • What is a self-learning electric radiator?

    Self-learning electric radiators use an infrared sensor and SMART technology to learn your weekly routine and adapt a personalised heating schedule to suit. Self-learning electric radiators save energy without you having to spend any time programming your radiators; after a week sensing your routine, self-learning radiators will switch on whenever they expect you to be home and switch off at the times you’re normally away – keeping your house warm and comfortable when you need it, without wasting a watt of energy when you’re away. Our Haverland SmartWave Self-Learning Electric Radiators are the first of their kind available in the UK, setting a new bar for electric heating control and efficiency.

     

    Haverland SmartWave Electric Radiators have three operating modes: manual, self-learning and sensor. These three modes, along with Wifi controllability available when you purchase your SmartWaves with a Wifi SmartBox, give you total freedom to choose how to control your heating – whether you leave it all to the self-learning mode, or make your own tweaks and revisions via the Haverland heating app.

  • Will wifi-controlled radiators use up my bandwidth?

    If you control your radiators over the internet using a pre-existing network connection, your radiators will use some of your bandwidth.

     

    Haverland SmartWave Electric Radiators, for instance, connect to the internet via a SmartBox plugged into your router. The SmartBox connects all your radiators to the internet, and uses your bandwidth in just the same way as a phone or laptop does – where any additional device using your internet connection must share the available bandwidth. You should ensure before purchasing that you have sufficient bandwidth to supply your SmartBox alongside the rest of your gadgets. However, you do not need to worry about the number of radiators you will be controlling via your SmartBox. Because each radiator connection is funnelled through the SmartBox before reaching your router, adding additional radiators will not use up more bandwidth.

  • What makes your electric radiators so slim?

    Our most slimline electric radiators use lightweight aluminium elements to heat the air in the room and the surface of the radiator. Because these aluminium elements are very slim and fully integrated into the frame of the radiator, the manufacturers are able to create ultra-slim radiator designs.

     

    Electric radiators are much slimmer than old fashioned storage heaters because storage heaters are filled with heavy bricks which are used to store and distribute heat.

  • Can traditional style electric radiators be energy efficient?

    Our traditional style electric radiators may look indistinguishable from conventional central heating radiators but they are equipped with all the energy efficient features of electric radiators. With excellent heat retention properties to distribute heat evenly around the room, they heat up within minutes and retain heat for well over half an hour, pushing warmth into the furthest corners of large and open plan rooms. Whilst central heating systems are limited by a single, central thermostat which provides an unrepresentative reading for the rest of the house, our traditional style electric radiators each carry their own highly accurate thermostat. This makes it possible to zone your heating and control the temperature in every room accurately.

Hard to Heat Areas

  • How do you choose radiator sizes for hard to heat rooms?

    For most rooms, choosing your radiator sizes is simply a matter of using our radiator wattage calculator to work out what wattages you need to heat your space. However, hard to heat rooms such as hallways, conservatories, garages and high ceilinged rooms will typically require a higher wattage to reach comfort temperatures compared to better insulated rooms with the same floor area.

     

    Because the heat retention properties of these spaces vary so greatly from room to room – depending on factors as diverse as the quality of your insulation, the materials used in the build and the number and quality of windows, doors and skylights – we always recommend speaking to our heating advisors before making your purchase. Our expert team will be able to give you a bespoke heating plan tailored to all your requirements. All quotations are entirely free and carry no obligation to purchase. Then, if you want a second opinion, it’s always worth speaking to your electrician.

  • What makes larger rooms and rooms with high ceilings difficult to heat?

    All radiators heat using a combination of radiation and convection heat. Radiation works by heating people directly; as the surface of the radiator heats up, it pushes heat out into the room. Radiated heat is effective no matter what the size of your room – however, radiated heat only makes up about 66% of a radiator’s heat output.

     

    Convection heat, meanwhile, works by filling rooms with warm air. As cool air circulates around the room it is warmed by the hot elements enclosed within the body of the radiator. Because hot air rises, warmer air will rise to the ceiling, allowing the remaining cooler air to circulate through the radiator and warm up in turn. The problem with heating by convection is that warmed air can be lost easily through draughts, extractor fans and opened doors and windows. The poorer your insulation, the faster your room will lose heat, so you will need more powerful radiators to keep the warm air topped up. In larger rooms and rooms with high ceilings you are effectively trying to heat a larger volume of air than in standard sized rooms, so you will need to choose more powerful radiators to keep the entire space filled with warm air.

  • How do electric radiators heat rooms with high ceilings?

    Our specially designed electric radiators use powerful heating elements with excellent heat retention and heat projection properties to combat the challenge presented by high ceilinged spaces.

     

    Our Haverland Inerzia Electric Radiators use lightweight ceramic stones which effectively store heat and push it out at high intensity. The radiators take a little longer to heat up than radiators with aluminium or thermal fluid heating elements, but the excellent heat retention properties of the stones keep the heat going for longer without the radiator having to work hard to keep them warm – providing an energy efficient and cost effective heating solution. Whilst some radiators heat predominately through convection, Haverland Inerzia radiators provide a heating output of 25% convection and 75% radiation – so much less heat is wasted heating the air. The stones throw out heat at a greater intensity than that achievable by other forms of electric radiator, ensuring that their radiated heat reaches into every corner of your large, open plan or high ceilinged room.

  • What makes conservatories difficult to heat?

    Whilst the glass walls of your conservatory allow you to enjoy the beauty of your back garden all year round, they do very little to insulate the room. Compared to the walls in the rest of your home – which might be up to 30cm deep with an outer shell of bricks, a layer of foam insulation, an inner shell of masonry brick and a coat of plasterboard and paint – the windows in your conservatory are very thin, typically only 3.5cm deep. The poor thermal properties of glass cause heat to leak from your conservatory much faster than from the better insulated rooms in your house, requiring your conservatory heating to work much harder to top up lost heat.

  • How could an electric radiator help me heat my conservatory?

    Electric radiators make ideal heating solutions for conservatories – here are the three most significant reasons why:

     

    1. Unlike radiators in central heating systems, electric radiators operate independently. This is desirable when you’re heating a conservatory because the room has very different heating needs to the rest of the building. For instance, you may not want to use the conservatory all year round, so you will not want to waste energy pushing heat into your conservatory radiators unless you intend to use the room. Central heating systems do not offer the necessary controllability to manage the complex heating needs of your conservatory at the same time as the rest of the house. Unless you control your conservatory heating independently, the conservatory will either be under-heated or the rest of your house will be heated to an unnecessarily high degree.

     

    2. Electric radiators also make an excellent retro fitting option that can even be fitted DIY. If you’re adding a conservatory onto an existing house, extending your central heating system can be a messy, expensive and time-consuming. Installing electric radiators, on the other hand, is a quick and easy process that won’t cost you a penny. You will already have had your electric circuits extended into the conservatory to fit lighting and plug sockets for your appliances.

     

    3. Electric radiators are available with a wide range of heating elements, some of which are particularly suitable for heating conservatories because they push out heat at a high intensity which can help compensate for the fast rate of heat loss through the glass walls. Our Haverland Inerzia Electric Radiators are designed for rooms with high ceilings, but they work equally well in conservatories where their ceramic stone heating elements provide an energy efficient means of maintaining comfortable temperatures.

  • Why are hallways so difficult to heat?

    To understand the heating challenge posed by hallways, landings and stairways you first have to understand how our radiators work. Just like gas central heating radiators, electric radiators heat with a mixture of radiation and convection heat. Radiated heat warms people and objects directly without heating the air, so provides the same degree of heating no matter what the size of the room.

     

    However, despite their name, electric radiators deliver a significant proportion of their heat through convection. Convection is the process of heating by filling a space with warm air. As air circulates around the room it is warmed by the hot elements enclosed within the radiators. As the air in the room warms, the ambient temperature increases. This is an effective way to heat standard sized living spaces, helping living rooms, bedrooms, kitchens and dining rooms reach comfort temperatures in minutes.

     

    However, the heating requirements of landings, stairways, hallways and other open-plan, multi-storey spaces are more demanding. This is because the volume of air contained in your hallway is much larger than that found in single-storey rooms. Your hallway may be a small room at ground level – with a floor area of perhaps only 4m2 – but if your hall is at the foot of a staircase leading to the first floor landing, you could be looking at heating a volume of air as large as 24m3 ! By comparison, a normal room with a standard ceiling height of 2.7 metres with the same floor area would have an air volume of just 10.8m3.

     

    Obviously, this makes heating your hallway a very different proposition to heating a standard sized room. You cannot use our radiator calculator to work out which size radiators you need for your hallway, because when you put a radiator in your hallway you’ll also be heating your stairs and the upper landing. And because heat rises, a single electric radiator in your hallway will send most of its heat upstairs: your upper landing may be warm but the hall itself will be cold. The best way to combat this is to heat your hallway with two electric radiators: one at the head of the stairs and one at the foot. For a recommendation tailored to the dimensions of your hallway, give our expert sales team a call today on 0330 300 4444.

  • What’s the best way to heat a hallway with electric radiators?

    Rooms with a staircase can be difficult to heat because you’re effectively trying to heat two floors: hallways have twice the volume of air as single-storey rooms with the same floor area. Because heat rises, installing a radiator at the top of the landing will do little to heat the downstairs hallway. Likewise, a radiator fitted at the foot of the stairs will send most of its heat upstairs.

     

    Don’t despair – although it takes a little more thought than heating a single-storey room, achieving a consistent balance of heat across your hallway, stairs and landing is easy to accomplish if you use more than one radiator. An electric radiator at the bottom of the stairs and another at the top of the landing will balance out your heating, preventing the convection heat from your downstairs radiator heading immediately upstairs whilst creating an upstairs and a downstairs zone of radiated heat.

     

    For guidance on choosing the best sizes for your hallway electric radiators, give our friendly sales team a call.

  • What makes offices difficult to heat?

    There are many factors which can make offices difficult to heat. Many offices are physically hard to heat: they may have high-ceilings, multi-storey levels, open-plan spaces or walls with a high proportion of glass. An uneven distribution of staff across the offices in your building can make any kind of centrally controlled heating system ineffective and wasteful, with a central thermostat providing temperatures which are way too high for the busy sales team and far too low for the half-empty accounts office. But no matter what their size, shape or style, all offices share one fundamental heating challenge: how to keep everyone happy in a closely packed space where everyone has different temperature preferences.

  • Why are electric radiators a good heating solution for offices?

    Whilst offices will always be tricky spaces to heat – because everyone has different temperature preferences – a more accurately controlled heating system that keeps temperatures consistent across the building will mean fewer arguments and excellent energy savings.

     

    Each of our electric radiators boasts a high precision thermostat which measures and controls the temperature in each individual office. That means that a rising temperature in one office won’t switch off the heating in the rest of the building – and a falling temperature elsewhere won’t force the heating system to keep heating rooms which are already too hot. Each room is controlled independently, maintaining comfort accurately and without waste.

     

    Individual thermostats are particularly useful in office environments because they ensure each office is heated to the correct degree. Large offices heated with gas central heating suffer from a central thermostat that gives a temperature reading which is rarely representative of the rest of the building. An energetic office packed full of busy people will naturally need less heating than a half empty office with draughty doors and windows. An individual thermostat in each office ensure that everyone stays warm with no wasted energy.

     

    You can also make use of 24/7 digital timers built into the body of many of our electric radiators. These smart electronic timers allow you to set a heating schedule to suit each individual office – keeping everyone warm whilst cutting energy waste down to a minimum. Perhaps the management team always come in an hour early? You can programme the radiators in the boardroom to start warming up at 7:30am. Maybe the accounts team always take Wednesday afternoons off? No problem – you can programme the radiators in their office to switch off after 2pm. And at the end of the day you can make sure that all the radiators in the building are programmed to switch to anti-freeze mode at 5pm on a Friday – so that your radiators too can enjoy a well-earned rest over the weekend.

  • What makes garages and workshops difficult to heat?

    Garages and workshops are useful spaces, but very few are designed to be lived in or heated efficiently. Garage doors are draughty, whilst workshops typically have poorly insulated walls. This means that heated air escapes from these spaces faster than from conventional rooms with standard levels of insulation. To combat heat loss in draughty garages or workshops you can either use more powerful heaters or choose heating systems that heat using radiation as well as, or instead of, convection. Radiators are a much more efficient choice for your garage than panel heaters or fan heaters for this reason – they do not rely solely on heating the air. 

Bathroom heating

  • What size towel rail should I choose?

    If you are looking for a towel rail with enough power to act as the primary heat source for your bathroom, you will need to pick a towel rail with a suitable wattage. You can use our radiator calculator to work out the wattage required to heat your room. All you have to do is enter the dimensions of your room and answer a few questions about the location of your property and the quality of its insulation. Then you will need to find a towel rail that equals or exceeds the recommended wattage. For example, if you have a 2m x 2m bathroom that requires 400w for effective room heating, you might choose a 425w Ecostrad Towel Radiator.

     

    If your bathroom is already heated sufficiently and you just want an electric towel rail to warm your towels, you should make your choice based on the physical size of the towel rail.

  • Can I use an electric radiator in the bathroom?

    We do not recommend installing electric radiators or electric heaters in bathrooms – even if they have a suitable IP rating – because most models cannot be used for towel drying. The majority of electric heaters have integrated thermostats and ventilation which needs to be kept clear to prevent the appliance from overheating. An electric towel rail will provide a more practical heating method in most situations.

     

    Before installing any bathroom heating solution, you will need to make sure that it has an appropriate IP rating for its intended zone. Always defer to the manufacturer's guidelines regarding a product's suitability for bathroom installation.

     

    Note that all hard-wired bathroom electricals must be installed by a professional electrician. Please seek professional guidance before choosing to fit an electric heating solution in your bathroom.

  • Are electric radiators for bathrooms efficient?

    Electric heating is a great choice for bathrooms because it can be controlled separately from the rest of your home heating – useful if you want to save energy by heating your bathroom to a lower temperature, or keep your bathroom heating switched off during the day.

     

    Bathrooms can become inefficient to heat by any method if you regularly leave windows open after baths or showers, or your bathroom has an o extractor fan. This is because the air that the radiators heat will be sucked outside straight away, leaving the radiator working continuously to top up the heat. If you need to keep your bathroom windows open after showering to prevent damp and condensation, you might want to look for an electric towel rail with an open window sensor. These detectors recognise any continual drain of heat within the room as an open window and will switch the rail off until the heat levels have stabilised. This prevents you wasting energy throwing heat out of the window after a shower or bath.

  • Could I use an electric panel heater in my bathroom?

    Panel heaters are rarely the best choice for bathroom heating because the convection heat they give off can be lost rapidly through open windows and extractor fans. Another primary reason we do not recommend them for use in bathrooms is because they cannot be used for towel drying. The venting at the top of the heater and the thermostat should never be covered as this can cause the appliance to overheat. Towel rails are often the more practical choice and means towels can be left to dry on the heater without issue. 

    All bathroom heaters will need to be hardwired into the wall by a professional electrician. Installing electric appliances in bathrooms is not a DIY task. Always defer to the manufacturer's guidelines in regard to a product's suitability for use in bathrooms and make sure that any product you select has an appropriate IP rating.

  • What’s the difference between thermal fluid and dry element towel rails?

    All our ladder-style towel rails use one of two electric heating elements: either a thermal fluid or a dry element.

     

    Thermal fluid electric towel rails use a liquid heating element specially formulated for optimum heat generation and retention. The fluid is fully enclosed within the towel rail body, which uses an automatic valve to maintain pressure as the fluid heats up. Thermal fluid heating elements provide efficient heating with an even heat distribution across the surface of the towel rail. Thermal fluid heating elements are used in our Haverland and Ecostrad towel rails and some of our Kudox towel rails.

     

    Dry element towel rails use thin metal wires to heat the rungs of the towel rail. Dry element towel rails heat up very quickly and respond instantly to changes in programming. They also save energy by heating only the horizontal struts of the towel rail – this is especially useful if you only need your towel rail to dry your towels. Dry thermal heating elements are used in some of our budget Kudox towel rails.

  • How do plasma-style electric towel rails work?

    Our Ecostrad Magnum and Haverland XTAL towel rails feature an innovative plasma style design and dry thermal elements which heat the glass surface of the towel rail. The heated glass surface radiates heat out into the room, drying towels quickly and efficiently when they are hung from the radiator’s aluminium rails. The unbroken surface area of our designer towel rails maximises energy efficiency, while the minimalist design makes the towel rail a stylish centrepiece for your bathroom.

  • Are electric bathroom radiators suitable for DIY installation?

    Electric radiators are not suitable for DIY installation when used in a bathroom. Electric radiators for bathrooms must be hardwired by a qualified electrician – it is not sufficient to plug the radiators into bathroom sockets. Having your bathroom radiators professionally installed is essential to keep your bathroom heating safe and compliant with European Council electrical safety directives.

  • How are electric towel rails installed?

    Electric towel rails for bathrooms, shower rooms and other wet rooms must be fitted by a qualified electrician and are not designed for DIY installation. Electric appliances for bathroom fitting must be hardwired into a fused spur to ensure safe operation. If installing in Zone 1 or Zone 2 of your bathroom, your towel rails must carry an IP rating of at least IPX4. To ensure that your selected product is suitable for its intended use, it's highly advisable to check the manufacturer's installation guidelines before purchasing.

     

    Although electric towel rails cannot be installed DIY, it is nevertheless much cheaper to have an electric towel rail fitted by an electrician than it is to have a central heating towel rail fitted by a plumber. Electric installation avoids the inevitable mess, stress and expense of plumbing work. This makes electric towel rails a popular option for retro fitting in period properties and busy family homes.

  • Could I use a plug-in electric radiator in my bathroom?

    No. You should never use a plug-in electric radiator in your bathroom. Any electric heater for bathroom use must be hardwired into the wall by a professional electrician. You should also make sure you choose a product with a suitable IP rating for the bathroom zone in which it will be installed – see our full guide here. If in doubt, speak to our sales team or check with your electrician before purchasing your radiator. As a rule of thumb, it's also advisable to check the manufacturer's guidelines regarding a product's bathroom suitability. Their instructions will provide detailed information in regard to installation and can help you make a more informed descision.

Cost & Efficiency

  • How much do electric radiators cost to run?

    Even though gas is currently available at cheaper rates than electricity, electric radiators can still work out cheaper to run than gas central heating or storage heaters because they are extremely energy efficient and offer precision heating control.

     

    Electric radiators set themselves apart from alternative heating systems by allowing you to control the heating in each room of your house separately. This gives you endless scope to fine-tune your heating. With in-depth programming available on all of our radiators you can set up heating schedules for each room precisely adapted for the needs of your lifestyle. Only use the sitting room between 6pm and midnight? Set your radiator to come on at 5:30. Prefer your bedroom a little cooler than the rest of your house? Set a lower comfort temperature. Don’t need to heat your spare room right now? Switch it to the standby frost-protection setting. Self-learning electric radiators make this even easier by using an infrared sensor to learn your lifestyle and adapt a heating programme for you.  With an unparalleled level of control that’s simply impossible with clunkier gas central heating systems, electric radiators gives you infinite scope to cut down your heating bills.

     

    The busier your lifestyle, the more energy you’ll be able to save – and the more likely it is that you can save money on your heating bills with electric radiators.

  • Are electric radiators energy efficient?

    Our radiators use fast-acting electric heating elements to warm rooms using a mixture of radiation and convection heat – working in just the same way as central heating radiators.

     

    However, electric radiators offer significant advantages over gas central heating. Firstly, electric radiators are much cheaper to install than gas central heating. With plug-in-and-go installation, all you have to do is mount your radiators on the wall as you would a picture frame or a TV. Secondly, electric radiators are very reliable and require barely any maintenance – you’ll never have to bleed a radiator again! But more fundamentally, electric radiators offer exciting scope to increase the energy efficiency of your heating because they are perfectly adapted to take advantage of sophisticated electric heating control technology. Unlike gas central heating systems, which are typically controlled by a single, central thermostat, electric radiators work individually, with each radiator equipped with its own thermostat and programmable timer. This gives electric radiators an advantage because they do not waste energy, as central heating systems do, using an unrepresentative thermostat and losing heat as it radiates from pipes. In terms of point-of-use efficiency, electric radiators really are second to none: 100% of the electricity they use is turned into heat.

     

    The accuracy of the radiators’ electronic control systems will determine how much energy you can save on your heating. At Electric Radiators Direct, all our radiators boast in-depth digital programmers that allow you to set heating schedules which reflect your lifestyle in each room of your house, ensuring you only use energy when you need heat. At the most sophisticated end of our range you’ll even find self-learning radiators equipped with motion detectors which can learn your weekly routine and adapt a heating programme to suit, providing you with maximum energy savings for minimum effort. The high precision controls unique to electric heating allow our radiators to compensate for the higher price of electricity, and often they will cost less to run than conventional gas central heating systems.

  • Is installing electric radiators expensive?

    Electric radiators are one of the few heating solutions that can be installed entirely for free. DIY compatible and requiring no maintenance, electric radiators can make you major savings on plumbers’ bills, gasman visits and repair works.  Our radiators are easy to install with even the most basic DIY skills – everything you need to get started is provided in the box. All you have to do is screw the radiators onto the wall and plug them into the nearest socket. Simple, fast and free.

  • How much could I save with an accurate digital thermostat?

    Switching the heating on and off manually is a fairly inefficient way to manage your energy usage. Keeping our heating at a constant low level actually uses less energy than repeatedly turning the heating off, letting it go cool and forcing it to re-heat again. Most of us know this but that doesn’t always stop us from fiddling with the heating of a cool winter evening – turning it way up high when we come in and find the house cold, switching it off completely when the room starts to get stuffy, and hiking it up again when the chills start to return. Actually, although controlling the heating like this is not very efficient in practice, we have got the right idea in principal: we’re just acting like very inaccurate thermostats.

     

    Digital thermostats in fact do the same job we do when we adjust the heating – switching the radiators on when the heat needs topping up, switching them off when the temperature rises too high. They just do a much better job of it than we do. The difference lies in the accuracy of our sensitivty to temperature. The digital thermostats used in our electric radiators are accurate to ±0.5°C. This means they are minutely sensitive to changes in temperature. If we have set the radiator to 21°C, the thermostat will switch the radiators off the moment it senses a temperature of 21.5°C. Equally, as soon as the thermostat senses a temperature of 20.5°C, it will switch the radiators back on to keep the heat topped up. This means temperatures will only fluctuate within a very narrow band; very little heat is wasted heating to higher levels, and the radiator does not have to work hard to regain temperatures after being switched off.

     

    When we try and act like a thermostat, switching our heating on and off, what kind of accuracy do you think we have? This is a bit of an odd way to think about our sensitivity to temperature, but it helps to understand just how useful a precision thermostat can be for efficient energy management. If you’re like a lot of people, you won’t notice changes in temperature until you become physically uncomfortable. Absorbed in a good book, a favourite TV programme or a long conversation, we may not notice the temperature rising too high until we instinctively reach to open a window, or remove a jumper. Likewise, we may not notice a drop in temperature until the goose bumps start on our arms. If we were a digital thermostat, our accuracy – or lack of it! – might measure in as poorly as ±4°C, or worse! An accurate digital thermostat will spot a rising or falling temperature long before you or I, so will always make a much more effective custodian of your comfort – and a more efficient regulator of your energy usage.

     

    A unique benefit of using electric radiators is that each radiator comes with its own precision thermostat, so you can be sure that your radiators will produce the right amount of heat for each room in your house. Most gas central heating systems are controlled by a single thermostat in a central location which gives a temperature reading which is unrepresentative of many of the rooms in your house. The heating requirements of the different rooms in your house can be radically different, with different levels of insulation, larger or smaller ceiling heights and different numbers of doors and windows. Heating systems which use a single thermostat will always overheat some rooms whilst leaving others too cold.

     

    This is never a problem when you use electric radiators. Precision thermostat built into each individual radiator ensure accurate temperature management everywhere, guaranteeing you comfortable and economical heating throughout your home.

  • Are electric panel heaters efficient?

    Panel heaters are more efficient than fan heaters or other budget convector heaters. However, they are less efficient than our electric radiators because they only heat through convection.


    Convection is a fast and effective method of heating; however, convection heat can be easily lost through draughts, opened doors and the natural circulation of air. This is because warm air by its nature diffuses to colder areas. Panel heaters have to work hard to keep the room topped up with warm air. Electric radiators, meanwhile, deliver as much as 75% of their heat through radiation, which heats people and objects directly regardless of the movement of air. Panel heaters become even less efficient in rooms with a high volume of air, such as hallways, open planned rooms or high ceilinged spaces, or a high rate of heat loss, such as conservatories, workshops and garages.

  • Is it cheaper to use radiators or electric panel heaters?

    Electric panel heaters are cheaper to purchase than electric radiators but typically cost more to run; this means they will only be the most economical choice for rooms you use less often, such as studies and guest rooms.

     

    Panel heaters differ from radiators by distributing heat purely through convection – warming the air as it moves about the room. This is less efficient than heating with a balance of radiation and convection heat, as electric radiators do, because warm air can easily be lost from the room through draughts and opened doors. Panel heaters also use unenclosed heating elements which may burn the air. This can lead to wall blackening and can exacerbate any allergies you may have. Electric radiators use fully enclosed heating elements so they cannot cause wall blackening. Budget electric radiators are usually the best choice if you want an economical heating solution for the living spaces you use most regularly.

     

    However, panel heaters can be useful as a top up heater or primary source of heat for the rooms you use less often. Our Haverland Lodel Panel Radiators combine easy to manufacture panel heater technology with advanced digital control facilities, so you can make your purchase for less whilst cutting down your running costs with a precision thermostat and programmer.

  • Which radiators do you recommend for homeowners with a limited budget?

    Our best value electric radiator, the RC Wave, is perfect if you're looking for electric radiators with low running costs that won’t break the bank when you purchase.

     

    The RC Wave uses dry thermal technology, a highly accurate digital thermostat and full programming controls to provide energy efficient heating to every room in your house. It's one of our best-selling designer radiators, and sports a sleek contemporary design; It's an excellent all-rounder that's ideal if you’re looking for a great value heating solution that will continue to save you money with low running costs.

  • How efficient are oil filled electric radiators?

    The oil filled radiators for sale at Electric Radiators Direct have come a long way from the bulky cast iron oil-filled radiators you might have used as back-up heaters in the past. Our oil-filled electric radiators are as energy efficient as central heating radiators and much more elegant – ideal for using all across your home as your primary heat source. Our oil filled radiators use a range of thermal fluids specially formulated for optimal heat retention. When the radiator switches on, the fluid heats up and spreads evenly throughout the radiator cavity, creating an even heat distribution across the surface of the radiator. Heat radiates from the front panel of the radiator, whilst air circulating through the radiator’s heated ducts is warmed and spreads heat around the room through convection. The excellent heat retention properties of the fluids used prevent the radiators working hard to maintain comfort temperatures, conserving energy and helping you save money on your heating.

     

    Oil filled electric radiators are often called thermal fluid electric radiators. This helps to distinguish them from old-fashioned oil-filled electric radiators.

  • How efficient are vertical electric radiators?

    Vertical electric radiators are no less efficient than horizontal electric radiators. They use the same fast-acting, heat retentive electric heating elements and are equipped with the same level of sophisticated heating control.

Installation, Maintenance & Use

  • How do you install electric radiators?

    All of our electric radiators are suitable for DIY installation: they simply screw to the wall and plug into a normal 13amp socket. We provide a fitting template and all the necessary fixtures – it couldn’t be easier.

     

    If you prefer a more discreet fitting, or you’re fitting a radiator or towel rail in the bathroom, the heaters can be installed quickly and easily by a qualified electrician. This is cheaper, faster and much less invasive than the extensive plumbing work required to fit central heating.

     

    The ease and economy of installing electric radiators and towel rails make them a great retro-fitting choice for period properties and family homes.

  • Are electric radiators easy to install?

    When it comes to installing our electric radiators, nothing could be easier. Almost all our electric radiators come fitted with a cable and plug, so you can install the radiators with only the most basic DIY skills. Our radiators are provided with all the required fittings to fix them securely to the wall. Once you are done, all you have to do is plug the radiators into a standard 13amp socket. If you prefer a more discrete fitting, you can pay an electrician to hardwire your radiators directly into the wall.

  • How do you assemble a free standing electric radiator?

    Fitting your electric radiators free standing is an easy job. All you have to do is clip or slot a set of feet onto the base of the radiator. Then the radiator can be plugged into a nearby socket and used immediately.

     

    Most of our electric radiators will need to be purchased with an optional set of feet if you want to use them freestanding. If you purchase your free standing feet at the same time as purchasing radiators, the feet will be delivered at no extra cost inside the packaging of your radiators. Feet purchased separately will carry additional delivery charges.

  • Can I wall mount my free standing electric radiator?

    All of our free standing electric radiators are also suitable for wall mounting. This is a useful option even if you’re planning to fit your radiators free-standing. If you decide for any reason that you want to switch to a more permanent fitting, you can wall mount your free standing radiators at any point in their lifetime. You will be provided with all the fixtures, fittings and installation instructions for wall mounting when you purchase your radiators; we recommend keeping these in a safe place in case you decide to wall mount the radiators at a later date. Wall mounting electric radiators is an easy DIY task: all you have to do is screw the radiators to the wall and plug them into a standard 13amp socket.

  • What is the best location for installing a radiator?

    Where in the room should you position your radiators? It’s a matter of much discussion in the home improvement world. The traditional school of thought is that it is better to place radiators beneath windows, because this counters the effect of down-draughts from cold window panes and frees up wall space elsewhere in the room. However, detractors argue that placing radiators beneath draughty windows wastes energy because the warm air produced by the radiator is immediately cooled by the window pane.

     

    In practice, the best place to install your radiators is usually wherever makes you feel most comfortable. If you have chosen the right size and number of radiators, they should keep the room warm no matter where they’re placed – but you might be more conscious of window draughts if your favourite chair is near a window with no radiator, for example. There are only two, fairly common-sense rules that it’s always worth following when choosing where to place your electric radiators:

     

    • Don’t place your radiators behind obstructions such as sofas, tables or long curtains. Your radiators will not be able to radiate heat into the room if their surfaces are covered.

     

    • If you’re heating a larger room that needs more than one radiator, try and space your radiators evenly along the walls. This is the best way to guarantee an even distribution of heat.

  • How difficult is it to programme an electric radiator?

    One of the best ways to reduce your energy consumption and save money on your heating bills is to programme your heating to come on when and only when you need it. Programming your heating to turn off when you're not in the house won't impact your comfort – but it'll make you significant savings! That's why all our electric radiators come with state-of-the-art energy management systems. High precision thermostats and 24/7 digital timers using cutting-edge electronics give you a level of heating control above and beyond that offered by gas central heating.

     

    Programming your heating is the first step to making real money savings with your electric radiators. Our extensive collection of electric radiators offers multiple programming options, with something for everyone – no matter how tech-savvy you are.

     

    Most of our electric radiators come with integrated 24/7 programmable timers. These timers allow you to set in-depth heating schedules adapted to suit your lifestyle, with a different schedule for every room, if you like. You can choose the temperature of the radiator’s comfort and economy modes and then choose which modes to use for every hour of each day of the week. You will need to programme each radiator individually using the control panel on the face of the radiator. Full programming instructions are included with the radiators, and our friendly after-sales team are always on hand to help you if you get stuck. Setting up your radiators initially can take a little time to get right, but then you’re set for great energy savings every winter – and it’s easy to make adjustments if necessary.

     

    If you find programming electric appliances tricky, we’ve got a number of options on hand to make your life easier. Many of our electric radiators and panel heaters, including the Haverland RC Wave and the Haverland Lodel, are available with an optional programming remote control. Remote controls make programming easier and more intuitive, and better still you can create your schedule from the comfort of your favourite chair. Our Electrorad Digi-Line radiators, meanwhile, come with an optional central programmer. The central programmer allows you to control your entire heating system from a central location – just as you might do with gas central heating. This makes programming quicker and easier, however it reduces the energy savings you could have made by controlling your radiators individually.

     

    For ultimate ease of programming, you can’t do better than our newest and most advanced range of electric radiators – the Haverland SmartWave. The SmartWave uses an infrared sensor and innovative self-learning technology to learn your weekly routine and create a heating schedule to suit. The SmartWave will ensure your house is always comfortably warm whenever you’re at home, without wasting a single watt of power when you’re away. For enhanced control, you can purchase your SmartWave radiators with a SmartBox which allows you to control your radiators over the internet. Haverland’s intuitive heating app makes setting the temperatures of your radiators easy and fun, and best of all you can do it from anywhere in the world – whether you’re out in town, returning home from work or on the other side of the planet. The easiest and most effective way to save money on your heating bills.

  • Why can’t I paint my electric radiators?

    You should never paint your electric radiators. Paint can interfere with the radiators’ electronic controls and may reduce heat output. Your radiators will not be covered under the manufacturer’s warranty if you paint, accessorise or customise them in any way. 

  • Do oil filled electric radiators ever leak?

    Oil filled electric radiators are very unlikely to leak. The thermal fluid heating element is fully encapsulated inside the radiator body. The fluid expands as it heats up, and is kept at pressure by an automatic pressure valve. The radiators are not designed to be opened or topped up, so they are very unlikely to leak. Oil filled electric radiators will only leak if the outer casing has been pierced or the radiators are otherwise badly damaged.

Safe Heating

  • How safe are electric radiators?

    Electric radiators are an exceptionally safe and reliable heating solution.

     

    With no boiler or any other internal combustion element in the system there’s absolutely no risk of carbon monoxide production, so your electric radiators won’t need regular servicing.

     

    With no complex network or pipes and no water in your radiators there’s absolutely no risk of leaks and you’ll never need to bleed a radiator again.

     

    All our electric radiators conform to the electrical safety regulations set by the European Council. Check individual products for details. They are also fitted with thermal temperature limiters which prevent overheating by cutting power to the radiator if the temperature rises above set limits.

  • Are heated towel rails safe?

    Heated electric towel rails are a very safe option for bathroom heating, provided they are installed correctly by a professional electrician. Towel rails for bathroom installation must be hardwired into a fused spur to ensure safe operation. They are not suitable for DIY plug-in installation. All our electric towel rails have an IP rating of at least IPX4 which makes them suitable for use in both Zone 1 and Zone 2 of your bathroom. All our electric towel rails come with an automatic safety cut off feature to prevent overheating.

  • Can I use my electric radiator to dry towels?

    No. Electric radiators should not be used for towel drying. Covering your radiators with towels, clothes or items of any other kind will reduce the radiators’ performance and may cause a fire hazard. If you want to use your bathroom heating to dry towels, you may want to consider purchasing an electric towel rail instead.

  • Are electric radiators safe to install in bathrooms?

    Not all electric radiators are suitable for use in bathrooms. To heat your bathroom with an electric radiator, you will need to find a model with an IP rating appropriate for the bathroom zone in which it will be fitted. We advise restricting the use of electric radiators to Zone 3 bathroom areas. Electric towel rails are almost always a better choice for bathroom heating because they are practical, stylish and make better use of the available space. All of our electric towel rails are suitable for use in Zone 2 bathroom areas.

     

    Electric towel rails, radiators and heaters for use in bathrooms must be installed by a professional electrician.

     

    For more information, check out our in-depth guide to IP Ratings and Bathroom Zones

  • Can I use an electric radiator in my kitchen?

    Electric radiators make a safe and practical choice for kitchen heating. Unlike gas central heating boilers, electric radiators do not contain fuel burning elements so they cannot produce carbon monoxide.

     

    If you want to place your electric radiators within reach of your sink or another water source you should make sure you choose a radiator rated IPX4 or above for protection against ingress from splashing water. If you are concerned about the proximity of your water sources to your intended radiator fitting locations you should speak to a professional electrician or one of our expert heating advisors before purchasing.

  • Are free standing electric radiators safe to use outside?

    No. Although our free standing electric radiators are designed to be portable, they should never be used outside. They are not protected against the elements and they will not heat effectively because the air they warm will simply diffuse away to cooler spaces.

  • Can electric radiators be safely used in commercial properties?

    Electric radiators provide an exceptionally safe heating solution. If you use gas or oil central heating, you will need to have a fuel-combusting boiler somewhere on your premises. Electric radiators, on the other hand, are entirely combustion free – a significant advantage in terms of safety because they cannot produce carbon monoxide, so do not require an annual service or regular testing.

     

    Electric radiators are a good choice in commercial and public buildings because they are easy to control, intuitive to use, and they do not require specialist knowledge to programme and maintain. Heating safety can sometimes fall by the wayside in busy workplaces where no-one’s quite sure whose responsibility it is to check on the boiler. With electric radiators you can put an end to that uncertainty with clean, carbon-neutral heating. For added confidence in their safe operation, all our electric radiators are fitted with thermal safety limiters which will cut power to the radiators if the surface temperature rises above set safety limits. This ensures your radiators will not overheat and will stay safe all year round – whatever the weather.

Compare to Alternatives

  • Are electric radiators better than storage heaters?

    Electric radiators make ideal replacements for outdated storage heaters. Energy efficient, easy to install and fully controllable, electric radiators simply plug in to standard 13amp sockets in place of your storage heaters to provide you with economical comfort heating whatever the weather.

     

    Unlike storage heaters, electric radiators are fully controllable. They don’t need to be charged up overnight as storage heaters do, which means an end to the frustrating game of trying to predict what your heating needs will be for the following day. Never again will you be caught short without heating on a cold day again – and wasting energy by heating unnecessarily on a warm day will become a thing of the past.

     

    The controllability of electric radiators makes them much more energy efficient than storage heaters. Storage heaters release a low level of heat from the moment they begin charging – whether or not it’s wanted or needed. Electric radiators are equipped with thermostats and digital timers which allow you to set different heating schedules for every room in your house. This means you’ll only every be using power when and where you need heat – giving you potential for massive energy savings.

     

    If you decide to make the switch from storage heaters to electric radiators you will need to switch from your Economy tariff to a standard electricity tariff. Standard electricity tariff daytime rates are more expensive than the night time rate offered by Economy 7, but these standard tariffs are also significantly cheaper than Economy daytime rates. Even though the electricity you will use to power your radiators will be more expensive than with Economy 7, you will use so much less of it that in almost all cases you will save money on your heating bills regardless. You’ll also be able to use electric appliances during the day without worrying about the inflated costs offered with Economy tariff daytime rates.

     

    On top of these benefits, electric radiators are also slimmer, more stylish and they won’t cause wall blackening – as some storage heaters do. They are also gentler on allergies because they do not rely solely on convection to heat: this means that less dust is disturbed during the heating process. Electric radiators are also very easy to install; all you have to do to switch from storage heaters to electric radiators is remove the storage heaters and plug your radiators into the sockets they used. Whilst all our electric radiators are suitable for DIY installation, we recommend having your storage heaters removed by a qualified electrician. 

  • Do electric radiators offer an economical alternative to gas central heating?

    Gas central heating is one of the most popular heating systems in the country, used in the majority of homes in the UK. However, in the last few decades electric heating technology has developed at such a rate that energy efficient electric radiators now offer a serious alternative. Innovative new thermal elements, fast and effective electrical components and state-of-the-art heating control features give you the power to trim down your energy usage like never before – making it easy to reduce your heating costs significantly. Read on to discover the most significant advantages electric radiators offer over gas central heating:

     

    No System Losses

     

    All gas central heating systems waste energy through their pipes. As hot water makes its journey through your house towards your radiators, heat radiates out from the pipes, needlessly heating the walls – a red flag for inefficiency. Another drawback inherent in piped central heating systems is that the entire system must be activated to use a single radiator – so you have to send heated water throughout the entire system even if you just want to heat your bedroom.

     

    Electric radiators do not have this disadvantage. With a short cable in place of the central heating pipe system, the radiators engage as soon as they are switched on, with no heat loss between the power source and the heat output.

     

    Precision Thermostats

     

    Gas central heating systems are normally controlled by a universal thermostat fitted in a central location. The problem with this is that the central thermostat will provide an unrepresentative temperature reading for other rooms in the house. Temperatures will naturally vary across your home: it will always be harder to heat a draughty high-ceilinged outhouse than it will be to heat a well-insulated bathroom where your family regularly enjoy hot baths. If your central heating thermostat is located in a warm room, it will cut power to your entire home heating system if the temperature in that room rises – so the system is unlikely to keep the rest of your house adequately heated. If your central heating thermostat is located in a cooler room, it will switch the whole system on whenever the temperature drops in that room, wasting energy as the rest of your house over-heats.

     

    Each of our electric radiators includes a highly accurate thermostat built in to the body of the radiator. These thermostats provide accurate temperature readings for each room and will control each radiator separately – so the radiators in a draughty conservatory might be switching on whilst the radiators in the next door living room are switching off to maintain comfortable levels of heat. These digital thermostats, accurate to half a degree, minimise the degree to which the heat can fluctuate – preventing the radiators working hard to top the heating up after significant drops in temperature.

     

    Zoning & Programming

     

    Most gas central heating systems can be programmed to a heating schedule which suits your lifestyle. However, because you cannot control different rooms separately. the amount of energy you can save is limited. Gas central heating systems do allow you to save money by switching the heating off in the daytime when you’re at work and activating it just before you return. However, when you return your gas central heating system will once again be heating the whole house, wasting energy heating bedrooms when perhaps you stay downstairs for the majority of the evening. Unless you physically switch off your upstairs radiators a gas central heating will always waste energy in this way.

     

    When you use electric radiators, their sophisticated digital programmers give you the option to set up a heating programme tailored to your individual lifestyle. You can set up a different schedule in every room of your house, if you wish. You can programme the radiators in your bedroom to wait until 9pm to switch on, programme your kitchen radiators to switch on first thing in the morning and again in the evening, and programme the radiators in that spare room to operate in anti-freeze mode. You can even control all your radiators from your favourite chair with a programming remote control. This gives you endless scope to reduce your energy usage and cut down your heating bills.

     

    No Maintenance & Cheap Installation

     

    Installing a gas central heating system is a major undertaking. It can take several weeks for a professional plumber to fit a new boiler, pipes and radiators – a messy job which involves lifted floor boards, damage to walls and sometimes several weeks with limited hot water and heating. To make it worse, at the end of the process you’ll find a hefty plumber’s bill awaiting. Then, because gas central heating systems burn fuel within your home, there is always a risk of carbon monoxide production – so you may need to organise and pay for a visit from the gasman each year.

     

    Meanwhile, because electric radiators do not combust fuels, they cannot produce carbon monoxide and so require no annual service. All of our electric radiators are suitable for DIY plug-in-and-go installation, a quick and easy process that only takes 10 minutes – so you can refit your whole home within a morning. Even if you prefer a hardwired installation, or you want to put an electric radiator in a bathroom, getting an electrician to install your radiators is nevertheless a very quick job with nothing like the costs of installing gas central heating.

     

    Cheaper for you?

     

    While gas is usually available cheaper than electricity, the losses made from the inherent inefficiencies of central heating and the costs involved in installation and maintenance quickly stack up. With these costs taken into account, gas central heating can work out as more expensive than electric heating. The cost of gas, a fossil fuel, is also likely to increase as limited supplies continue to dwindle.

     

    In many cases, the savings made possible with energy efficient electric heating technology, state-of-the-art energy management systems, DIY installation and maintenance-free care can make our electric radiators a cheaper heating solution for your home. If you don’t want or need to replace your whole home heating system, replacing individual units with electric radiators is a great way to make your home heating more controllable at low cost. This is ideal in bathrooms, bedrooms, conservatories and home offices where you may want heat at different times to the rest of the house. Check your energy tariff or speak to our expert heating advisors to find out if electric radiators could be an economical alternative for you.

     

  • Are electric radiators more expensive to run than gas central heating?

    Whilst electricity is usually available at more expensive rates than gas, the energy efficiency and superior controllability of our electric radiators can mean that they actually end up cheaper to run than gas central heating. As customers grow increasingly frustrated with rising gas bills and expensive plumbing work, more and more people are switching to electric heating as a clean, cost-effective, fully customisable heating solution that can put you back in control of your heating costs.

     

    Whilst gas central heating is still the most common form of home heating in the UK, unpredictable prices and increasing costs are now persuading many people to make the switch to controllable budget electric radiators. Unlike central heating systems, electric radiators do not waste energy losing heat through pipes. They can also be controlled independently so you don’t have to turn an entire heating system on to operate a single radiator, and you can make the most of precision digital programming controls. It is also much easier and cheaper to install electric radiators, making them a popular retro-fitting option in conservatories, period properties and houses which have previously used storage heaters.

  • Are electric radiators safe?

    Electric radiators offer a very safe and reliable heating solution.

     

    With no boiler or any other internal combustion element there’s absolutely no risk of carbon monoxide production, so your electric heating system won’t need a regular service.

     

    With no pipes or water in your radiators there’s no risk of leaks and you’ll never have to bleed a radiator again.

     

    All our electric radiators conform to the electrical safety regulations set by the European Council. Check individual products for details. They are also fitted with thermal safety limiters which prevent overheating by cutting power to the radiator if the temperature rises above the set limit.

  • Can electric radiators replace storage heaters?

    Absolutely. If you are struggling to heat your home with old-fashioned storage heaters, electric radiators provide the perfect alternative.

     

    Unlike storage heaters, electric radiators are completely controllable. They do not need to be charged up the night before as storage heaters do, so you will not have to guess what your heating needs will be the following day. This means you’ll never be caught short without heating on a cold day again – and you won’t be wasting energy by heating unnecessarily on a warm day.

     

    The controllability of electric radiators makes them much more efficient than storage heaters. Storage heaters release heat at a low level from the moment they begin charging – when you may not want or need it. Electric radiators are equipped with thermostats and programmable timers that allow you to set different heating schedules in each room of your house – so you’re only heating when and where you need it.

     

    If you make the switch from storage heaters to electric radiators you will need to switch from your Economy tariff to a standard electricity tariff. Standard electricity tariff rates are more expensive than the night time rate offered by Economy 7, but standard tariffs are also significantly cheaper than the Economy daytime rate. Whilst you will be using more expensive electricity to run your radiators, you’ll use so much less of it that in almost all cases you will still save money on your heating bills. And you’ll no longer have to worry about using electric appliances during the day – they’ll no longer be charged at the inflated daytime rate offered with Economy tariffs.

     

    Alongside these benefits, electric radiators are also slimmer, more stylish and they won’t cause wall blackening – as some storage heaters do. They are also gentler on allergies, because they do not rely solely on convection to heat. Easy to install, all you have to do to switch from storage heaters to electric radiators is remove the storage heaters and plug your radiators into the sockets they used. Whilst our electric radiators are suitable for DIY installation, we recommend having your storage heaters removed by a professional electrician. 

  • Are electric radiators eco-friendly?

    Electric radiators are carbon neutral at point of use. This means that they do not produce carbon dioxide or other pollutants. When used with green electricity generated from sustainable energy sources, they offer one of the few entirely carbon free heating systems on the planet.

     

    Of course, if you’re using mains electricity to power your radiators you may well be using electricity generated by fossil fuel burning power stations. If this is the case, any form of electric heating that you use cannot truly be classed as carbon-free.

     

    However, as the energy sector makes further shifts towards renewable energy we may well reach the point where all electricity supplied through the mains will be carbon free – and at that point electric radiators will offer a truly eco-friendly heating option.

     

    Many of our electric radiators are manufactured from recycled steel and aluminium. These radiators are also 100% recyclable – so when your radiators reach the end of their life, they won’t have to languish in landfill.

  • Why buy from Electric Radiators Direct?

    Electric Radiators Direct are a heating company based in North Yorkshire who specialise in cutting edge electric heating systems. Our buyers, heating advisors, customer support team and website developers work together to make our site the one-stop destination for top-of-the-range electric radiators at the best prices in the UK.

     

    Our buyers have sourced top-quality electric radiators from around the world to sell in the UK at the most competitive prices. We stock electric radiators in a range of sizes suitable for heating everything from a small study to an open plan public space, with a selection of designs and your choice of useful additional features: including remote control, energy monitor and wheels for freestanding fitting. You’ll even find a diverse range of energy efficient electric towel rails for your bathroom. So whether you're operating on a budget or seeking top-of-the-range designer products, we're confident that we can find you the best electric radiators for your property. We're particularly proud to be the sole UK distributer of the Haverland RC Wave electric radiator range – one of the most advanced electric radiators on the market.

     

    You can explore our website with complete confidence in our 100% secure site and expert heating knowledge. The site is packed full of useful information, including a breakdown of every product in our radiator range and a radiator calculator to help you calculate the wattages required for your room sizes. And if you need a little more help, our friendly sales team are always on hand to give you expert advice and a free quotation. Our customer service really is second to none; our dedicated customer service team won't rest until they’re sure that all our customers are 100% satisfied and enjoying top-quality heating. But don't take our word for it – check out our Feefo reviews. Feefo have awarded us 'Platinum Trusted Merchant' status, proof of our reliability and dedication to finding you the most efficient electric radiators for your home or business.

     

    We also offer free next working day delivery on most of our products, as well as a 30 day no-quibble money back guarantee.

     

    For more information about the site or any of our products, give our customer service team a call on 0330 300 4444.

  • Are electric radiators better than gas central heating?

    Gas central heating is one of the most popular heating systems in the country, used in the majority of homes across the UK. However, in the last few decades electric heating technology has developed at such a rate that energy efficient electric radiators now offer an economical alternative. Innovative new thermal elements, fast and effective electrical components and state-of-the-art heating control features allow you to trim down your energy usage like never before – giving you the potential to significantly reduce your heating costs. Here are a few advantages electric radiators offer over gas central heating:

     

    No System Losses

     

    Gas central heating systems waste energy through the pipe system. As hot water makes its journey through the house towards the radiators, heat will radiate out from the pipes, needlessly heating the walls – a red flag for inefficiency. Another drawback with a piped heating system is that the entire system must be activated to use a single radiator – so you’ll be sending heat through the whole house even if you just want to heat your bedroom.

     

    Not so with electric radiators. With a short cable in place of the gas central heating pipe system, the radiators engage as soon as they are switched on, with no heat loss between the power source and the heat output.

     

    Accurate Thermostats

     

    Gas central heating systems normally use a universal thermostat fitted in a central location. The problem with this is that the central thermostat will provide an unrepresentative temperature reading for the rest of the house. Temperatures will naturally vary across your home – it will always be harder to heat a draughty high-ceilinged living room than it will be to heat a well-insulated kitchen where you’re busy cooking. If you have a thermostat set to 20˚C in your living room, your gas central heating will work to heat the whole house whenever the temperature drops in this room – regardless of the temperature in other rooms. In the kitchen, it may already be 22˚C – so by engaging the heating system your thermostat is overheating the room and wasting energy and money.

     

    Each of our electric radiators includes a high precision thermostat built in to the body of the radiator. These thermostats provide accurate temperature readings for each room and will control each room separately – so the radiators in a draughty sitting room might be switching on whilst the radiators in the next door kitchen are switching off to maintain comfortable levels of heat. The high precision thermostats, accurate to half a degree, minimise the degree to which the heat can fluctuate – preventing the radiators working hard to top up the heating after significant drops in temperature.

     

    Heat Zoning & Programming

     

    Most gas central heating systems can be pre-programmed to a heating schedule which suits your lifestyle. However, you cannot control different rooms separately. This limits the energy you can save. Gas central heating systems allow you to save money by switching the heating off in the day when you’re at work and activating it just before you return. However, once you return your gas central heating system will be heating the whole house again – wasting energy heating bedrooms when perhaps you stay downstairs for the majority of the evening. Unless you physically switch off the upstairs radiators a gas central heating will always waste energy in this way.

     

    When you use electric radiators, their sophisticated digital programmers allow you to set up a heating programme tailored to your individual lifestyle which controls the heat across the different rooms in your house. You can programme the radiators in your bedroom to wait until 10pm to switch on, programme your bathroom radiators to switch on first thing in the morning and in mid-evening, and programme the radiators in that spare room to operate at an anti-freeze level. You can even control your radiators from your favourite chair with a programming remote control. This gives you endless scope to reduce your energy consumption and cut down your heating bills.

     

    No Maintenance & Cheap Installation

     

    Installing a gas central heating system is a big job. It can take several weeks for a professional plumber to fit new pipes and radiators, a messy job which involves lifted floor boards, damage to walls and sometimes several weeks with limited hot water and heating. To make it worse, at the end of the process you’ll find a hefty plumber’s bill waiting for you. Then, because gas central heating systems burn fuel within your home, there is always a risk of carbon monoxide production – so you’ll need to organise and pay for a visit from the gasman each year.

     

    Meanwhile, electric radiators are not powered by combustion within the home so they require no maintenance. All of our electric radiators are suitable for DIY installation, a quick and easy process that only takes 10 minutes – so you can refit your whole home within a morning. Even if you prefer a hardwired installation, or you want to put an electric radiator in a bathroom, getting an electrician to install your radiators is still a very quick job with nothing like the costs of installing gas central heating.

     

    Cheaper for you?

     

    While gas is usually available more cheaply than electricity, the losses made from the inherent inefficiencies of central heating and the costs involved in installation and maintenance quickly accumulate. For many people, this can mean gas central heating works out more expensive than electric heating. The cost of gas, a fossil fuel, is also likely to increase as limited supplies become scarcer.

     

    In many cases, the savings made possible with energy efficient electric heating technology, state-of-the-art energy management systems, DIY installation and maintenance-free care can make our electric radiators a cheaper way to heat your home than gas central heating systems. If you don’t want or need to replace your whole home heating system, replacing individual heaters with electric radiators is a great way to make your home heating more controllable at low cost. This is ideal in bathrooms, bedrooms, conservatories and home offices where you may want heat at very different times to the rest of the house. Check your energy tariff or speak to our expert advisors to find out if electric radiators could be an economical alternative for you.

     

  • Do I need an electric radiator or a panel heater?

    First things first: panel heaters are cheaper than electric radiators. However, because they are less efficient, they are always more expensive to run. That means that the most economical heating solution for your home will depend on how often you intend to use the heater, and what you intend to use it for.

     

    If you’re looking for a primary heating system for rooms you use frequently, such as your living room or kitchen, it is almost always better to choose an electric radiator. You will quickly notice the benefits of lower running costs and the radiators’ comfortable mix of radiated and convected heat.

     

    However, if you are looking for a heating system for a room you use less often, such as a spare room, home office or conservatory, you might be able to save some money by economising with an electric panel heater. The higher running costs will make a less significant impact on your monthly bills if the heaters are only used on an occasional basis. This also makes panel heaters suitable as a high quality top-up heating system to use alongside your primary heating systems – particularly useful if your home uses storage heaters or underfloor heating.

     

    Something else to consider when choosing between electric panel heaters and radiators is that panel heaters use unenclosed heating elements that can cause wall blackening if used regularly for long periods of time. These unenclosed elements make panel heaters easier to manufacture, but they can also burn any dust particles carried in the air. Burnt dust particles can collect on the wall at the top of the heater, causing a blackening effect. However, this will only be a potential problem if you use your panel heaters as a primary heating source; panel heaters used on an occasional basis will not cause wall blackening.

  • What’s the difference between electric radiators and panel heaters?

    Panel heaters are low cost home heaters which heat purely by convection. Panel heaters heat rooms by warming the air. Hot elements in the panel body heat the air as it circulates around the room, keeping the room’s occupants warm by surrounding them with heated air. Because the elements which heat the air are unenclosed, the heaters are cheaper and easier to manufacture than electric radiators. Whilst convection heaters can be a fast and effective source of heat, they also come with three significant disadvantages which you should consider before choosing this cheaper option:

     

    Panel heaters are less efficient than electric radiators because convected heat is inherently less efficient than radiated heat. This means that you’ll need to use more power to heat your room with panel heaters than you would with energy efficient electric radiators. This will mean that, if you use panel heaters regularly, the increase in your heating bills will quickly eclipse the savings made with your initial purchase.

     

    Panel heaters are not suitable for constant use because the unenclosed elements which make panel heaters cheap to manufacture can burn dust particles carried in the air. Over time this can cause wall blackening and damage to paintwork. Circulating dust particles can also agitate allergies. This is a disadvantage common to all convection heaters – no matter what the brand, price or style.

     

    Panel heaters are less durable than electric radiators because they have to work much harder to heat home spaces. This can give them significantly shorter lifespans than energy efficient radiators. The lifespans of panel heaters often suffer from cheaper manufacturing designed to satisfy a demand for low priced heaters.

     

    So, is it ever appropriate to use a panel heater instead of an electric radiator?

     

    There’s no question that energy efficient electric radiators are superior to electric panel heaters – and certainly a more economical choice for principal home heating. However, we do think there is an important place in the market for electric panel heaters. We know that kitting out an entire house with electric radiators is an expense which can quickly add up. Cheaper panel heaters give you a low cost option which still allows you to effectively heat less visited spaces such as your study, spare bedroom or conservatory. They also make effective top-up heaters for use alongside night storage heaters or slow-to-heat-up underfloor heating systems. Used infrequently, panel heaters should not wear out quickly and the running costs will not make a significant impact on your monthly bills.

     

    That’s why we sell our Haverland Lodel Electric Panel Radiators. The Lodel combines the economy of panel heaters with the contemporary styling and extensive programming facilities of designer electric radiators, allowing you to control the heating in your spare rooms as effectively as the heating in the rest of your house.

Our Brands

  • Who are Haverland?

    Haverland are internationally renowned designers and manufacturers of energy efficient electric heating solutions.

     

    Marsan Industrial, owner of Haverland, were formed in 1971 and have gone from strength to strength ever since. Haverland are still owned by the same family today, but now they boast a production facility of 7,000m² where they produce more than 300,000 units annually. Their range of heating products are sold in over 30 countries across the world.

     

    Haverland’s comprehensive range of designer electric heating solutions has been tried and tested throughout Europe, Scandinavia, Russia, East Asia – including Japan and China – and both North and South America.

     

    Haverland’s high standards of technological innovation and manufacturing quality are widely respected around the world by consultants, contractors and private customers alike. Their electrical heating expertise covers a wide variety of applications: including offices, shops, hotels, offices, public buildings, social housing, listed properties and many more domestic, commercial and industrial settings.

     

    We value our partnership with Haverland and are particularly proud to be the UK's sole distributor of the Haverland RC Wave and Haverland SmartWave – Haverland’s most sophisticated line of electric radiators, with dry thermal technology and smart self-learning programming. You won’t find these top-quality heating products anywhere else!

  • Who are Kudox?

    Kudox are a London based heating company with expertise in electric heating design and manufacture. They are the largest supplier of towel rails in the UK. We are proud to stock a range of Kudox electric towel rails. The simple, practical designs of our Kudox towel rails make them popular budget choices for bathrooms in homes across the country.

  • Who are Ecostrad?

    Ecostrad is our great value own brand heating range, featuring radiators sourced from some of the world’s top manufacturers of electric heating. Within the Ecostrad collection you’ll find top quality radiators and designer towel rails available at uniquely competitive prices. 

Making an Order

  • I need some help before I make my purchase. When are your advisors available?

    Whether you need help choosing the right size radiators for your room, would like some advice about the best heating solution for your property, or just want to find out more about a particular product, our friendly sales team are always happy to help. The team are available 8am – 6pm Monday to Thursday and from 9am – 5pm on Fridays. Give us a call on 0330 300 4444 and you can expect a quick response, expert advice and friendly, common-sense service – there’s no “hard-sell” at Electric Radiators Direct, we believe our products speak for themselves. Calls are charged at your standard local call rate.

     

    Alternatively, if you prefer, our team are also available throughout the working day on our LiveChat instant messaging service.

  • What if I find your products cheaper elsewhere?

    At Electric Radiators Direct we are committed to bringing you first class electric heating products at the lowest price on the market. In that spirit, we offer a best price promise on all our radiators, panel heaters and towel rails. We do our best to keep our prices competitive but if for any reason we’ve overlooked a lower offer, simply send us a link to the competing retailer and we promise to offer you a better price.

     

    Competing offers must have products in stock and available to purchase. Our price promise is based on the total cost of goods and services including delivery charges and other extras. The offer is not applicable to trade or auction sites. 

  • What if I change my mind about my purchase?

    If at any point in the 30-day period following your purchase you change your mind about your radiators, you can return the items for a full product refund. The radiators must not have been installed or used in any way. Please note the no quibble return period for accessories, towel rails and Electrorad radiators is 14 days. For more information, see our full returns policy. 

  • What should I do if I have a problem with my radiators?

    If at any point after your purchase you encounter a problem with your radiators – if you think you have received a damaged item, if the radiators don’t seem to be heating up properly, or you just need a bit of help programming your radiators – our dedicated after sales team are on hand to help. Simply give us a call on 0330 300 4444 between the hours of 9am – 5:30pm Monday to Thursday or 9am – 5pm on Fridays for a quick response from our friendly customer service team; they won’t rest until all issues are resolved and you’re enjoying trouble-free, first class electric heating.

General Electric Radiators FAQs

  • Why should you shop at Electric Radiators Direct?

    Electric Radiators Direct are an online heating company based in North Yorkshire who specialise in cutting edge electric heating systems. Our expert buyers, heating advisors, customer support team and website developers work together to make our site the one-stop destination for top-of-the-range electric radiators at the best prices in the UK.

     

    Our buyers source top-quality electric radiators from around the world to sell in the UK at the most competitive prices. We stock electric radiators in a range of sizes suitable for heating everything from a small bathroom to an open plan office, with a selection of designs and your choice of useful additional features – including energy monitor, remote control and wheels for freestanding fitting. You’ll even find a diverse range of energy efficient electric towel rails ideal for your bathroom. So whether you're operating on a budget or seeking top-of-the-range designer heating products, we're confident that you’ll find the best electric radiators for your property at Electric Radiators Direct. We're particularly proud to be sole UK distributers of the Haverland RC Wave and Haverland SmartWave electric radiator ranges – two of the most sophisticated electric radiators on the market.

     

    You can explore our website with total confidence in our 100% secure site and expert heating knowledge. The site is packed full of useful information, including a breakdown of every product in our radiator range, an extensive FAQ section, individual buying guides for each product and a radiator calculator to help you calculate the wattages required for your room sizes. And any time you need a little more help, our friendly sales team are always on hand to give you expert advice and a free quotation. Our customer service really is second to none; our dedicated after sales team won't rest until they’re sure that all our customers are 100% satisfied and enjoying top-quality heating. But you don't need to take our word for it – check out our Feefo reviews. Feefo have awarded us 'Platinum Trusted Merchant' status, proof of our reliability, expertise and dedication to finding you the most efficient electric radiators for your home or business.

     

    We also offer free next working day delivery on the majority of our products, as well as a 30 day no-quibble money back guarantee.

     

    For more information about the company, our site or any of our products, give our customer service team a call on 0330 300 4444.

  • How much does delivery cost on your radiators?

    We offer free next working day delivery on almost all of our electric radiators. Orders placed before 12:30pm will arrive on the next working day and you will not be charged for delivery. Please note this offer is only valid for addresses on the UK mainland. For more information about our delivery policy, including any exceptions, please see our full delivery terms page.

  • How much does delivery cost on radiator accessories?

    Typically, radiator accessories will be delivered free if ordered at the same time as your electric radiators – they will simply be shipped inside the packaging of your radiators. However, if you decide at a later date that you would like a remote control, set of feet or an additional programmer for your radiators, you may need to pay a delivery charge. Always check the delivery information on individual products before making your purchase. For more details, see the full details of our delivery terms page.