If you’ve got questions related to home-heating, then you might have stumbled across the term radiators. But what is a radiator? Here, we answer the question about what radiators are and how they function.
What are radiators?
Radiators are heat exchange units that transfer thermal energy from one medium to another to heat and/or cool a space. Radiators, generally, are used in cars, buildings, and other electronics. They draw heat from water or steam, typically, to heat up the surrounding air – meaning that they can effectively heat an entire room.
Raditors are one of the most efficient and oldest methods of heating a home. Their simplicity and reliability when it comes to heating a space evenly and comfortably make them a highly desirable heating unit. However, it’s important to understand how radiators work in order to make an informed decision about whether they’re the right heating solution for you.
Common Radiator Types
The two most common types of radiators are steam and hot water radiators. Steam radiators are some of the oldest types and are typically connected to a boiler, which is given the task of heating up water to produce steam. The steam then travels through pipes into the radiator, where the thermal energy is given off through fins. As the steam cools, it returns to its liquid state and flows back into the boiler to be heated once more.
Hot water radiators, on the other hand, work very similarly to steam ones, except for the fact that there’s no steam involved. Water is heated, then pumped through the radiator to provide heat, before being returned to the heater to repeat the process.
How to Bleed a Radiator
There’s a series of three simple steps you need to follow in order to bleed your radiator. These are:
- Turn on your heating
- Identify which radiator needs bleeding
- Turn off your heating and wait for your radiators to cool down
- Place a cloth below the radiator bleed valve
- Open the bleed valve and release the air
- Close the bleed valve
- Check the pressure of your boiler
Hopefully, this has helped inform you about radiators and how they operate. If you have further questions about radiators, then reach out to Wiehler through our website where we have more information on radiators and other heating systems. Visit us online today!
