What are the best heating radiators for an apartment: issue price and calculation


Renovation in old-stock apartments often requires a complete replacement of all heating radiators. The cast-iron monsters of the Soviet period cannot last forever, moreover, their efficiency leaves much to be desired. A natural question arises: which heating radiators are better for an apartment? The price of a product is not the only selection criterion. It is important to think over everything to the smallest detail - from the aesthetic component to practicality and economy.

The comfortable temperature in the house depends on the choice of the heater.

What heating radiators are better to put in an apartment: types, disadvantages and disadvantages

Heating devices are made of various materials, each of which reacts in its own way to pressure and temperature. So, the types of heating batteries in the apartment:

Convector steel batteries

These are panels and, between which metal plates are installed. The heating medium circulates in the panels. These devices are considered to have the highest heat dissipation.

Such devices are very popular among the owners of country houses. Steel heaters are produced in the Czech Republic, Italy, Finland. They differ in the number of sections and metal edges.

Positive aspects of steel radiators:

  • good heat dissipation;
  • low power consumption;
  • low inertia;
  • environmental friendliness;
  • affordable price.

Cons of steel batteries:

  • tendency to form rust;
  • instability to water hammer.

It is the last minus that is a significant obstacle to installing a steel heater in a multi-storey building. When deciding which radiators are better for an apartment, steel heaters should be considered last.

Cast iron batteries

These products are considered the cheapest and most durable.

Art Nouveau or retro cast iron is produced in England, France and Turkey.These radiators can withstand pressure up to twelve bar and coolant temperature up to one hundred and ten degrees. Thus, water hammer and boiling of water in the heating system are not terrible for them.

Advantages of cast iron heating systems:

  • half a century of operation;
  • resistance to temperature and pressure of centralized heating systems
  • long-term heat conservation, slow cooling.

Flaws:

  • high weight, which requires particularly strong fasteners;
  • long warm-up period;
  • a large amount of coolant used;
  • fragility.

Aluminum heaters

Solving the problem "How to choose heating radiators for an apartment with central heating", unfortunately, products made of lightweight and durable aluminum should be excluded from the list. These batteries have the most attractive exterior. But they are completely unsuitable for use in a district heating system due to their instability to water hammer.

Aluminum heaters are available in lithium and extrusion types and can withstand pressures up to only 16 bar.

Therefore, if the apartment is equipped with its own boiler, it is difficult to find better than these radiators.

Advantages:

Disadvantages of aluminum heaters:

  • short service life - up to fifteen years;
  • weak convection;
  • chemical instability of the material;
  • inability to withstand water hammer.

Bimetallic products

At first glance, these batteries are very similar to aluminum ones. Their body is made of this lightweight metal, and the interior is made of steel elements.

Bimetallic heaters are produced in Russia and Italy.On sale you can find pseudo-bimetallic products, additionally reinforced with steel verticals. They are less resistant to corrosion, but they are characterized by increased heat transfer.

Advantages of bimetallic products:

  • high heat transfer;
  • resistance to water hammer;
  • ease of installation;
  • aesthetics.

Minuses:

  • high price.

Which radiators are better: aluminum or bimetallic?

In this question, there can be only one answer: of course, bimetallic heaters are the best choice. They not only combine all the advantages of aluminum and steel products. These batteries are distinguished by their increased strength and resistance to water hammer, which often threatens district heating systems and is the main cause of numerous accidents in heating networks.

Helpful information! Bimetallic devices can withstand pressure up to twenty atmospheres!

Selection and calculation

So, how to choose heating batteries (radiators) for an apartment in an apartment building:

  • Devices must maintain a pressure of at least 15 atmospheres.
  • Heaters must withstand water hammer.
  • The design of the device must be resistant to corrosion and chemical attack.
  • The heat transfer indicators of the device should be studied.

  • Batteries may not last forever, but the longer they last, the better.

How to calculate the number of radiators

For the calculation it is necessary. This is a challenge for a third grader: you need to multiply the width by the length. For example, a standard room 3x5 m = 15 sq. meters of area.

Heating an apartment located in central Russia requires an average of 41 watts of thermal energy per square meter. Multiply 15 by 41 to get 615 watts. For our own peace of mind, let's round up the figure to 650.

Each modern battery has technical documentation, which indicates its thermal power. It remains only to select the required number of sections. The proposed calculation option is very conditional and does not take into account the specifics of a particular apartment. therefore, we suggest using the calculator below.

What are the best heating radiators for an apartment: the price of products and manufacturers

Despite the fact that the choice of heating devices on the domestic market is very wide, there are undoubted leaders among manufacturers who have earned an impeccable reputation:

  • Smart (China);
  • Kermi (Germany);
  • Purmo (Finland);
  • Rifar (Russia);
  • Royal (Italy);
  • Global (Italy).

To solve the problem, what are the best heating radiators for an apartment, the price of the product is not decisive, but it remains an important factor. Below are the most popular battery models.