Show some love for National Radiator Day
November 1st marks National Radiator Day!
It’s the one day of the year on which you should be showing some love, appreciation and tenderness to your warmth creating, comfort enhancing, show-stopping ‘hot-boxes’- after all, they do a fair bit of work.
But what on earth is National Radiator Day all about?
#LoveYourRadiator
Well…
This time of the year is usually when most UK homes have switched the central heating on and begun to batten down the hatches in time for the onset of the winter months!
Each of us will click the heating into gear, kick back with the latest Netflix series and probably pay very little attention to the metal boxes on the walls that keep the temperature nice and cosy and comfortable – that is, until one or more of them breaks and we start to kick up a fuss!
The thing is, we need to pay our radiators a little more attention all year round – that way, they’re less likely to let us down when we need them the most.
That means keeping them clean and maybe bleeding them to be sure they are in tip-top working order.
For that reason, we feel it’s really important to draw attention to National Radiator Day and celebrate the amazing work our radiators do in keeping each room of your home warm and cosy!
Show your radiator some love
#LoveYourRadiator was a scheme that was launched by the Manufacturers’ Association of Radiators and Convectors – MARC.
The campaign asked people to take a selfie with their radiator on the run-up to the big day and share that picture on social media using the hashtag – #LoveYourRadiator.
We instantly thought it was a fantastic idea and asked everyone at BestHeating to take few pictures to raise awareness of the tough, under-valued work that domestic radiators perform every single day!
What is National Radiator Day?
National Radiator Day takes place each year on November 1st in order to cast some much-needed light onto the amazing work that your radiators and central heating do every winter in keeping you warm, dry and cosy when the weather starts to turn.
According to MARC, there are 190 million radiators being used in UK households every day, and as the nation’s favorite heat emitters why on earth shouldn’t there be a day that celebrates their longevity, durability and style?
The last 40 years or so has seen a weird and wonderful transformation for radiators, so it’s fitting that they have a day to bask in their warmth-giving glory.
During the last 20 years, the radiator has moved from being a simple heat emitter, to an integral part of the overall design of a room – something we know all too well here at BestHeating.
It is no longer necessary to fit your furniture around your radiator, as the radiator can be installed to suit the room, horizontal, vertical or even curved. Over the last few years, this has led to an explosion in style and colours.
In short, radiators have come a long way from the bland hot-boxes of yesteryear.
They now command a lot of respect when it comes to interior design – with horizontal, vertical and electric designs offering consumers a wealth of style choices that arguably make radiators an integral part of a room’s overall look and feel.
They deserve their own day.
We should celebrate them.
Yes, they are just hunks of steel, cast iron or aluminium, but they remain one of the most cost-effective ways of heating your home.
They adorn the walls of nearly every single household in Britain and can last a lifetime if you look after them – so stand up, take a selfie with your radiator and show some appreciation!
Get involved with National Radiator Day
Every year, we want to make National Radiator Day a special one and have you post your radiator selfies on social media!
So, head over to Instagram and tag us @BestHeatingUK and use the #LoveYourRadiator and #MyBestHeating hashtags to spread the word about your favorite hot boxes!
Our heroic team of designers even put together the amazing graphics below, looking at the nation’s favorite radiators.
Hopefully it inspires you to take a selfie and show your radiator some love, wherever you are!
How to show your radiator some “love”
Bleeding radiators
One of the things you will have to do every now and then is bleed your radiator.
Over time, your heating system may accumulate air and this can stop water from circulating and ultimately prevent your radiators from working at their best.
Taking the time to bleed radiators will remove the air from the system, ensuring they work well and keep you warm.
You can find all about how to bleed a radiator in our expert guide.
Keeping radiators clean
Alongside the obvious benefits to the look of your living space, keeping your radiators clean and free of debris and dust can help to make them operate at their optimal level.
Because of the way radiators work, dust and things like animal hair and lint can get caught up in the fins at the back of the radiator – so taking the time to clean them down is a good wat to show your radiator some love.
For tips on how to keep rads as clean as possible, head over to our expert guide on cleaning domestic radiators.
And if you’re unsure of what to use to clean radiators, we can help there too, with our guide on what not to clean radiators with.
Balancing radiators
Nope, we’re not talking about some strange Britain’s Got Talent act that involves you balancing a radiator on your chin.
When it comes to balancing your heating system, we’re talking about ensuring you have an even amount of heat in your heating system.
Balancing your radiators will ensure each one works to its optimal level, and that will help to ensure the system is energy efficient and effective and creating a warm and comfortable heat throughout your home.
To give your home consistent warmth, check out our balancing radiators guide.
Give your radiators an upgrade with shiny new valves
A valve update can be one of the easiest ways to show your radiator some love.
Imagine buying your partner a lovely pair of new trainers; it’s a little bit similar to that, only with radiator valves taking the place of the trainers and the inanimate metal object (the radiator) taking the place of your beloved.
To discover how best to treat your radiator to some lovely new valves, check out our guide on how to choose the best radiator valves.
Infographic Sources
https://www.switch-plan.co.uk/compare-energy-prices/gas/average-bill/)
https://www.ovoenergy.com/guides/energy-guides/the-average-gas-bill-average-electricity-bill-compared
https://www.myjobquote.co.uk/costs/remove-and-replace-a-radiator
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/uk-house-price-index-for-june-2021
https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/domestic-energy-prices
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/487650/table_262.xls
