Where are the radiators going? Same place as the old ones?

Wait! Once the pipes are in, you will live with that decision for years to avoid having to move the bed or have the floor taken up again… so it's worth planning ahead where you actually want the radiators to be and why!

General guidelines

• Under the window or on the coldest wall. Traditionally, radiators sit under windows. Cold air falls from the glazing and warm air rises from the radiator, helping circulate heat around the room. In well insulated homes this effect is maybe less dramatic, but the space under a window is still difficult to use for furniture, so it often remains the most practical place.
• Not directly behind sofas, beds or large cabinets. As a rule of thumb, allow for around 300mm clearance between a radiator and large furniture (blocking the front of a radiator traps the heat around the furniture instead of the room).
• Around 100-200mm off the floor to allow the cold air below to be heated and circulated.
• A clear gap beneath the window sill about ~100mm - 150mm.

Radiator size is not just about what looks right

First you need to work out how much heat your radiator needs to generate. You'll come across BTUs - British Thermal Units as the way to measure heat output and get it right for your room. BTU depends on room size, ceiling height, insulation levels, window area.

Most online suppliers offer simple BTU calculators to give a reliable starting point.

Different types of radiators and fuel options

• Central heating radiators - Connected to your boiler and part of the main heating system.
• Electric radiators - Are independent from the boiler. As the UK electricity supply becomes greener, these can be a lower carbon option depending on your setup.
• Dual fuel radiators - Common in bathrooms. They run on central heating in winter and electricity in warmer months, so you can still dry towels without heating the whole house.

Pipework and valves

You can easily forget how the radiator actually connects.

• Floor valves bring pipes up from the floor.
• Wall valves come through the wall behind

This affects what you will see every day and is much easier to plan before final floors and finishes go in.

Tricky spots

Bathrooms

Bathrooms follow slightly different rules - often because they can be so tight on space:

• Dual fuel towel rails are useful because they can run without the main heating.
• Position the rail within reach of the bath or shower, but not so close that it is constantly splashed.
• Underfloor heating could be a great addition - there are a couple of types of heating system, as well as compatibility with the type of flooring you choose and type of thermostat control to work out.

Read more on whether you should consider underfloor heating for your bathroom.

Bedrooms

Radiator position affects sleep more than you might expect. A radiator too close to the head of the bed can make the sleeping area overly warm and stuffy - so when you're planning your layout it's worth fixing the bed position first, then planning the radiator(s).

Big doors out to the garden?

Large glazed doors and open layouts often remove the classic radiator spot. Think about vertical radiators, underfloor heating or multiple smaller radiators.

What now? Radiator placement is not just a plumbing detail. It affects your comfort, energy use and how your room can be arranged. Before copying the old layout, check whether the original reason for that position still applies and create a plan with intentional heating!