The heating period in our climate zone lasts relatively long. If you want to ensure optimal thermal comfort for yourself and your family, regardless of the temperature outside, you need to think about installing an appropriate heating system.
To make the right choice of radiator, it is necessary to correctly select its power. In this article, we suggest how to calculate radiator power depending on the size of the room. This is very important because the heat demand can vary significantly from room to room.
Why is choosing a radiator important?
Each type of room in a house has slightly different heat requirements. The temperature achieved largely depends on the type and power of the radiator installed in it. In our online shop Mexen.pl, you can find radiators suitable for use in rooms, as well as models designed for the kitchen or bathroom.
If you want to ensure maximum thermal comfort, you need to care not only about the tightness of windows and doors but also to choose the right radiators for each room. This is especially important in single-family homes, which may be more prone to heat loss compared to multi-family buildings.
It is also worth noting that a device's heating power does not always depend on its size. You can find it by checking the manufacturer’s labels on the packaging. Usually, a larger radiator provides more heat, but before purchasing, consider what actual temperature you want to achieve. An overly large radiator may excessively heat the interior, thus generating higher costs.
How to select radiator power based on room size?
To properly choose radiator power, we must first calculate the specific heat demand of a given room. It will differ based on the function of the individual interiors. For example, a bathroom usually has a higher heat demand than a living room or bedroom.
So, how do you calculate heat demand according to the type of room? Initially, it’s worth consulting a radiator selection calculator - these are available online.
It's worth knowing that…
…if you want the room temperature to be around 20 degrees Celsius, you should choose a radiator with a power of 70-80 W/m2. In a situation where the temperature should be around 24 degrees, the radiators should have between 100 to 120 W/m2 of room space.
Radiator power selection also depends on room size, and heat demand can be calculated using a simplified method. This involves multiplying the estimated power per square meter by the room area. In this way, we calculate the radiator power that should be installed in the given interior.
Which radiator for a 16 m2 room?
As an example, we will show how to calculate radiator power to heat a 16 m2 room. Here, we consider both the area and the standard height - most often 2.7 m.
To properly select radiator power, you multiply the room's area by the heat demand, which for a living room is 70-80 W/m2, or even 150 W/m2 if calculations concern old buildings (with thermal insulation).
Using the given parameters, we get the following equation:
70-80 W x 16 m2 = 1120/1280 W
Therefore, to heat a 16 m2 room to approximately 20 degrees, a radiator or radiators with a total power of at least 1120 W need to be installed.
Which radiator for a 12 m2 room?
For a slightly smaller room, we perform similar calculations, changing the area:
70-80W x 12 m2 = 840/960W
When calculating radiator power, it's also worth noting heat losses - in old, poorly insulated buildings, these can be significant. The greater the heat losses, the more power the radiator installed in the room will need. In Mexen.pl's offer, you will find a large selection of radiators of this power.
Which radiator for a 30 m2 room?
A large living room needs a lot of light. That’s why it’s one of those rooms where more windows are installed. Modern construction focuses on panoramic windows replacing walls. Both solutions contribute to reducing the room's temperature. Why? The glass transmits cold from outside. Therefore, the correct selection of a radiator is crucial. The first thing you should remember is, of course, to 'switch windows' to the so-called cold or winter mode, which ensures their tightness. The second thing, of course, is the appropriate radiator power.
Using the already known formula, we calculate which radiator will work in a 30 m2 room:
70-80W x 30 m2 = 2100/2400 W
If you want the temperature in your living room to be no less than 20 degrees, you need to invest in a radiator with a power of 2100 or 2400 W. In poorly insulated houses or apartments, the radiator's heating power should be higher.
What radiators for gas heating?
The next issue may be deciding which device to choose for a specific type of heating. Mexen.pl offers, among others, panel room radiators, which perform excellently combined with gas heating. They utilize internal fins, which not only increase their heating power but also make them look great.
It is worth noting that the type of boiler used and the temperature of the heating medium in the installation is as important as the radiator itself.
Estimating room heat losses
Calculating the radiator power required for a room is worth supplementing with estimating heat losses. Losses occur as heat penetrates through poorly insulated walls or gaps in door frames.
To estimate heat loss, you can use calculators available online. You need to provide the dimensions of each room, the type of material, and the temperature outside.
The calculator will indicate how much heat 'escapes' from the room. This way, you can more easily adjust the previously calculated heat demand. This, in turn, allows for better estimating radiator power.
How to choose a radiator for a room? Summary
If you want to buy an appropriate radiator that will provide thermal comfort in a given room, you need to consider several important factors, including the volume of the interior and the level of insulation of the entire building.
To perform accurate calculations, you should:
- precisely measure the selected room,
- calculate the radiator power based on the temperature you want to achieve in the room,
- refer to the so-called power table, which takes into account boiler power parameters and correction factors – these tables are usually available on the manufacturer's website.
The second step will be deciding on the type of radiator to be installed in a given interior. In Mexen.pl's offer, you will find a suitable type of radiator. You can choose from room radiators of various sizes as well as heating devices intended for the bathroom or kitchen.