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6 Reasons Why You Shouldn’t Buy Cast Iron Radiators
From high costs to environmental impact and heating efficiency, cast iron radiators simply aren’t up to speed with the needs of the modern home. So, if you’re asking us, chances are that we wouldn’t recommend cast iron radiators nowadays. And here’s why...They’re expensive to run
Whilst cast iron radiators offer powerful heating and impressive finishes, these radiators are extremely expensive to run, especially when compared with aluminium or steel models. This is because they need to be on for longer periods of time to heat up a room, which takes up more energy and will rack up more charges on your energy bills.They are expensive to buy
There really is no such thing as cheap cast iron radiators. So if you’re on a budget, this kind of radiator is not going to be kind to your wallet. Due to the craftsmanship involved and hefty material, cast iron radiators cost a lot to manufacture. So they are by far the most expensive type of radiator out there. For the price you pay, you do get a durable and long-lasting radiator. However, the lack of flexibility and efficiency often doesn’t make the price worth it in a modern home.
We simply cannot recommend cast iron radiators from a value for money point of view. This is because it’s steel radiators that take the cake for affordable and quality radiators.
They’re not very heat efficient
Whilst cast iron radiators are great at retaining their heat, they aren’t very heat efficient. When we think about heating efficiency, heat retention is only one part of the equation. There’s also the length of time and energy it takes to heat your space up. Due to the sheer amount of time that cast iron radiators take to heat up, this uses up significantly more energy and takes more time than steel or aluminium radiators to heat up the same space. Steel and aluminium models provide a much more efficient way of heating due to the lower amount of water inside the radiator when compared with traditional cast iron radiators.They aren’t eco-friendly
It’s more important than ever to reevaluate our habits in relation to the environment. And with our home heating systems making up around a third of household carbon emissions, the way we heat our homes directly affects our impact on the environment. This is another area in which cast iron radiators fail to perform in a modern setting because they are so poor in terms of energy efficiency - which we’ve already covered. So if you’re looking heat your home with the environment in mind, then traditional cast iron radiators are not the way to go.They don’t provide flexible heating options
One of the best parts about modern radiators such as aluminium rads is that they offer you a flexible heating solution. You don’t need to worry so much about preempting when you’re going to need your home to be warm. With a modern heating system, you won’t have to wait long at all. However, with cast iron radiators you don’t have this luxury.They don’t suit all home decor styles
When you’re shopping for a radiator for your home, of course, you look for functionality and quality first. But design is a key consideration to make before you settle on a final choice for your new rad. With so many options available nowadays, you can pick a designer radiator to match whatever home decor style or colour palette you have in your space. Cast iron radiators have a particularly old-fashioned, gothic look to them. This makes them only suitable for certain decor styles such as vintage and industrial styles. So if your home doesn’t fit into those categories, then it doesn’t matter if you choose white cast iron radiators or black ones, because they just won’t suit your space.
Of course, if you do have that style in your home and the means to purchase one, then there are tall cast iron radiators and wall-mounted cast iron radiators that offer a slight variation to suit your needs.
