What is an inertia radiator?

The inertia radiator, a highly popular electric heater

Many electric heater options are incredibly energy intensive, meaning they’re expensive to use and not the most environmentally friendly heater option. But inertia radiators are a different breed of electric radiator.

Rather than guzzling expensive electricity, inertia radiators are more energy efficient and can even bring you savings on your heating. All while increasing the control you have over the levels of thermal comfort in your home!

How does an inertia radiator work?

Inertia radiators operate by heating the air that surrounds them via a process of convection.

Crucially, inertia radiators contain a heating core which ensures that the heat produced by the radiator is effectively conserved within the radiator itself. This heating core can be made from a variety of materials, all of which provide great options for conserving heat. Heating cores are usually manufactured using cast iron, stone or ceramic (this is one of the most energy efficient options), as well as a range of other energy conscious materials.

Inertia radiator heating cores can be liquid, too. This is the case for oil bath or fluid inertia radiators, which both have heating cores containing liquid substances that can efficiently transfer heat.

However, fluid inertia radiators do tend to have slightly lower performance (in terms of energy efficiency, heating efficacy and savings potential) than inertia radiators with heating cores that are made of solid materials.

The heating core is what puts the inertia in an inertia radiator! Heat is stored up in the heating core while the radiator is turned on, then diffused in the form of infrared radiation to continue to heat the room once the inertia radiator has been turned off.

How should you choose your inertia radiator?

Inertia radiators are an increasingly popular heating option for both houses and apartments. The stylish, minimalist white wall panel design that’s common for inertia radiators lends itself to blending in well in most spaces.

Inertia radiators are usually used as auxiliary heating devices, but they can also be the main source of heating for a room.

To choose the right inertia radiators for your heating needs, be sure to bear the following points in mind:

• The type and design of the room that needs heating (this will differ between a living area and a kitchen, for example)
• The volume of the space that needs heating (the larger the volume, the larger the surface area of each inertia radiator will need to be)
• The space you have available to install your inertia radiators
• The budget you have to spend on purchasing and installing your new inertia radiators

What is the lifespan of an inertia radiator?

Inertia radiators do tend to have a long expected lifespan, as they’re durable and robust heating devices. However, it can be tricky to calculate the exact duration of the lifespan of any given inertia radiator.

One thing that you can do to ensure you gain the maximum productivity and lifespan from your inertia radiator is install it well, in line with all the applicable manufacturer recommendations.

Cleaning and dusting your inertia radiators’ heat emitters will also help to prolong their lifespan (aside from that, inertia radiators really require very little ongoing maintenance).

How powerful are inertia radiators?

In general, an electric inertia heater will use around 1000 Watts of energy to heat a well insulated room of about 15 square metres to a temperature of 20 degrees centigrade. In harsh, outdoor conditions, you’d need around 2000 Watts to achieve the same level of heating.

Dual core inertia radiators

These inertia radiators are some of the most advanced technology in electric heating. While they offer slightly less inertia than regular inertia radiators, they will heat up the room faster!

Due to their heating speed, dual core inertia radiators are a more expensive option.

Inertia radiators: advantages and disadvantages

Here, we’ll provide an easy overview of the plus and minus points of inertia radiators.

Inertia radiator advantages

• Inertia capacity means efficient heat storage and redistribution
• Excellent thermal comfort levels via diffusion of gentle heating
• Energy savings
• Added speed of heating rate with dual core inertia radiator models
• Some models are affordable heating options
• Uniform floor to ceiling heating and thermal comfort, regardless of room volume
• Minimum service and maintenance required for each inertia radiator
• Simple, minimalist white wall panel design

Inertia radiator disadvantages

• Substantial weight, even for slim wall panels
• Require significant space for installation
• More advanced inertia radiators quickly become expensive

How much do inertia radiators cost?

This all depends on the size of the inertia radiator: the larger it is, the more efficient heating it will provide and the more expensive it’s likely to be.

Inertia radiators range from about 5kg to 40kg in weight, depending on their design. This factor will affect the price more than, for example, the material used to manufacture the inertia radiator’s heating core.

While on some occasions fairly expensive, inertia radiators offer the chance for significant control and improvement of your home heating! By using stored energy to continue heating your home even after they’re turned off, they’ll ensure great thermal comfort.