Andy Phillips, Sales Director at Supplies4Heat, discusses the importance of only purchasing and installing radiator products that have been tested to EN 442 standards and are fully certified by an accredited body. 

When installing new radiators and towel rails, you will want to provide products that will work as expected; maintaining your reputation as a trustworthy installer and enjoying repeat business as a result. 

Unfortunately, there are radiator products in the market quoting misleading product performance figures, resulting in subpar radiators inadvertently being specified. This can result in negative consequences and perception of your work, including the additional cost of returning to a job, potentially more than once, to resolve the issue and possibly even replace the radiator. 

Recent research from Paddle, the verified app for finding emergency tradespeople, tells us that almost half of homeowners would only ever use a tradesperson recommended by friends and family. With word of mouth being such a key driver, installers cannot afford to ignore the importance of choosing products from radiator manufacturers that are trustworthy, transparent, and compliant with all current regulations. 

So, what do installers need to know, to ensure their business is not negatively impacted by misleading figures?

Look for EN 442

The UK introduced Delta T50 as the standard measure for outputs for UK home heating systems in 2013 to replace Delta T60, in line with European standard BS EN 442. It is now a legal requirement to test products based on this calculation.

This means that manufacturers should have the outputs of their radiators tested using the BS EN 442 protocols based on Delta T50. Correct certified testing provides you with the confidence to select the ideal radiator for the job, and the correct Delta T rating ensures you can calculate exactly what you need based on your system parameters. If the published figures are incorrect, your radiator will not be correctly sized. 

Don’t be fooled

Whether intentionally or through an accidental oversight of 2013 standards, some manufacturers and suppliers may publish incorrect BTU ratings. 

This, in turn, means installers are inadvertently at risk of purchasing an underperforming radiator that does not meet the room heating requirements, costing your customers more money in the long run, as they turn up their boilers to try and accommodate this gap in performance. Quite simply, the product will not operate as desired, even if installed correctly. 

The danger then is that your customer loses faith in your abilities and will turn to another business to resolve the problem damaging your reputation as an installer. 

Evidence trail

It is therefore crucial that installers look to use manufacturers that can support their claims and able to prove their Delta T50 figures, as well as demonstrate that all radiators are certified to BS EN 442 as required by law. 

Any supplier or manufacturer should be able to provide a Declaration of Performance on request which confirms the testing standards and commits to the accuracy of their data.

No matter how well a product is installed, an uncertified radiator with misleading figures comes at a hefty price should you ignore the data. To ensure a radiator will work as desired for your customers, installers should only work with trustworthy, transparent suppliers and manufacturers which are fully compliant with current standards.