Renovating The Heating In A Listed Building
If you are renovating a listed building or a historical attraction, you’ll be aware that you have to preserve certain exterior features of the building, such as a thatched roof or a style of slating. When renovating the interior, you also need to make sure that any alterations are in keeping with the style of the building.
What Are Listed Buildings?
A listed building is one of historical significance that has been placed on one of the lists managed by Historic England or a similar organisation. Some common examples of listed buildings are churches, cathedrals, castles and stately homes, though many residential homes also fall into this category. Before you renovate or restore your heating in any of these locations you’ll first need to visit the site that’s relevant to your building’s location before you start any work.
Guidelines For Installing New Heating
Before you remove any existing radiators, you’ll need to check that they can be taken out of the listed building, as some might be protected. An example of such radiators are the ones used in the Perkins Pressurised System, in which a rudimentary radiator made up of exposed coils of pipework is heated by a furnace. This form of heating is still in place in some churches, the majority of them in the South-West of England.
If your current heating system and radiators aren’t considered to be of historical importance and you are installing new elements, then you’ll need to follow some guidelines.
Most importantly, the style of the radiator needs to reflect the setting. While you might consider sourcing reclaimed or refurbished radiators that match any existing ones, there are some downsides to this. First, you will need to spend time sourcing these radiators and then arrange a delivery or pick them up yourself. Once you have them, they will need to be pressure tested, cleaned and repainted and the radiator valves will need refurbishing or replacing.
Historic England offers the solution of exploring the style of the period of the building and finding reproduction Cast Iron Column Radiators to fit. At Renaissance At Home, we supply over 50 different models to match listed buildings from many time periods.
Cast Iron Radiators For Your Listed Building
With a single column, The Eton has a simple and classic design and it is sure to look at home in a diverse range of settings. An example of its use can be found in the West Wing at Dartington Hall, where this 14th-century house has been converted into visitor accommodation.
The Ribbon 2 Colum Radiator is a decorative radiator featuring Celtic knotwork across each of its columns. Originally manufactured by the American Radiator Company in the late 1800s, original versions of this model can be typically found in churches throughout the world due to its design. If yours is a religious listed building, these reproductions would be a fitting choice.
The interiors of stately homes that are now visitor attractions are usually lavish and impressive affairs. Accentuate this with the highly decorative nature of the Chelsea. Featuring an elaborate scrolling design across each of its single columns, this Cast Iron Radiator would also make a stunning centrepiece in a domestic period setting.
Come And See Us At The Listed Property Show
We’ll be among the exhibitors at The Listed Property Show at Olympia London, which will be running on the 3rd and 4th of February 2023. At the show, you’ll be able to see the biggest gathering of listed building suppliers in one place. If you are planning on renovating your listed property, this is a show that is not to be missed! You can buy tickets in advance here. Visit us at stand B9.
To get a taste of Renaissance At Home‘s Cast Iron Radiators before the event, please visit our website.
If you’d like any help or if you have any questions about our radiators, please get in touch with the Renaissance At Home team on 01400 263309 or by emailing sales@renaissanceathome.co.uk today.