Publications
Practical Advice - Heating
How to paint a cast iron radiator
This guide shows you how to prepare your newly purchased cast iron radiator for painting or if you have an old cast iron radiator in your house that has flaking or old paint that you would like to restore.
How to paint a cast iron radiator
You can purchase your cast iron radiators from The Victorian Emporium painted or primed. If you purchase your radiator primed in order to save money or because you are undecided about the paint colour you require at the time of ordering your radiators, you can paint the radiator yourself by following our simple steps.
Were Victorian houses cold?
Are they cold = No Are they colder than other houses = No Are they more expensive to heat = Yes
Were Victorian houses cold?
Are they cold = No Are they colder than other houses = No Are they more expensive to heat = Yes Were Victorian houses cold? This is a common question asked by people assuming that newer houses are warmer than older houses. The simple answer is that average room temperatures have risen over the years however this is only partly due to the age of the architecture. So the simple answer is that some were and some weren’t cold. A house is…
Are cast iron radiators more expensive to run?
Cast iron radiators can be very beautiful and are available in a wealth of different heights, widths, designs, paint effects and as such generally cost more than their modern steel equivalents. They are also very heavy and each section is hand cast so can have…
Are cast iron radiators more expensive to run?
Cast iron radiators can be very beautiful and are available in a wealth of different heights, widths, designs, paint effects and as such generally cost more than their modern steel equivalents. They are also very heavy and each section is hand cast so can have slightly different characteristics. We often get asked by uncertain customers whether, because of the volume of water they can hold and how heavy they are, are cast iron radiators…
How to restore a Victorian fireplace
Fireplaces can be beautiful centrepieces in all rooms of your Victorian house but they are enhanced incredibly as a period feature if they work and provide a source of heating too. We'll help you achieve that with this article which focuses on bringing your…
How to restore a Victorian fireplace
Fireplaces can be beautiful centrepieces in all rooms of your Victorian house but they are enhanced incredibly as a period feature if they work and provide a source of heating too. We'll help you achieve that with this article which focuses on bringing your Victorian fireplaces back to life. It would be unusual to have a working fireplace in a bedroom nowadays as people typically want their bedrooms to be cooler than their reception…
How to choose a Reproduction Fireplace for your house
If your house was “modernised” in the 1970s or 1980s, you may have the unenviable task of having to replace all of the period features that have been ripped out of your house to give it back some authentic personality. This can seem like a daunting task but it…
How to choose a Reproduction Fireplace for your house
If your house was “modernised” in the 1970s or 1980s, you may have the unenviable task of having to replace all of the period features that have been ripped out of your house to give it back some authentic personality. This can seem like a daunting task but it is easily achievable and there are loads of authentic period-style products on the market. These may end up costing you quite a large sum of money but a house with beautiful and…
Reproduction Cast Iron Radiators
Period radiators is a phrase which is almost a contradiction in terms. The first radiators were invented around the mid 19th century so the Victorians were the first to benefit from central heating to any great extent and even they took time to become…
Thing To Consider When Looking at Reproduction Cast Iron Radiators
Franz San Galli invented the heating radiator in St Petersburg between 1855-1857, although in actual fact the taste for radiators in Great Britain did not gather pace until the early 20th century. The earliest radiators used steam which caused numerous issues and was responsible for many a scald injury; the introduction of hot water radiators made them much safer and therefore more popular.
The benefits of secondary glazing in your period property
Single glazed windows are a major factor in energy loss as glass is a poor insulator and also because windows can be ill fitting and draughty. It's one of the things that owners of period houses complain about incessantly - see our article here about customer…
The benefits of secondary glazing in your period property
A large proportion of buildings undergoing refurbishment were built to meet different needs and standards to those demanded today. In particular the windows are often found to be thermally inefficient and draughty with poor acoustics and minimal security. Where constraints from planning guidelines, lease conditions or budgets prevent the windows from being replaced, Secondary Glazing provides an attractive and practical solution in these…
What To Look For In A Traditional Victorian Radiator
Traditional radiators fall into two main camps: plain column radiators, that are usually white but sometimes black or grey. These are usual sold in an array of standard sizes and number of columns.
What To Look For In A Traditional Victorian Radiator
Traditional radiators are becoming more popular. 10 years ago they were a specialist item and not in common demand, however more recently, with the vogue for period house restoration, there is more competition in the manufacture and sale of traditional style heating solutions. There are is a choice of many different styles, sizes, heat outputs and prices for a traditional Victorian radiator. And because of the competition, prices have…
How to Choose Victorian Cast Iron Radiators
Cast iron radiators can be supplied in a variety of finishes nowadays including plain, painted in any colour including metallic colours, sandblasted, antiqued and polished.
How to Choose Victorian Cast Iron Radiators
Cast iron radiators have had a resurgence in popularity recently both for aesthetic reasons within period house restorations and possibly partly due to the fact that they retain their heat better and stay warmer for longer than radiators that are not cast iron. Cast iron radiators are a beautiful traditional feature that will enhance the room of any period home. They are made in columns, which determines their depth out of the wall, and…
