How Long Do Radiators Take to Heat Up? A Guide You Need

A radiator is one of our favourite devices in the winter. Without it, we cannot even imagine going through the long harsh winter months. 

However, these radiators can take a variety of time. So. it’s important to know how long your radiator needs to heat up your frosty room. 

So, exactly how long do radiators take to heat up?

A radiator would start heating up within 5 minutes once you turn it on. However, heating up the entire place may take up to an hour. The time your radiator takes to heat up a room also depends on the size of the room. But mostly, the time taken to heat up varies by a short amount.  

This was only a brief summary of this topic. To learn more in-depth, you need to take a look at our detailed guide. 

So, let’s get started now!

How Long Does A Radiator Take to Heat Up?

Well, one thing you must know first is the timing of the radiator. A radiator does not have a fixed time of heating time.

Source: thespruce.com

It’s applicable in a way the size of the room and radiator aren’t always the same. That is why you can not take a fixed time in every case.

However, you can still think of an approximate time for a radiator to heat up. To get an idea about that, a radiator starts heating up within 5 minutes. 

Now the time taken to heat up the entire room depends on the area of the room. So, let’s take a look at the relationship of time taken to heat up a room with the size of the room:

500-1000 Sq Ft Space

To heat up a room of 500-600 sq ft, an average-sized radiator would take approximately an hour. This is an example of a basic room. 

However, if you plan on getting a high-powered radiator then the time taken to heat up the entire room will be a lot less. But through my experience, I’ve found that it’s best to use small radiators for small spaces as with larger radiators comes a higher risk of accidents. 

Here are some of my favourite radiators on the market as of now:

Remember using a small radiator is one of the inexpensive ways to heat up a 400-sq feet room. So, you can understand how helpful it could be for you to invest in a small radiator for your small space!

1000-2000 Sq Ft Space

Now, to heat up a 1000-2000 sq ft space completely it would take you from 1.5-2 hours. As you can see the larger your space gets the longer it takes to heat up the room. 

The time might vary a bit for you. Going for relatively a larger room would most likely increase the time a bit.

Source: dqheating.com

But the time would not increase significantly though. And do not forget to turn on the radiator before you go to bed.

Like, turn it on at least 45 minutes earlier when you go to sleep. This would make the room very comfortable and you would not have to wait.

Why Does the Radiator Take Even Longer?

If you see your radiator taking a long time, it might not be okay every time. Because there might be issues arising in your radiator too. 

And that is why your radiator might take so long to heat up too. So, what is wrong with the radiator?

Well, there are issues that might be responsible for this. So, take a look here.

Problem 1: Heat Sequencer Failure

The heat sequencer is one of the most vital parts of your radiator. If this is faulty and gets damaged anyway, you are really unfortunate!

And remember heat sequencer getting faulty is not that uncommon nowadays. 

A heat sequencer may turn bad mainly for rough or continual usage over the year. However, you may consider bypassing a heat sequencer yourself to fix it!

Problem 2: Dust getting Clogged

This is a generic problem for almost any device actually. And a radiator is in no way different in this case as well. 

When you turn on your radiator, it could get dust into it. Because there are dust particles all around. As a result, the internal parts of your radiator may get clogged gradually.

And therefore, it has many issues arising and it takes so long to heat up! So, try to keep the room clean all the time. And if you can close the door of the place, it would be great!

Source: nytimes.com

If you want, you can also rub and clean the exterior of your radiator sometimes. Remember this can also keep the shine of your radiator.

And if you wonder about what to use for cleaning, then using simple dishwashing soap would do the trick. Here are some that I’ve found that leave your radiator squeaky clean:

Hope this helps!

Problem 3: Being Idle for So Long

This is also a common problem for any device. You know some users may keep their radiators turned off for a really long time.

This usually happens when they have spare radiators or are passing the summertime. And that is when the radiators seem to get damaged.

Because a radiator being inactive for a long time gets damaged for reasons. Reasons for this are like getting rusty, being interrupted by bugs, and many more.

Thus, it’s better to activate radiators at least once in a period of 6 months. So that your radiator might not be disabled due to any reason like that.

If you still can’t make your radiator function properly then check out this in-depth video by plumber parts-

So, these are the main problems of a radiator. If you find your radiator not working at all then it’s probably time to replace your radiator. 

Can I Let My Radiator Heat up Quicker Than It Takes Usually?

Well, you already know that a radiator may take longer to heat up at times. And it is not always due to any issues with the device. 

However, sometimes you may need your radiator to heat up quicker than the usual time. So, is it possible to heat up the radiator quicker? Well, yes, it is possible to heat up your radiator quicker than the usual time. 

Here are some tips you can follow to heat up your radiator quickly:

Using Warm Water

You can use warm water to heat up your radiator faster. Basically, you can take a little bit of warmer water than the usual amount. 

But make sure you do not take too much hot water that’s tough to handle. You need to keep the level of water for your radiator at the limit

Taking too hot water would not be good anyway. Because it may let the device crack due to the sudden change in temperature.

Keeping the Door Closed

Another thing you can do is keep the room closed for a long time back. This would let the room not get any cold air particles from the outside.

As a result, your radiator would be able to heat up quickly. If you close the doors, just before you turn it on, it might take time. 

And it definitely takes longer than the time closing the doors from long back.

Investing in a Larger Radiator

Finally, you can consider buying a relatively bigger radiator in size. However, this is something that you need to think of prior to making the purchase.

Because replacing or changing the radiator means investing in it again. 

So, these are simple hacks for letting your radiator heat up quickly!

FAQs

Is there a problem if my radiator takes too long to heat up?

Well, it actually depends on a few things to understand the situation. It’s not always that a radiator is faulty when it takes time to heat up. Because depending on the area of the room, the time might vary. However, if it takes more than the general time, the radiator might be faulty.

Can I pour cold water to cool the hot radiator?

No, you should never use cold water for your hot radiator. If you want to cool the hot radiator by pouring cold water, you are wrong. Because it would resist the engine to work properly. And eventually, the radiator might be damaged. What you can do is use room temperature water.

Can I use any type of water for my radiator?

No, you can not use any type of random type of water for your radiator. You must consider distilled water for your radiator. If you want then you may also use de-ionized water for it. Because any type of water may just have impurities that are harmful to the device.

The Final Words

Now you know, how long do radiators take to heat up! We believe you are clear with all the info we provided here.

But remember one thing. Do not pressurize your radiator too much. Give your radiator enough time to run its operation. Because pressurizing with anything would damage your radiator.

Have a great time with your radiator!

Tim David

HVAC tech with over 30 years of experience. Retired and doing repair work on the side around Madison County, AL.