Kenilworth Cottage - Jaga Mini Canal
Long gone are the days when homeowners were limited to standard steel-panelled wall radiators as their only heating option. Subtle, stylish radiators have become far more accessible. Not only that, they can significantly enhance both heat output and a building’s energy performance.
The residents of Kenilworth Cottage in Cheltenham set about taking advantage of one particularly suitable alternative for home installation, and one that is ideally suited for positioning in front of French windows or bi-fold doors: trench heating.
Homeowner Richard Wheatley explained the challenges he and his wife faced when selecting a radiator for one of the building’s living rooms: “The room previously featured a great big radiator on the back wall, which was far from ideal,” said Mr Wheatley. “It limited what we could do with the room; if we were to put a sofa in front of it, it would block the heat from circulating around the room and potentially damage the furniture over the course of time.”
“The room also features large French windows, which we know are prone to heat loss,” he added. “We had seen trench heating in a friend’s home in Central Europe, where the winters are much colder. On our return we found Jaga as a potential supplier. My phone call was handled by Justin Vicarage, their Technical Estimator, who was quickly able to switch from a larger commercial application to specifying for our small domestic installation. The result is something that is far more aesthetically pleasing and technically efficient.”
The Wheatley’s decided on the Jaga Mini Canal. Installed in unobtrusive floor alcoves available from just 90mm deep, the Mini Canal’s heat emitter is hidden under attractive roll-up grilles that naturally incorporate the radiators as part the room’s interior décor. Here in Cheltenham, the Wheatley’s selected a natural wood finish from more than 25 aluminium, wood and stainless steel grille options available.
In terms of heat performance, the Mini Canal features Jaga’s Low-H₂O heat emitters – a low-mass, low-water content radiator technology that significantly reduces energy costs while remaining ultra-responsive to temperature changes. Low-H₂O technology uses only a tenth of the water that is required by a standard steel panel radiator, saving between 9-16% energy in the process.
In counteracting the heat loss that frequently occurs through glass façades, the trench heaters create convection currents that mitigate the heat loss by essentially providing a warm air blanket in front of the windows.
Upon listening to the Wheatley’s specific heating requirements, Jaga’s Justin Vicarage recommended the inclusion of Jaga’s Dynamic Boost Effect (DBE) fans. “The DBE fan unit draws air over the element to increase the efficiency of the heat emitter within the trench system whilst circulating warm air around the room. This provides up to three times more heat in the room without compromising on the size of the Mini Canal. For that added extra level of home comfort, the DBE can supply a quick boost of immediate extra heat as and when required.”
Homeowners need not be restricted by radiator choices in satisfying their vision for interior décor. At Kenilworth Cottage, the Jaga Mini Canal has become the primary heat source in a room that had previously been a challenge to warm sufficiently, whilst widening the possibilities in how the Wheatleys could decorate and arrange their furniture.