Heating Considerations For Retirement Villages

We’ve been blogging about safety considerations regarding radiators for care and nursing homes. However, facilities such as retirement villages should not be overlooked. Whilst occupiers of retirement villages are not as vulnerable to injury, we recognise that a high level of care is still as important.

Key considerations when deciding upon radiators for retirement villages are: ease of use, aesthetic appeal, cleaning efficiency and, of course, risk reduction. We’ll aim to explore each point in detail throughout this article.

Safe Surface Temperature

Whist retirement village residents might not like to admit it, their age makes them more vulnerable to injury.

This is particularly the case when it comes to the surface temperature of the radiator. When re-designing or upgrading your retirement village’s radiators, we advise you to opt for a low surface temperature (LST) radiator.

Designed not to exceed 43 °C, they are highly unlikely to cause harm in the event of a person coming into contact with it.

But, Won’t Residents Be Cold?

We all know that the elderly feel the cold more than most. However, don’t be put off by an LST radiator. Just because they are lower in surface temperature, it doesn’t mean that your heating efficiency is compromised.

Part of Contour’s consultation process involves communication with the M and E Consultants, assessing the heat emitters that are currently in use. Contour will then design the radiator slightly larger than the heat emitter. This overcompensation ensures that the heat output is not affected.

Scientifically speaking, this relates to the convection process, where convection currents are created when the air above your radiator heats and then cools and is then heated again.

This process happens continuously whilst you have your heating on and the current moves the heat around the room, making it nice, warm and toasty.

It’s Their Home

Retirement villages aim to provide elderly individuals with care-when required, whilst also giving them a sense of independence that allows them to live a happy and fulfilling life.

A core priority is making elderly inhabitants feel comfortable in their own homes, and the last thing they want is for it to feel clinical and cold.

Our LST radiators are designed to complement the room’s aesthetics, with their smooth, full-casing and streamlined appearance.

Simplicity Is Key

The sense of independence that retirement villages provide also means that the facilities should be easy to use.

With the option to choose an external TRV kit, residents in care homes and retirement villages are free to control the heat output to meet their comfort needs. To read more about our TRV options, click here.

Easy Access For Cleaning

When cleaning personnel have to work their way around lots of buildings in a short space of time, there’s a welcome need for an efficient cleaning solution.

Contour LST radiators can be cleaned with the ease of access created with the RotaRad rotating valve kits, which makes getting to the back of the LST radiator much easier.

Cleaning them can be done with a vacuum cleaner and a microfibre cloth to access the smaller areas where dust could otherwise build up.

For full instructions on how to clean an LST radiator, click here.

No Sharp Edges

With their radius corners and bullnose edges, Contour’s LST radiators prevent further injury in the unfortunate case of a trip or fall.

We’ve found that with the pointed edges that most common radiators possess, there’s a significant safety risk to elderly occupants.

Conclusion

Contour’s LST radiator and guard range offers complete care for those who require it most. For more information on how we can enhance your retirement village, or any care and nursing facility, get in touch today.

About Us

Contour produces a range of innovative, safe surface temperature systems for healthcare, education, mental health, commercial and secure sectors, working in close partnership and collaborating with architects, M&E engineers, NHS Trusts, local authorities, design consultants and contractors to deliver outstanding safe heating solutions.

Contour is the exclusive partner of BioCote® anti-microbial technology for LST and anti-ligature radiators.  BioCote® additives reduce bacteria by up to 99.9%. Contour combines an extensive range of colour-paints is with BioCote® for a durable, high-quality finish.

Contour’s heating solutions offer secure, single-person quick access to radiator guard interiors for regular deep cleaning and maintenance.  Each year, Contour save the NHS millions of pounds in cleaning costs, therefore delivering.