There are a few important things to understand about efficiency and running costs, and there's a lot of bad information posted on the internet. So read this carefully to make sure you fully understand!

All electric resistive heating is essentially 100% efficient at converting electricity to heat.

If a 1000W heater runs non-stop for an hour, it will use 1 kWh (kilowatt hour). Depending on your provider, that would cost about $0.24 cents.

Sounds high, right? But this isn't the full story...

The first thing to consider is that a heater rarely needs to run non-stop to keep a room warm. A heater equipped with an accurate thermostat (like Purmo electric radiators) will cycle on and off to maintain a consistent room temperature.

This means that the exact energy usage will be equal to the rate heat loss of your room. A poorly insulated room on a cold day will lose heat much faster than a well insulated room on warmer day. North-facing rooms that get lots of sunlight will consume less power than dark south-facing rooms.

Radiant heat means Purmo radiators are usually cheaper to run compared to other kinds of resistive electric heating (like convection-only panels).

This is because radiant heat feels more comfortable to people even if the air temperature is lower. It heats objects directly, and is lost less easily to draughts and air flow.

Many of our customers find they can set the thermostat a degree or two lower and still feel warm and cozy because of this effect.

Put simply, in a well-insulated home, or a home equipped with solar panels, Purmo panels are very cost efficient to run.

To get a rough idea of running costs, you can use the following rule of thumb.

On average across a winter season, Purmo panels will need to run 50% of the time when sized correctly for the room.

This means the average cost of running the 1000W radiator we talked about earlier comes to about $0.12 cents per hour that it's turned on.

Remember that this is a rough average that factors in usage on the coldest days of the year. Many of our customers find their actual running cost ends up much lower than this! 

Read more about how efficient are electric radiators in this blog.

In Victoria, you can visit the Home Innovations Centre in Frankston, open 7 days a week with no appointment necessary.

Alternatively our Frankston warehouse is open Monday to Friday by appointment only. Please give us a call if you would like to schedule a time within business hours.

Some of our agents have showrooms in other parts of Victoria or Interstate. Click here to find the showroom closest to you.

No noise, no dust, no burning dust, no smell, robust construction, radiant heat, easy to install.
Our radiators offer the same quality of radiant and convection heat that you get from a hydronic system, though we don’t need to worry about a length and invasive installation. All of our radiators are installed on your walls in less than 30 minutes out of the box.

Our radiators are all standalone, independent units, all with their own independent thermostats so you can set temperatures in each room independently instead of just running an entire boiler fed hydronic system (which is a huge benefit if you’re only wanting a couple of rooms heated as opposed to every room in the property).

Not to mention our panels are electric, so your running costs can be greatly offset by solar/battery systems, great for those who want to reduce their carbon footprint. Compared to other electric panel heaters which just offer convection heat, our panels are vastly more comfortable and never stifling, noisy, or smelly.

Radiant heat isn’t lost up to the ceiling like convection heat is, so long as our heaters are appropriately sized for the space they’re being used in, we offer stable, even temperatures without creating a bunch of hot air. It’s because of this fact that we can actually run our heaters a few degrees lower than other electric panel options and feeler more comfortable, while using less power.

Most panel heaters available on the market are convection-only heaters. That means they warm up a room by heating the air. Typically they have an element that's exposed to the air, which can create that burning dust smell.

Even low-cost oil-filled column heaters produce mostly convection heat because of the shape of the fins.

Convection heat circulates using air currents. Hot air rises to the ceiling, cools and eventually circulates back to the heater. It's easily lost to draughts and open doors, and in general people find it less comfortable.

Purmo panels are true radiators. They produce much more radiant heat. Think of the feeling of the sun on your face, this is an example of radiant heat.

Radiant heat is unaffected by air currents, because it's infrared energy. It behaves in exactly the same way as light, beaming out the front of the radiator and warming objects and people directly.

While convection heat is better at getting around corners and spreading out, radiant heat feels much more comfortable and doesn't escape the room as quickly. You generally need less radiant heat energy to make a room feel comfortable. This can translate to energy savings if you set your thermostat a degree or two lower.

Purmo panels produce a mix of radiant and convection heat, so you get the best both worlds. They're also fully enclosed, so there's no potential for burning dust, and they operate completely silently.

Purmo radiators are similar to hydronic panels in many ways. They look extremely similar, because they’re built in the same factory, on the same production line as hydronic radiators.

They produce exactly the same gentle, radiant heat that people love about hydronic.

Hydronic systems are generally gas-based systems, with water filled pipes and a central boiler. Installation is difficult, expensive and invasive. They require maintenance every few years to prevent corrosion and the build up of metallic sludge.

The difference is that Purmo radiators are standalone electric units. They’re filled with vegetable oil, and require no central boiler or plumbing, so you don’t have to run a whole system to heat one room. But they can still be controlled centrally by the optional wireless controller.

Installation of the wall brackets and panel is easy and takes less than 30 minutes per unit. The radiators can simply plug-in to a powerpoint, or can be hardwired by an electrician.

An installation of Purmo radiators is typically substantially cheaper than an equivalent hydronic system. They require zero-maintenance, and repairs are simple and low-cost.

Oil-fin or column heaters operate on the same basic principle - an enclosed elements heats up oil which helps to distribute the heat.

However, these are typically designed as a space heater for occasional use, rather than permanent system that’s sized to the room and designed to run day-in, day-out for years.

The design of the fins means they generate mostly generate convection heat, instead of radiant heat, because air is drawn up and heated in the space between the fins. LVI radiators generate significantly more radiant heat because of the panel design.

They also have a lot less thermal mass - most large column heaters are half the weight of an equivalent Purmo radiator. This means the heater surface heats up unevenly, affecting the distribution of heat in the room.

Many column heaters have a much less accurate thermostat, so these can create large temperature swings and waste energy.

Convection heaters (like Nobo and Noirot) can only warm up a room by heating the air.

Typically they have an electric element that's exposed to the air, which can create that burning dust smell.

Convection heat circulates using air currents. Hot air rises to the ceiling, cools and eventually circulates back to the heater. It's easily lost to draughts and open doors, and in general people find it less comfortable.

Generally these panels are built quite cheaply, and can make popping or ticking noises as they heat up.

Purmo panels are true radiators. They produce a balance of radiant and convection heat. Think of the feeling of the sun on your face, this is an example of radiant heat.

Radiant heat is unaffected by air currents, because it is infrared light energy. It behaves in exactly the same way as regular light, beaming out the front of the radiator and warming objects and people directly.

While convection heat is better at getting around corners and spreading out, radiant heat feels much more comfortable and doesn't escape the room as quickly. You generally need less radiant heat energy to make a room feel comfortable. This can translate to energy savings if you set your thermostat a degree or two lower.

Due to a mixture of convection and radiant heat, you get the best both worlds. They're also fully enclosed, so there's no potential for burning dust, and they operate completely silently.

Split-systems work by heating air, this is convection heat.

While they’re very efficient at creating this kind of heat, there are some drawbacks.

For a start, they’re often quite blowy and noisy. As hot air rises, the vertical distribution of heat in the room is uneven - your feet are much colder than your head.

They also struggle to regulate the temperature precisely, which can lead to uncomfortable temperature swings and the feeling of having to “battle the thermostat”.

Purmo radiators create a balance of radiant and convection heat.

They heat the room more evenly, and they’re much better at keeping the room at the precise temperature you set.

They’re also completely silent, there’s no fans or blown dust.

If you’ve got a split-system already, it’s still a great idea to use it to efficiently and quickly get a cold room up to temperature.

Then you can let the radiators take over and maintain a really comfortable room temperature.

Solar is extremely beneficial for offsetting running costs. For the same price as a typical hydronic system, our radiators combined with a solar installation generally provides lower running costs and year round energy savings.

Nothing other than visual aesthetics. Functionality, performance and quality remains unchanged across the range, they offer the same exact performance, functionality and quality.

Parada models are priced slightly higher and are slightly heavier, as their construction has more steel and higher manufacturing costs.

Most of the radiator options are available in single or double panel configurations:
• Double panel radiators are slightly thicker (111mm depth from wall), but allow you to fit more heating capacity in less wall space.
• Single panel radiators are thinner (95mm depth from wall), ideal for narrow hallways, bathrooms and under desks.

The radiators are filled with completely non-toxic, biodegradable vegetable oil.

The radiators are completely silent, there's no clicking, ticking, humming, whirring of fans or whooshing of water through pipes or anything like that.

Our radiators operate with a low surface temperature, so they’re very child and pet safe. When operating at maximum temperature, the panels can be quite hot to touch but will not cause burns without sustained contact.

Kids learn not to touch the radiators, but there’s no risk of a trip to the hospital. If you have very small children and want to be extra-safe, there is a child safety mode that can limit surface temperature. Be aware that this also limits maximum panel heat output, so if you intend to use this feature you may wish to choose a slightly larger panel. You can also lock the controls so little hands can’t mess with them!

While we recommend that you don’t hanging anything on the radiators and leave them free of obstruction, the fully-enclosed element means there is no risk of fire if clothes or toys are thrown onto the radiator. This also makes them far more asthma and allergy-friendly, as the element will not burn dust or pet hair like many regular panel heaters do.

Our radiators don’t have a fan, so they don’t blow dust or allergens around your room. The electric element is also completely enclosed in oil, so you’ll never get the burning dust smell typical of convection-only panels with an exposed element.

1. There's an overtemperature cutout system that kicks in if the radiator is covered and excessive heat builds up. This will automatically reset the heater when the problem is removed.

2. If for some reason the temperature exceeds a preset limit, the element has an over temperature fuse that will open. A new element is required in this instance, but this is designed to prevent fires.

By default, our radiators have an open window function enabled. If they detect a large drop in temperature, or difficulty maintaining consistent heat, they will assume a window (or door to a much colder room) has been left open and will switch off automatically. This can be disabled in rooms where it may cause an issue (for example, if the door is often left open and the rest of the home is cold), but be aware this can increase energy usage.

It’s okay to have furniture in front of a radiator if necessary, though we recommend leaving them unobstructed where possible. It depends on what it is. For any piece of substantial furniture like a sofa couch or daybed you should leave a gap of at least 300mm - 500mm or more at a minimum from the front of a radiator, though it will still take longer to warm the space effectively if placed here. Smaller pieces like a side table, chairs or bar stools are fine to have closer.

While leaving items like clothing on the heater isn’t a fire danger, we don’t recommend you do this. The top vent of the radiator should be free of obstructions at all time for ideal operation and radiator lifespan.

There is a programmable timer function built into each radiator that can be set with controls on the display.

For easier control of timers and schedules, especially across multiple radiators, our Unisenza+ Smart Home Gateway combined with the Unisenza+ App is the best option.

Our radiators and towel rails can be connected to our Touch E3 Wi-Fi controller. It will allow you to control all the units from a central panel, set-up zones and monitor your energy usage.

The Touch E3 connects to each radiator via a dedicated radio channel.

If you want, you can then connect the Touch E3 to your home wifi, which will allow you to control your entire heating system remotely via smartphone or PC.

We have a set-up service for Victorian customers, or we can supply a configuration guide.

Alternatively video guides are available on the following links:

E3 Functions and Timer Setup

Pairing E3 to LVI Radiators

LVI Radiator Wifi and Phone App Setup

You’ll need a Unisenza+ Gateway to remotely control radiator settings like set temperature. The radiators cannot directly connect to your smartphone or home wi-fi without it.

Several temperature reduction options that include the following:

• Adjustable maximum surface temperature of 90°C (normal) and 75 or 60°C (reduced). The 75 and 60°C modes reduce the output of the radiator to 70 and 55% for a single and 90 and 80% for a double panel.
• Sequential temperature control of the front and rear panel.
• Window open function.
• Lockable thermostat unit.
• Thermostat guard made from flame retardant and UV resistant ABS-PC V0.
• The temperature reduction can be activated manually or with a separate control wire connected to a central timer.
• The radiator is supplied with a cable with a “plug-in contact” for connecting the radiator and the enclosed wall outlet box.
• Can be controlled from other radiators or control other radiators in a master-slave configuration.

Our Tahiti Surf towel rail is 80mm depth at the edge to 110mm in the middle where the tubes are bowed.

Our Arborescence is 125mm depth from the wall.

Our Smart Arborescence is 125mm, but the hinged smart arms can extend further.

Our Tahiti Surf, Aborescence and Smart Aborescence towel rails are able to heat both your towels and bathroom. There is also an option blower attachment available which can be used to more rapidly heat your bathroom on a cold morning. You’ll need to make sure

Our Nila and Muria towel rails are only designed to heat towels, not the bathroom.

You can also mount one of our Yali or Parada radiators underneath a regular towel rail, which will allow you to heat both your towels and the bathroom. The 500W / H300 x L800 / Single and 750W / H300 x L800 Double models are great options, as they’re the same length as a standard 800mm towel rail and can usually fit neatly underneath the towels.

Yes! Our radiators are IP44 splash proof when installed correctly, so they’re safe for use in bathrooms. You can also mount one of our Yali or Parada radiators underneath a regular towel rail, which will allow you to heat both your towels and the bathroom.

The 500W / H300 x L800 / Single and 750W / H300 x L800 Double models are great options, as they’re the same length as a standard 800mm towel rail and can usually fit neatly underneath the towels.

The amount of heaters you need for your home depends on the size of your space and it’s insulation properties.

We are happy to work this out for you, all you need to do is upload your house plans or room measurements in the linked questionnaire below, there's also a few questions we'll need you to fill out regarding your home's energy efficiency.

Start your online quote

Please let us know if you have any issues with this step, as it's a vital part of our quoting process.

The exact cost can vary greatly depending on your home size, layout and efficiency.

However, a reasonable ballpark is around $1000-$1100 per room.

Small bedrooms or very efficient rooms typically require panels that cost $700-$900.

Larger open plan living areas may need multiple large panels, and this brings the average price per room up.

Remember that our radiators are robust, high-quality units designed to keep you wonderfully warm and comfortable for years to come.

The price may be higher than low-cost space heaters found in department stores, but they can't compete on comfort, longevity or efficiency.

Purmo radiators are typically 30% to 50% cheaper than the cost of comparable gas hydronic heating systems.

There's no need for us to visit your home to provide a quote.

Thanks to COVID, we developed a unique online quoting process that allows us provide accurate quotes wherever you are in Australia. And our customers love it!

Here's how it works:

1. Use our online form to upload your house plans or measurements of our rooms, and answer a few simple questions about the energy efficiency of your home.

2. Our estimating team will calculate the heating requirements for the rooms you wish to heat

3. We'll schedule a Google Meet video call together. This lets us share our screen with you, review your heating requirements and choose panel sizing and placement to create a finalised quote.

4. At the end of the call, you'll be left with an exact quote and heating plan for your home.

Don't worry if you're never used Google Meet. It's very simple and we'll provide full instructions on how to join the video call. 

During our sales process you can opt to book in with our Heating Consultant.

Our Heating Consultant can virtually walk through your home with you and make decisions with you about panel placement. If you would like to book this in please follow this link and select the next available time.

Alternatively we can specify placement via your floorplan.

Installation of Purmo radiators is extremely simple.

Two brackets are screwed to your wall, and the panel simply clips on. It typically takes around 20 minutes per panel.

Provided there's a powerpoint nearby, this makes DIY installation a breeze!

If you want the clean appearance of a hardwired installation, you'll need to arrange an electrician to wire up the included wall boxes directly before installing the panels.

It's also a good idea to engage an electrician if you have an older switchboard. This ensures you won't overload any of your circuits by the amperage draw of the panels.

For Victorian customers, we can offer our installation service directly. This includes mounting of the brackets and panels, but it does not include hardwiring or anything that requires a licensed electrician.

For interstate customers, we're happy to exist your electrician to make sure the panels are installed directly.

You can watch our detailed installation video below:

Our panels can be delivered Australia wide.

In Victoria we can deliver the panels directly to you. Free pick-up is also available from our Frankston warehouse on an appointment only basis.

For interstate orders, we can offer door to door delivery or drop off to your closest TNT Depot. Larger interstate orders are shipped on a pallet.

We recommend speaking to an electrician to check if your circuits and switchboard have enough capacity for the radiators. Our estimates show the amp draw for each radiator we recommend, so your electrician can use this to determine if you need any further electrical work to support the proposed set-up.

All of our radiators can be plugged into a wall or directly wired into your existing home circuits.

With our installation service we can mount the heaters to the wall and plug them into the wall for you. Please note our installation service does not cover any electrical work - you’ll need to speak to an electrician if you need any additional power points.

In most cases it’s necessary to screw the radiator brackets into a stud or noggin. Our largest radiators can weigh up to 37kg, so installing these into plaster only is a bad idea! The brackets can clip onto the radiator at any point along its length (though we recommend leaving some space from the edge for best aesthetics), so this means the radiator placement isn’t strictly limited by the location of the studs.

For our smaller radiators (under 750W), you can install using heavy duty plaster anchors if necessary, but this is not recommended if you have children or are installing in a space where the radiator might accidentally take a heavy knock. Please make sure to carefully choose plaster anchors capable of supporting the radiator weight if using this option.

We cannot change our design to be curved to match your wall, and the brackets are designed to be mounted on flat walls.

However, in some cases with clever bracket mounting it is possible to mount radiators to curved walls.

Our Muria and Aborescence towel tails models have only one anchor point in the wall, which means they are much easier to install onto curved surfaces.

There’s no mechanical maintenance needed for our heaters or towel rails.We recommend giving them a regular wipe down with a moistened cloth like any other surface in your home, and avoiding the use of harsh cleaners and corrosive agents.

In the rare case of any faults with the radiator or electronics, we have spare parts available. Repairs are relatively simple and can be performed by us or a trained electrician with our guidance.

We offer a 10 year warranty on the panels, and a 2 year warranty on the electronic components.

Even outside the warranty period, repairs are low-cost and simple.

You can be confident we'll be around long into the future to help in the unlikely event you encounter an issue.

We've been operating in Australia for over 20 years, and our radiators are manufactured by Purmo Group, one of the largest hydronic heating manufacturers in the world.