The Interesting History of Radiators

The interesting history of radiators down through the years so that their creation is largely due to the efforts undertaken by several different Americans and the use of American ingenuity applied during the 1700s to finding ways to bring central heating to a home. 1863 saw an improvement in the radiator that led to it taking on the characteristics of being vertical and made of wrought iron.
<br>
<br>The wrought iron tubing that composed the main part of the radiator was then fastened into a base that was composed of mostly cast iron. Around 10 years after that innovation, a fellow named Bundy designed and began to market a device he called, of course, the 'Bundy Loop.' With it, the radiator was far easier to employ and it became fairly ubiquitous in many buildings and homes not soon thereafter.
<br>
<br>Owing to the times -- especially during the Victorian and Edwardian eras -- radiators began to take on extremely stylized and ornate characteristics. In fact, any expensive home of the day was sure to be filled with a number of these highly decorated units. The British were a little slower to take to the radiator, though, and it wasn't until the first decade of the 1900s that they became popular.
<br>
<br>Radiators of those decades were mainly composed of wrought iron and cast iron. Because of the nature of iron -- especially wrought iron -- the radiator could be created in pretty much any shape the ironworker or craftsmen desired. Of course, they tended to take on the designs and shapes of the era in which they were created. Though it was effective, many homeowners tended to look at it as a necessary inconvenience.
<br>
<br>This is because radiators of the day tended to be heated by means of steam that issued forth from a boiler down in a home's basement. Too much pressure in a steam line or radiator was always a concern, so every radiator had a steam valve that was designed to let off pressure. Sometimes, the whistling from the steam moving through the valve could be quite loud.
<br>
<br>Along with innovations that came with mass production techniques in America and England, came the ability of the working class and middle classes to afford such heating units. In other words, as their supply increased and their prices dropped more people than ever before could consider bringing a central heating system consisting of radiators and a furnace into their homes.
<br>
<br>As far as who invented the radiator itself, an American by the name of William Baldwin was the first to take cast-iron and wrought iron and figure out a way to channel heat through it so that it would radiate outward. By the early 1900s, just about every American household had radiators in the home. Most likely, Baldwin would get a fair bit of enjoyment out of how popular his invention became.
<br>
<br>The interesting history of radiators is a great example of how the need for one thing -- in this case centralized heating in a home -- led to an invention that was designed to address that need directly. Before the radiator made its appearance, homes tended to be heated room by room, many times with things like potbellied stoves that could be dangerous in some circumstances.
<br>
<br>About the Author: Annie is an expert furniture and interior design writer. Her current area of specialism is <a href="http://mydeco.com/shopping/style/modern/" rel="nofollow">contemporary furniture</a>, <a href="http://mydeco.com/s/corner-sofas/135/" rel="nofollow">corner sofa</a> and <a href="http://mydeco.com/c/special-offers/bedroom/105/" rel="nofollow">bedroom furniture sale</a>
<br>