Foil heat reflectors for radiators

Jolaaled

Hi All

Trying to get organised for winter.

I've bought some extra wide 'turkey' foil and am now wondering what the best 'tried and tested' method is, for making a foil-reflective surface to put behind the radiators.

Do i cover cardboard in the foil??.is it best to stick it down with glue???

Or do you just try to attach the foil directly to the wall itself??..this would be tricky as the wall is so hard to get to (being behind the radiator, or course!!).


Also,..if it is best to stick foil to a large sheet of cardboard, what is it the best way to then, fix it to the wall, bearing in mind, that you need to create slits and gaps for the radiator support brackets.

Hope this makes sense.
thanks all.

Antispam

I stuck foil to bubblewrap and then stuck that to cardboard (old large boxes) with PVA glue. Measured the two slots behind the radiator and them left a bit at the top so it can slot in place. One radiator I didnt use bubblewrap as the gap was to thin

Jolaaled

thanks, Antispam.


I read somewhere that you should leave a minimum gap behind the radiator, to enable air to circulate. Do you know what the minimum gap needs to be???...i'm assuming that you don't just ram the foil sheet right up against the radiator itself.

thanks all

greenbee

You do need to leave a gap for the air to circulate. I think ideally you take the radiator off and stick the foil etc. to the wall, but who has the time? :rolleyes: Putting the foil on card makes it easier to manage - the brackets can be used to hook it over to keep it in place.

Remember, you only need to do this for radiators on outside walls. If they are on inside walls, you want the house to absorb the heat. Some people even paint the wall behind the radiator a darker colour to help with this.

Jolaaled

thanks, Greenbee. My DIY skills are certainly NOT up to removing a whole radiator from a wall!

Do to you know how big a gap i need to leave behind the radiator..it's just that it's already quite close the the wall..about 3 cms. My foil covered card is quite thin..about .25 cm, but if i also use bubble wrap, then it's going to be a quite a bit thicker.

thanks all.

Incisor

Foil reflectors behind water filled radiators are a complete waste of effort. The reason is that radiators are misnamed, They do not radiate, they convect. The reason for the losses through the wall behind is that heat transfers to the wall by convection and then out of the wall by conduction. If you want to reduce losses, then you need insulation on the wall, leaving space for the back of the radiator to heat up the air at the back.

Jolaaled

Incisor wrote: »

Foil reflectors behind water filled radiators are a complete waste of effort. The reason is that radiators are misnamed, They do not radiate, they convect. The reason for the losses through the wall behind is that heat transfers to the wall by convection and then out of the wall by conduction. If you want to reduce losses, then you need insulation on the wall, leaving space for the back of the radiator to heat up the air at the back.

Thanks..does anyone know what size gap is recommended to leave behind the radiator, to ensure the most effective convection??

Incisor

Jolaaled wrote: »

Thanks..does anyone know what size gap is recommended to leave behind the radiator, to ensure the most effective convection??

Manufacturer's brackets would I suppose give a good compromise between projection from the wall and losses to the wall behind.

sillyvixen

my grandad had foil behind his radiators (in a mobile home) he cut cardboard to fit behind the radiator to acomadate the brakets that join the rad to the wall then he covered the cardboard with foil - i had forgoten about this i may try it as all my rads are on outside walls - except heated towel rail in bathroom.

Barneysmom

Would it be a mad idea to cut the foil the right length then use sticky-back velcro to hold it in place? Put one side on the foil and the other on the wall?

sillyvixen

Barneysmom wrote: »

Would it be a mad idea to cut the foil the right length then use sticky-back velcro to hold it in place? Put one side on the foil and the other on the wall?

not a mad idea - but grandad bluetacked it to the wall - cheaper if you are doing the whole house.