When you close your curtains on a night

jennifernil

richardc1983 wrote: »

its a bit fiddly jennifer but it is possible. It depends how thick they are too but u sort of pull them on whilst putting them down the back.

Our long radiators hang on 3 brackets, one quite near each end and one in the middle, if I tried to pull long curtains along behind the radiators the curtains would only go behind a few inches before they hit the brackets. So I don't see how this can be done with long curtains.

djohn2002uk

kittie wrote: »

over rad shelves are a good idea as the heat is thrown into the room. I have a hm shelf on a simple, stand as the rad and my desk are below a window. My desk has a cutout for the rad and the shelf simply stands on the desk. I have short curtains and the shelf stops a lot of the heat from going behind the curtain

'Radiator shelves save energy by directing heat away from windows and into the centre of the room'

If this statement were true, you would wonder why most radiators are fitted under windows. The reason why radiators are mostly fitted here is to counteract downdraughts. These downdraughts are not draughts from outside - you will have downdraughts even with the most airtight windows. Downdraughts are the result of room air being rapidly cooled on the cold surface of the glass, causing the air to fall and producing a draught. If it were true that radiator shelves direct warm air from radiators to the centre of the room, it would be equally true that shelves direct cold downdraughts to the centre of the room. In fact, neither of these statements is true.

It is also untrue that heat from radiators is immediately lost through windows. This will only occur if the window is open. Radiators are mostly installed under windows because this is generally the preferred position for them.

As ANY radiator manufacturer will confirm, radiator shelves actually REDUCE the heat output from your radiators, typically by around 5%. Therefore, this is hardly a measure to increase your comfort – or to save energy. Avoid radiator shelves.

richardc1983

I suppose if you dont have window ledges or long enough curtains to took behind the radiators then a shelf is the alternative though!

Mazio_2

I dont think the heat is lost through the glass I think its cooler air that as you say causes a downdraught if you can stop this then the heated air rising from the rad is not cooled and the draught is a warmer one.

Again I can only speak for myself but it has made a definate improvement in certain rooms in my house having thermal linings even with double glazing.

dannymccann

I tuck my curtains up on the window sills, works for us otherwise a lot of heat escapes into the window alcove and is then trapped their by the curtain! We have all new rads and heating system though so everyones situation is different.

What I will ask though, I thought radiators were put under windows because windows are always on outside (therefore coldest) walls, and so the radiator would help heat the wall up and help prevent damp/mould?

Magentasue

dannymccann wrote: »

What I will ask though, I thought radiators were put under windows because windows are always on outside (therefore coldest) walls, and so the radiator would help heat the wall up and help prevent damp/mould?

In our last house, we didn't have any radiators put under windows. The plumber said he thought there were pros and cons and it was up to us. In our present house, a different plumber wanted to fit the radiators under the windows but it wasn't practical because the windows are so big and the space between window and floor wasn't big enough. He said he didn't think it made a big difference siting them under windows but customers preferred it because it lefr them with more walls 'free'.

Having had damp and mould behind furniture in the past, I'm very careful about not putting a lot of furniture against outside walls.

dannymccann

Guess its all about air circulation then, my student bedroom was terrible for mould, it was everywhere and it stank the place out, so im always trying my hardest to not let my own place get like it