Efficient Curtain Placement Over Radiator or Not?

raw

Hi,

I am about to move into my first home and looking at curtains for my bedroom. I am concerned as it is a top floor flat with a flat roof above it is going to be cold in the winter.

I am wondering whether to buy curtains for my that nearly hit the floor or go for curtains that sit just below the window sill but above the radiator to minimise the heat loss will it make much of a difference?

I read that NOT ALL the heat will be lost through the glass. Some will warm up the cold air next to the window and form a barrier of warmer air next to the cold window.

Whats everyones thoughts on this?

Thanks in advance.

keystone

If you hide the radiator behind curtains that go all the way to the floor the heat isn't going to get into the room particularly efficiently. The word radiator is a misnomer. A radiator actually warms the room by convection rather than radiation. If you prevent the formation of the convection currents by putting a curtain al the way in front of it ...... well - need I say more?.

Cheers

Myser

Also, if the radiator has a TRV fitted and it is covered by the curtain, it will shut off much earlier before the room reaches temperature.

aggypanthus

Do not have long curtain over the radiator .

My perfect solution in my bedroom is curtain a few inches longer than the rad, so that in winter I can tuck them behind the rad a bit. Easy said as I made them to size. My last pair were just above the rad, and all the heat went up the curtains.

There is a thread about preparing for winter, where they talk about curtains etc, worth reading.