radiator covers

loracan1

At some point I intend to decorate my hall, and since the radiator is a bit of any eyesore I've decided I want a radiator cover. The choice of designs for the grill seems to be very limited. I've look around on websites and I really like some of the 'jali' ones. But they aren't cheap. Just wondering if there's anywhere I can get the mdf fretwork and use a bogstandard radiator cover casing. Anyone know anywhere that does it?

Al_Mac

Bee and Queue appear to have build it yourself ones, not kits, you buy the different bits. Worth a look.

:beer:

alanobrien

loracan1 wrote:

At some point I intend to decorate my hall, and since the radiator is a bit of any eyesore I've decided I want a radiator cover. The choice of designs for the grill seems to be very limited. I've look around on websites and I really like some of the 'jali' ones. But they aren't cheap. Just wondering if there's anywhere I can get the mdf fretwork and use a bogstandard radiator cover casing. Anyone know anywhere that does it?

Try

http://www.radiatorcover.net/

trafalgar_2

Keep in mind you lose heat output when you cover radiators...........

Al_Mac

trafalgar wrote:

Keep in mind you lose heat output when you cover radiators...........

You don't lose it, just don't use it effectively:rotfl: Exit stage left:beer:

trafalgar_2

Al_Mac wrote:

You don't lose it, just don't use it effectively:rotfl: Exit stage left:beer:

.........................shall I hold the stage door open for you:rolleyes:

economiser

If you cover a radiator you will not get the same heat output. Output reduction about 20%. Most radiators are oversized however and so the effect is more on warm up time rather than keeping the space warm. Of course if you enclose the thermostatic valve within the cover it will only control the air temperature in "the box".

Al_Mac

trafalgar wrote:

.........................shall I hold the stage door open for you:rolleyes:

No thanks, but you could stop the bear.:j

alanobrien

economiser wrote:

If you cover a radiator you will not get the same heat output. Output reduction about 20%. Most radiators are oversized however and so the effect is more on warm up time rather than keeping the space warm. Of course if you enclose the thermostatic valve within the cover it will only control the air temperature in "the box".

That's interesting, i read somewhere (cant recall where) that most rads in new houses are undersized because houses are made to the lowest possible cost.

This was certainly the case in the place i bought recently which is a 70's built thing.

One of the side effects of rad covers can be increased fuel bills as people turn up the heat to compensate for the losses as you mention above....not good that...

albalad

trafalgar wrote:

Keep in mind you lose heat output when you cover radiators...........

To help compensate for this , we have lined both behind and inside the top of our radiator covers with tin-foil to help reflect the heat back out , although you can also buy similar stuff from the likes of B&q to do the same job !

economiser

alanobrien. The 20% reduction I mentioned is not a loss. It is simply that by restricting the air flow around the radiator you reduce the amount of heat it can give out. It just means the heater is less "effective" not less "efficient". It may be that you have heard of people "turning up the heat" because of this. If they increase the water temperature flow from the boiler than this would increase the radiator temperature and go some way to reversing the reduction effect of the enclosure.

albalad. Lining the enclosure with foil will not improve the output. It might even reduce it as it will reflect the radiant heat back to the radiator. This foil is effective on a wall behind a radiator on an outside wall as it reduces the amount of radiant heat absorbed by the wall.

Hope this is helpful