Radiators are one of the relatively few fixtures in your home that can’t really be moved at all. As a result, other items in your home will often be placed against them without much thought, but this isn’t always a good idea.
There might not always be an immediate danger to these practices, with water-heated radiators at least, but it can result in a big reduction in heating efficiency and property damage. Below, we outline some basic tips to follow to ensure optimal, safe heating.
Large pieces of furniture
A lot of people find that placing a big sofa or armchair in front of a radiator is an aesthetically pleasing solution, but it can have quite a big negative effect on your heating efficiency.
Most of that heat will end up going into the piece of furniture itself, rather than circulating into the room, meaning that you may end up burning more gas to get the same desired heating effect.
You can place furniture near radiators, but it’s important to leave a gap. Around 30cm is ideal, but even 15cm will make a big difference compared to having them practically touching.
Curtains
Curtains can have an even worse effect on heat distribution if they fall over a radiator. The majority of the heat will end up rising behind the curtain, with a lot of that energy then escaping through the window and never getting into the room.
If you have a radiator below a window and want to put some curtains up, make sure that they don’t fall below the top of the radiator, and try to pull them back a little so that the heat can mostly rise in front of the curtains, up into the room.
If you have more questions about how your curtain placement might affect your heating, it’s worth asking a heating specialist like Able Plumbers next time you have them round for a boiler service or other heating-related repair.
Electronic appliances
With electronic appliances like lamps, speakers and televisions, placing them too close to a very hot radiator can pose a serious risk. Exposure to high temperatures can degrade plastics and other components, which can shorten the item’s lifespan and potentially increase the risk of electrical fires.
Again, try to leave a gap of at least 10 cm. If you touch the electronic appliance and it feels too hot, it’s probably a good sign that you should move it.
Any items you care about
Lastly, prolonged exposure to heat isn’t really good for most things. Whether that’s your favourite plant or a wooden musical instrument, placing it next to a hot radiator is definitely not the best way to care for most items.
Most belongings like to be kept at a relatively stable temperature, and going from hot to cold whenever you turn the heating on or off isn’t going to do these items any favours.
Basically, in most cases you shouldn’t have anything too close to a radiator. It can negatively affect the way your home is heated and have a damaging effect on the item itself, both of which are easily avoidable with a little planning.
