Reflecting radiator heat

[dm65]

I'm about to replace one of my radiators and remembered you can get tin foil type material to stick behind them to reflect heat away from the wall and back into the room you are trying to heat

Two products for example are http://www.screwfix.com/p/radiator-refl ... -88m/88629 and http://www.radflek.com (really easy retro fit)

Anybody got an opinion on these - not much outlay so surely must be worth the cost ?

 

[John Brown]

I think I read somewhere that this only makes any difference for exterior, non-cavity walls.
Not really an opinion...

 

[Grahamshed]

They have to reflect heat into the room and will therefore help a room to heat up quicker. On the other hand stopping the wall from getting hot behind the radiator MAY lose you the storage heater affect that MAY help to keep the room warm for longer after the rad turns off.

 

[petermillard]

Never used it myself but I helped a customer fit something similar to the radflek stuff and she swears it makes a big difference. As you say, the outlay isn't high, so probably worth a try on one rad to see if it makes any odds?

Cheers Pete

 

[finneyb]

I have them on all exterior wall rads - can't say I notice a difference, but then how would you know.
Laws of physics says it should work - and the outlay is minimal; work was done as I replaced the rads so that was minimal also.

Brian

 

[dm65]

Cheers for the comments everyone

For what its worth, mine are 100 year old walls on a back-to-back house in LS12 (in case anyone knows the areas type of housing) with probably no cavity so, for the cost of this stuff, I will slap some on while replacing radiator(s) - plural has yet to be decided

 

[gregmcateer]

We've done it on our solid walls - Missus reckons it's great, so it is...

Re the 'storage' effect - unless the rads are on for significant time, I wouldn't imagine the bricks have much storage effect and if they do, there is still all the brick around rest of walls.

Not very scientific, but as already said, pretty cheap and if keeps SWMBO quiet, (HOHO), must be a good thing.

 

[John Brown]

If the bricks are visible from outside, you can tell if you have cavity walls from the bond. IIRC headers and stretchers indicate no cavity, whereas all stretchers indicate cavity. However, I'm not a bricklayer...

 

[bugbear]

If the bricks are visible from outside, you can tell if you have cavity walls from the bond. IIRC headers and stretchers indicate no cavity, whereas all stretchers indicate cavity. However, I'm not a bricklayer...

Cavity wall fitting companies always drill to check, so I assume the brick pattern is not deemed definite enough.

BugBear

 

[hanser]

I've done this before in a previous house but just pasted some heavy duty kitchen foil and whacked it on. It never shifted.
If its good enough for a turkey.........

 

[MMUK]

If the bricks are visible from outside, you can tell if you have cavity walls from the bond. IIRC headers and stretchers indicate no cavity, whereas all stretchers indicate cavity. However, I'm not a bricklayer...

Cavity wall fitting companies always drill to check, so I assume the brick pattern is not deemed definite enough.

BugBear

If the house is normal brick you can easily tell from inside if you have a cavity or not by measuring the depth of the window reveals. If they're under 6" from window frame to reveal edge, it's a solid double skin wall.

 

[MIGNAL]

It will be Victorian brick built. Might have a cavity of some description. It could also be back filled with rubble.

 

[Grahamshed]

Not very scientific, but as already said, pretty cheap and if keeps SWMBO quiet, (HOHO), must be a good thing.

What more could you possibly want ? Even cheaper than a good gag.