Radiator Panels ~ anyone use them?

[Two_Sheds]

Well, I have put a shelf above our radiators, and made thick curtains too.
Now I am looking at putting a radiator panel behind them - something to reflect heat back into the room.
something like this: http://www.capcarbon.co.uk/prod_info...FQ4i3godvRMKkA
5 for £16 (you need 2 per radiator)

Or these (good description on this one) http://www.heatkeeper.co.uk/product.html

So, my Qs are:

1. do they work?
2. are they worth it?
3. who has got them?
4. how do they fix? If it's with double-sided sticky tape, does that melt and fall off the wall?

Thanks guys (you are much more helpful & more politerer than the moneysaving expert forums)

[rustylady]

This looks like an updated custom made version of the aluminium foil we used to use. It will work, because shiny surfaces reflect heat, and they're also insulated. How cost-effective they would be I don't know but it could be worth a try!! Is it one panel per radiator (it looks like that in the picture - but it looks to be a very small radiator!!)

[lynda66]

i have some of them, but work? have no idea ....... maybe the worst possible person to ask over heating lol ...... they were there when i moved in ....... they are as far as i can work out welded to the walls (brobably double sided or something) but they didn't fall off even when the new radiators went in ....... i would imagine they have some effect, as they should do the same as polystyrene covered with tin foil in growlight cupboards, and reflect the heat back ...... well in theory anyway

gosh i love being so totally help...... er useless

[lynda66]

Is it one panel per radiator

mine have 2 down the back of each radiator, and a narrow one on the outside next to the bracket.

[zazen999]

More importantly...how the chuff did you get the numbers to sit outside of the box?

I know someone who swears by these, but I've never had them so can't comment. He says they do work. His bills are still £30 a month for gas. So...he's either full of it or yes - they work.

[pigletwillie]

They do indeed work but you only really need them on outside walls where the heat will escape. Any radiators fitted to interior walls will heat up the brickwork behind them which will then slowly release that heat after the radiator goes off and thus act like storage heaters.

A way to save more money is to turn off (or right down) your bedroom radiators, just use the downstairs rooms you use and the hallway and bathroom. Your bedroom does not need heating when you are not using it and if you have the hallway radiator on, it takes any chill off the main thoroughfare of your home. A cooler bedroom will also let those who have trouble sleeping, get off to the land of nod a tad easier than a warm one.

[Two_Sheds]

They do indeed work but you only really need them on outside walls where the heat will escape.

A way to save more money is to turn off (or right down) your bedroom radiators

Thanks Piglet. The bedroom radiators are on low (it's freezing upstairs because we have cold air blowing in from a hole in the wall ... boiler room ventilation )

Nearly all our Rads are on outside walls. I want to maximise heat- and money-saving as we are saving up for new fencing in the spring (£500+) and Mr Sheds has just spent the cash on EuroDisney

[rustylady]

The bedroom radiators are on low (it's freezing upstairs because we have cold air blowing in from a hole in the wall ... boiler room ventilation

Fill that hole, and open the boiler room window - keep the boiler room door shut.

[crazy_red]

Hi RustyLady

Try cooking (tin) foil glued onto cardboard or thin sheets of polystyrene then carpet-taped to the wall behind radiators, this is what we've always used.

May not be quite as efficient, but a lot cheaper than buying something pre-made if you find it's not working for you

[BrideXIII]

all our rads are on outside walls, and most under windows too, daftest place ever if you ask me, so i shall defininatley consider bodging some of these together to see if it helps.

[Two_Sheds]

Fill that hole, and open the boiler room window - keep the boiler room door shut.

there isn't a boiler room window.
It's just in a cupboard at the top of the stairs. They've put a hole in the wall to ventilate it, and if we have a Southerly wind, it comes straight in the house

[terrier]

How about draughtproofing the door to the boiler cupboard ? Don't block up the vent 'cos the boiler needs planty of air to burn correctly.

[Two_Sheds]

How about draughtproofing the door to the boiler cupboard ?

Funny you should say that. I just bought a big bag of kitty litter and challenged Mr Sheds to guess what it's for (we don't have a cat).

(I'm going to sew draught excluders / sausage dogs, and stuff them with kitty litter)

[rustylady]

there isn't a boiler room window.
It's just in a cupboard at the top of the stairs. They've put a hole in the wall to ventilate it, and if we have a Southerly wind, it comes straight in the house

Who did the installation? There are regulations re ventilation, and you may have some comeback against the people you bought the house from.

[Stacey Steve]

B&Q (and most other DIY stores) sell rolls of radiator foil.

It is heavy duty aluminium foil on a polystyrene foam base, which you can cut to size and stick behind the rads. For the best job, it can be fixed in place with a heavy duty wallpaper paste, if you are willing to take the rad off at the time or of couse you could use double sided tape.

Roll 5m x .5m £6.98