About 25 per cent of the heat from radiators is lost to the wall behind. So fitting reflective panels behind radiators that are on external walls will almost certainly reduce heat loss and your bill!
Reflective radiator panels are cheap to buy and easy to install. They work by trapping the heat and reflecting it back into the room..
Fitting a reflective panel
You don’t have to remove the radiator, just turn it off. Then measure it, taking into consideration the brackets. Cut the panel using a sharp craft knife - it should be slightly smaller than the radiator. Cut slots into it to slide over the brackets. Attach the panel to the wall with double sided tape, adhesive or wallpaper paste. Use a radiator roller to secure it. Turn the radiator on again only when the paste has dried.
DIY Reflective Radiator Panels
You could make your own reflective panels by attaching kitchen foil to a thin board made of any suitable insulating material (such as foam, polystyrene, compressed fibreglass etc ) cut to the right size as per above.
Tips for efficient air and heat circulation
It is not essential to put reflective panels behind radiators that are next to internal walls, unless they are load-bearing structural walls. Shelves above radiators also help to divert the heat back to the room. If you use radiator covers, make sure they have enough holes or slots to allow the air properly to circulate. Don’t put furniture right in front of your radiators as this will prevent their primary function which is to radiate heat.
In order to avoid heat loss in your home you can also draught proof doors and windows; insulate the loft & insulate the water tanks. Read more tips about energy saving.
6 Responses to “Reflective radiator panels”
Petra Ioni wrote:
This seems like a great idea for cost effective energy savings. But I would be concerned about the high heat concentration so near a wall area. Wouldn’t the reflector tend to develop a hot surface? What would a fire inspector say about this, I wonder?
admin wrote:
The reflector is designed to avoid the very thing you mention - i.e. the wall behind the radiator is heated far less than if the reflector was not there. The reflector bounces the heat back into the room.
Vero wrote:
Where can I buy these reflective panels in London or on line?
Thanks
clive wrote:
will reflective panels work on storage heaters, as i can feel heat the other side of the heaters that are on internal walls (brick) so i must be losing heat on the outside walls?
Tony Callender wrote:
I would like to buy some thin white laminate that I could glue behind a vertical radiator - this would have the effect of reflecting heat and would obviate the need to paint behind the radiator when redecorating. Does anyone have any idea where I could source such a thing?
J. V. Lloyd wrote:
Thin white laminate should be available at any home improvement store, in the kitchen department — think laminate for counter tops. They sell the individual sheets of laminate for those who want to build their own countertops.