Get the most out of your rads and save on heating bills

Let's face it, rads are not the most attractive features in the house, but most of us have them and rely on them every year. So what can we do to make them work harder and cost us less?

1. Keep the fluids flowing.

The problem:

Do you have cold areas in the centre of the rad? This is caused by a build up of sludge (dirty thick radiator "water"). Sudge prevents the water in the heating system from getting around the house quickly and settles in the area of least disruption - the middle of your rad. Now up to half the radiator is not giving off heat, the boiler has to work harder, uses more fuel and costs you more.

The solution:

Flush the system every few years (google this for process or get yourself a Reader's Digest DIY book). This is actually very easy as long as you follow the process. Place sludge remover in the system (if you have these cold spots and a flush does not remove them. When cold spot gone, drain again and place in the inhibitor (helps prevent sludge build up).

2. Hot air is only good for balloons.


The problem:

Air gets into the radiator system over time. Apart form taking up space and making the radiators less efficient (hot water retains more heat than air), this is noisy and not the best thing for a boiler.

The solution:

Buy a copper (won't strip like the cheaper aluminium ones) radiator key and when the system is next off, go around to each radiator and let out the air. Simply turn the key a few times until air able to leave easily.Place a container under that part of the rad and even use an old cloth to catch the water coming out. It will gurgle and spurt erratically, initially, as the air leaves. Wait until you have a steady flow of water only, then close completely. If you do this when system is on, you wil be dealing with hot water and will be chasing bubbles around the house. Harware stores also sell a liquid you can place into the system that blocks up small holes. This will reduce the air intake.

3. Heating up your furniture?

The problem:

Placing furniture in front of radiators simply heats the furniture and only some of the room.

The solution:

If this is done to hide the rad, rearrange the room and place an attractive timber radiator cover over the rad or change it for a feature radiator. If it cannot be avoided and the furniture is not soft, fix some strong tin foil to the back of the furniture, covering the area in front of the rad. this will bounce the heat back into the air. Try to leave some space in front of the rad to allow this air movement.

4. Prevent the heat going into the walls.

The problem:

Radiators on external walls throw a lot of heat into the walls that leaves the house and is a waste of money.

The solution:

A tin foil surface between the rad and the external wall will bounce back the heat into the room and not heat up the wall. Either buy these at your local hardware store (I have seen these at B&Q) or make your own. To do this, measure the height of the rad and the distance between the wall brackets. Now get some hardboard and reinforced kitchen foil (will not tear as easily as standard foil). Cut your hardboard so that you create a slot for each radiator wall bracket, tape the foil (with shiny side out) to one the hard board and then slide down over wall brackets to sit neatly behind the rad.

The hardboard keeps the foil rigid. You will not see it, but you will certainly feel the difference! Don't bother with internal wall radiators as the house benefits from heating up internal walls - will radiate out the heat back to the house anyway.

Ecodev provides energy efficiency consultations particular to your situation. Our written report can be used as a 5 year plan to ensure all improvements undertaken compliment the work already done. The Energy Efficiency Report can also be used as a step by step guide to know what to tackle next.
Visit our site for more detail.