Radiators and Dry Lining

[Tony_Park]

Hi,

recently my wife and I purchased an old farm house, half the house is solid brick, the other half cavity walls.

In a number of rooms in the solid brick part of the house, the previous owner added dry lining to the walls, however in doing so, he boxed in the radiators. We've added silver foil to try and reflect as much heat as possible, however I'm wondering the merits of the radiators being boxed in - should they be, or when we get a plumber round to add a new radiator later in the year, would it be worth use removing the radiators, adding some new plasterboard, and having the radiators actually sitting as you would normally expect to find them.

From my point of view, it seems a bit daft to be heating the plasterboard/batten rather than the air above the radiator... anyone any thoughts?

Thanks
Tony

 

[Whitespirit66]

Do you mean he left the rads where they are, and dry lined around them? So they are now in a recess. If so, this will kill the radiators, because approx 80% of the heat rads give off is convected heat (although they're called radiators!). They probably won't give out as much heat as they should.

A pic. may clarify things.

 

[Richard C]

Sounds like a bit of a bodge to me but;

A pic. may clarify things.

 

[dextrous]

I can see several reasons for doing it - insulate as much of a wall as possible and not lose even more floorspace by having a rad protrude even further out.

However, it's not heat efficient, and will only allow a rad to give it's radiated heat (if you pardon the pun) and not utilise convection currents

 

[anotherbgeng]

maybe thats why rads are hung off the wall on brackets,,,,,rather than being bolted flush to wall .....

 

[Whitespirit66]

Basically, if the OP is happy with the heating in his house, then its not such a problem. Although, providing this heat may be using more energy than necessary.

If however, he has asked the question because rooms aren't reaching temperature quickly enough, or they're not hot enough, then they will have to be removed and mounted properly.

 

[Tony_Park]

Hi,

thanks, all your thoughts are appreciated, and yes, I am concerned about the time for the rooms to heat up... and did wonder if it was a bodge job - I guess, come spring time, it'll be time to remove the radiators and hang them properly - he may have put them in the recesses to keep the lines in the walls more clean, but personally, I'd definitely rather have the heat that the aesthetics - we're on oil CH, and we want it to be as efficient as possible!

Thanks for all your help, you've made my mind up for me - time to rectify the previous occupants screwup!

Tony

 

[AfterburN003]

Being in a recess will make no difference whatsoever. It is just like fitting a shelf above a radiator , which actually deflects the heat inwards to the room rather than straight up to the ceiling. Insulated foil will help deflect the heat , but to be honest it may just be aa case of undersized radiators/ poor house insulation.

 

[dextrous]

Being in a recess will make no difference whatsoever. It is just like fitting a shelf above a radiator , which actually deflects the heat inwards to the room rather than straight up to the ceiling.

Without wishing to be rude, I couldn't disgree with you more

 

[AfterburN003]

Being in a recess will make no difference whatsoever. It is just like fitting a shelf above a radiator , which actually deflects the heat inwards to the room rather than straight up to the ceiling.

Without wishing to be rude, I couldn't disgree with you more

Well if i cast my mind back to Plumbing Apprenticeship at college , a shelf above a radiator was recommended to deflect the heat into the center of room rather than rising straight up and then dropping.....think about it....it is sound logic.

 

[dextrous]

Well if i cast my mind back to Plumbing Apprenticeship at college , a shelf above a radiator was recommended to deflect the heat into the center of room rather than rising straight up and then dropping.....think about it....it is sound logic.

Now then, I was led to believe that what is being created is a circular convection motion of hot air - up, across the ceiling, down, back and away we go again. Since a radiator is hot on all surfaces, front, back and in between, it seems sensible to allows a full an airflow as possible which utilises the heat from these surfaces. Any obstruction above it will act as a "windbreak" effect on the heat circulation, and thus lose efficiency.

Somehow, I think we're going to have to agree to differ on this one though!

 

[AfterburN003]

I will take your points on board but i'm gonna dig out my college notes if ive still got them cause ive got a diagram somewhere of this.

Just found this.....pay attention to the SHELF SECTION!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

http://www.fightforheating.com/index.cfm?sid=22173&pid=339589

 

[AfterburN003]

In fact...just about every energy efficiency website ive just looked at reccommends a shelf.

 

[dextrous]

In fact...just about every energy efficiency website ive just looked at reccommends a shelf.

Well whaddyaknow

Seems a bit odd to incorporate a grill along the top of rads nowadays if in fact a closed strip or a shaped curved deflector would be more efficient though. Just what do the manufacturers, Part L authors and BStandards think they're playing at missing this vital information out

 

[electronicsuk]

I will take your points on board but i'm gonna dig out my college notes if ive still got them cause ive got a diagram somewhere of this.

Just found this.....pay attention to the SHELF SECTION!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

http://www.fightforheating.com/index.cfm?sid=22173&pid=339589[/QUOTE]

But almost the very first paragraph says:

Leave plenty of space around radiators

Therefore, boxing in is not recommended here either.