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Fitting radiator panels

Last updated Wednesday 20 February 2008

Reflect heat into your rooms

Radiators fitted to exterior walls can lose up to 70% of their heat to your bricks and mortar. Insulating panels reflect heat away from the wall and into your home where it belongs.

This quick fix can improve the efficiency of your radiators by 8-15%. Panels can be fitted in minutes without the hassle of taking radiators off the wall. Cheap and easy, this measure makes sense for home owners or tenants.

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Photo: Fitting radiator panels

Saves 80kg of CO2 a year

337 Bloomers are doing this

CO2 reduction 1 out of 5

Cheapness 3 out of 5

Popularity 4 out of 5

Cost £35 - £40

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In this article:

How will it make a difference?

Fitting radiator panels will save around 80kg of CO2 a year and cut heating costs by about £10.

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How do I do it?

Pub Fact

  • A small shelf above a radiator will help make sure that warm air drifts towards the centre of the room
  • Purchase your panels from a DIY shop
  • Measure your radiators and cut the panels to the right size
  • Slot them behind the radiators and fix them into place with double sided heat-resistant adhesive tape
  • You might prefer the Blue Peter approach (you'll need some tin foil, cardboard and glue…) but home-made panels won't work so well

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When should I do it?

Next time you pass a DIY shop. While you're at it, upgrading to thermostatic radiator valves is good value and will give even bigger savings.

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What's stopping me?

"Don't I have to remove my radiators?"

No. This is easy DIY: just slide the panels behind the radiators.

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Comments

chrism 2008-11-10

sticking a shelf over a radiator is not always a good idea as it could impede the airflow behind the panel

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Glossary terms used on this page
CO2
CO2, or carbon dioxide, is made up of the elements carbon and oxygen. It exists quite naturally in our atmosphere, as part of the carbon cycle. Everyday processes in the plant and animal world both add CO2 to the atmosphere and take it out. However, because it is a greenhouse gas - meaning it affects the temperature of the earth - the exact level of CO2 is important. Burning fossil fuels releases CO2 into the atmosphere, hence the anxiety that extensive use of these fuels is causing climate change.

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