Reflective panels behind radiators

[Browser]

Mrs Browser sent me a link to an advert for what looks like foil-faced bubble wrap which you cut to size and slide behind your radiator, which somehow saves you money. Reading up online the idea is supposed to be that it stops heat from the rad being lost to the wall it is mounted on, reflecting it back into the room. Obviously, radiators emit heat by, well, radiating, but the heat is them spread around the room by convection, so this should, in theory, negate some of the loss through the wall.
I'd notmally put this in the mental file marked snake oil, together with tealights under plant pots to heat your whole room, miracle cleaning products and honest politicians but thought I'd ask in case I'm missing a trick.

 

[Nomad]

I have no idea if they work but putting foil behind rads is something that has been happening since at least the 70s ( I've worked in plenty of older houses and it's wasn't uncommon to see it - thinking about it I've not noticed any for a few years...)
The bubble-wrap backing must be the "updated" version.

 

[Kayos]

Most of the heat comes out of the top, very little is absorbed by the wall

With a range of measures it may help eek out that last tiny bit of efficiency, on its own the effect is likely to be negligible

 

[Seadog]

I've read that it's a waste of money.

 

[Monkey Harris]

I fixed a piece of carpet underlay behind ours on the out side walls

 

[Mark 2]

I fixed a piece of carpet underlay behind ours on the out side walls

Tasteful.

 

[6ply]

Previous owners of my current home had added the foil bubble insulation. It looked horrible and would have made decorating difficult. I removed it and in doing so, it spoiled the plasterboard surface.

I strongly advise against using the stuff.

 

[gaz1]

Most of the heat comes out of the top, very little is absorbed by the wall

With a range of measures it may help eek out that last tiny bit of efficiency, on its own the effect is likely to be negligible

as quoted by kayos

however what you dont know is the wall becomes a heat store yes it does absorb some heat from the rad but it does create a slight upflow when its heated up

so not worth buying or using the reflective stuff at back of the rads

 

[bricol]

I’ve used it, pinned in place. Also shinier thick foil without the bubble wrap.

No idea of actual values, but it certainly stops the wall getting hot behind the radiator, which was enough to give me a warm fuzzy feeling that that energy was going somewhere else, which is into the room where I am.

 

[Pigeon_Droppings2]

I would think the time/money is better spent elsewhere.

We have a 1930s house with solid brick walls (no cavity)..adding insulated plasterboard made a huge difference...it was only 25mm of insulation!

Law of diminishing returns...a little is better than nothing!

 

[Mark 5]

Mrs Browser sent me a link to an advert for what looks like foil-faced bubble wrap which you cut to size and slide behind your radiator, which somehow saves you money. Reading up online the idea is supposed to be that it stops heat from the rad being lost to the wall it is mounted on, reflecting it back into the room. Obviously, radiators emit heat by, well, radiating, but the heat is them spread around the room by convection, so this should, in theory, negate some of the loss through the wall.
I'd notmally put this in the mental file marked snake oil, together with tealights under plant pots to heat your whole room, miracle cleaning products and honest politicians but thought I'd ask in case I'm missing a trick.

I agree with @Kayos post, so little is adsorbed by the rad' wall it is mounted on, heat transference and money saved is negligible unless the wall in question leaks heat.
IMO foil back reflectors are a waste of time, money and effort.

In many respects putting a rad' under a window is not a great idea but the practice continues unabated and with the advent of DG, there is a better choice of rad' positions in a given room.

If you want to throw more heat in to the room, where possible but a shelf above the rad' or install a rad' cover, thick lined curtains go a long way to increasing heat retention.

 

[gaz1]

putting a rad under the window heats up the cold air from the window before it enters the room

plumbers usually fit a rad away from the window due to lazyness or speed to fit elsewhere

i prefer it under the window but it does cause issues with curtains

dont fit a shelf above a rad as your slowing down the convection into the room

 

[bricol]

As for "so little heat absorbed by the wall" . .

https://www.leedsbeckett.ac.uk/-/media/files/research/leeds-sustainability-institute/eurisol/lsi_eurisol_short_report_final.pdf

My own personal experience - my house was extended not long after it was built in the 60s/70s, meaning there was a cavity wall between the living room and the adjoining bedroom. Neither room seemed to get, or stay, very warm. Come a frosty day, all became clear - directly over the wall on the other wise frosty roof, was a clear, frost free section.

The internal walls warmed up, warmed the air in the cavity, which rose and kept the roof frost free.

I paid to have that wall cavity fill with insulation - a noticeable increase in ability to warm, and keep warm, both rooms. And no frost free sections on the roof.

So for me, anything reflecting energy into the room, or allowing hot air to pass up the rear of the radiator without losing so much energy into the wall, can only be a good thing for the few pence the foil costs.

 

[Trevorleach]

I have it in our house, does it make a difference? I have no idea!

I cut it smaller than the rad so you cannot really see it, also fixed it with drawing pins to make removal easier.

 

[Mark 2]

I believe it was Hilda Ogden that first introduced them onto an unsuspecting public in the late 70s.
Not a pretty sight.

 

[Blobber]

What I found helped, maybe psychological dont know but a shelf a few inches above the rad but supported on a long strip of metal with 2 45 degree bends along the length, one side screw to the wall the other screwed to the shelf, really seemed to funnel the air into the room rather than straight up the wall

 

[bricol]

Someone has done some research - so my warm fuzzy feeling does indeed have a small financial benefit - not so sure about "substantial"

 

[jenki]

Hmm interesting I did a little test on my large living room radiator 1/2 with foil and 1/2 without made no difference to the temperature of the outside wall. I thought that solved the problem however I later listened to a proffesor of energy efficency who strongly advocated placing foil behind your radiators. I do find myself in agreement with Mark 5 why would you put a radiator on an outside wall? Something I plan to correct when I upgrade my heating system.

 

[Monkey Harris]

Tasteful.

cheap,
it works
.... and you can't see it ..

 

[Pigeon_Droppings2]

I've lived in rental properties where the radiators were on internal walls instead of under the windows...I didn't think it worked very well. The rads seem to suck the cold window air across the floor!

Only issue with radiators under windows is long curtains I would have thought.