Long curtains covering radiators...

GreeBo

Hey all,
we are about to buy new curtains for our living room.
We weould prefer to get full length ones to cover the radiator but are concerned about the heating/efficiency implications.

The windows are double glazed and have a roller blind on them so any heat will be passing up between the curtain and the blind (hopefully avoiding the colder window)

Any opinions/experience with same?

Mr Magnolia

We very seldom draw the curtains, generally just using the blinds with the curtains on tie-backs, if you think you could do similar then your problems are solved.

You will lose some of the value of your heating with your curtains closed.

GreeBo

thx for the reply, the blinds are not opaque, they are basically a rollerblind version of net curtains so the light gets in (and out)

Mr Magnolia

I'd change the blinds TBH. I think I'd have to have the curtains to the ground.

GreeBo

but then either the room is dark or the world gets to look in at us...

Mr Magnolia

My house is in a cul-de-sac so I don't have that problem really. This type of blind does limit whats visible, up to you though

bagels

heat trapped behind curtains is like heat trapped inside a lagging jacket;
i know from experience;
energy efficiency sites recommend that your curtains should rest on the window sill when closed;

sesswhat

Best option is to put a small shelf over the radiator and bring the curtains down to this. Good heavy curtains will help keep the heat in and avoid draughts while your radiator will work much better if it can 'see' the room.

Of course good sense often takes second place to fashion with many people having curtains only as ornaments .

GreeBo

yeah, but the curtains look kinda manky when they are not full length, especially in the living room where they are so obvious...

looksee

One compromise would be to use lightweight/loosely woven curtain that will just block visibility but not blanket the heat completely. With double glazing and blinds you don't really need them to prevent cold and draughts anyway. You should also consider tabbed tops or a pole rather than pelmet then the heat will go out of the top and create some convection in the room.

GreeBo

yeah it will be a pole so I was hoping to get some sort of chimney effect to move the hot air around the room.

cheers.

2 stroke

I started a similar thread recently questioning why radiators are placed under windows. Radiator shelves ect. are only workarounds. Its time house designers realised that curtains are hung on windows and that the proper way of doing this is using full lenght curtains.
I'm currently considering selling my house and building one to my own design which won't have rads under the windows. As I see it a house is only built once but will be redecorated several times and its very annoying to have to constantly cover up and make alowances for bad design.

GreeBo

as I'm sure you have found out this was originally to prevent drafts in the room but since we now have much better quality windows it shouldnt be as much of an issue as it once was.

Moving them however brings its own challenges...

Blueberry

Radiators are typically built under windows to prevent condensation, but I have to agree they look bloody awful!

looksee

One house we had had low level rads set about 4 ins into the room and you closed the curtains behind them. That was pre-double glazing. It seemed to work.

whosedaddy?

on the continent they are usually recessed into the wall so curtains can hang straight all the way... but a lot of countries have shutters outside the windows, hence no need for heavy curtains.. but with windows opening out like in ireland this doesn't work here... oops sorry for going OT....