long windows with radiators under

cormacmul

Hi all,

We are planning to build a traditional looking two story house. Part of this look will be long windows. But as this is kinda non standard I'm a bit worried that the radiators won't be big enough to heat the rooms.

I'm hoping that the windows will be 1.4 meters long, there will then be a clearance of about 600mm underneath the window.

What do people think of this setup? I'd like to do for longer windows maybe get them to 1.8 meters long. Is this possible?

All suggestions welcome.
Cormac

RKQ

1.4m long (high) isn't unusual. 600mm high cills can accommodate a huge number of different rads. There are lots of designs to choose, so I wouldn't worry.

You could consider alternatives like :-

• Underfloor heating (no rads)
• Solo heaters ( like small rads with fans - claim to be highly efficient)
• Window size and orientation - north facing sould be small / minimum number while south facing should be as large as possible!

Slig

cormacmul wrote: »

Hi all,

We are planning to build a traditional looking two story house. Part of this look will be long windows. But as this is kinda non standard I'm a bit worried that the radiators won't be big enough to heat the rooms.

I'm hoping that the windows will be 1.4 meters long, there will then be a clearance of about 600mm underneath the window.

What do people think of this setup? I'd like to do for longer windows maybe get them to 1.8 meters long. Is this possible?

All suggestions welcome.
Cormac

Long = Tall/height?
or
Long = Width

there is a huge difference, there is absolutely nothing traditional about a 1.8M wide window. Traditional windows were vertically emphasised.
A 100 year old farmhouse is traditional, a 30 year old 2 storey house isnt

cormacmul

Hi RKQ,

I did a bit of searching and couldn't find any information on radiator sizes. Where could I go to find out?

I want to go as long/high as possible, could I go for 300mm cills?


Thanks,
Cormac

cormacmul

Hello Slig,

I meant to say Long = Tall/height

I'm trying to go for this sort of look
http://www.daft.ie/searchsale.daft?search=Search+%BB&s[cc_id]=&s[address]=&s[txt]=&s[mnb]=4&s[mxb]=&s[mnp]=800000&s[mxp]=&s[pt_id]=1&s[house_type]=detached&s[sqmn]=200&s[sqmx]=&s[mna]=&s[mxa]=&s[npt_id]=&s[days_old]=&s[new]=2&s[agreed]=2&s[search_type]=sale&s[transport]=&s[advanced]=true&s[price_per_room]=&s[furn]=&s[photo_search]=1&s[map_search]=0&s[refreshmap]=1&offset=180&limit=20&id=340770

Later,
Cormac

Calluna

We've put in windows like that - they are working out about 600 off finished floor level inside. We'll worry about rads later - it's only 4 rooms of house (for us) and if you want the look, go for it...there will be a rad solution. Only thing is if room is v. large you might have bother getting a low rad with a high enough output...but again, there are solutions to everything (I hope!). Best of luck

Quazzie

I remember when I was doing college we were told by our lecturers that radiators under windows was a bad idea as a lot of the heat caused, rises and therefore is lost with the coldness of the window. We did argue back that it is also a good way to heat and air that leaks in through the ope. Can anyone clarify this for me. If I remember correctly that class was on a Thursday morning so I might have had a sore head

Slig

Quazzie2002 wrote: »

I remember when I was doing college we were told by our lecturers that radiators under windows was a bad idea as a lot of the heat caused, rises and therefore is lost with the coldness of the window. We did argue back that it is also a good way to heat and air that leaks in through the ope. Can anyone clarify this for me. If I remember correctly that class was on a Thursday morning so I might have had a sore head

I dont think anybody can clarify it. I know its still an argument in our office over which is best.

If you put it under the window then it will counteract the cold air around the window preventing this cold air from reducing the temperature of the room, However most/all your heated air is going to be cooled down by the window. If its on the opposite wall it will supply more heat to the room and will probably already be cool by the time it reaches the other side of the room. It does mean though that your loosing wall space on the opposite wall. You also shouldn have long curtains draped over the rad as you are then directing the hot air to the window.

and you thought you had a sore head on those thursday mornings:p

cormacmul

Hi all,

From reading other threads on the issue. Having radiators under windows helps you stop feeling cold drafts from the windows. I'm thinking of going tripple glazing so maybe this won't matter.

The other point of having the radiator under the window is that it does free up more wall space as well. But maybe we can live with this.

Thanks for all the comments so far,
Cormac

Out Of Order

I've been told that having the radiator opposite the window causes a draft as the warm air races over to the cold side?

Another option is skirting board rads all around the room, they cost somewhere between rads and underfloor, they seem like a great idea, anyone got any feedback on them?

sydthebeat

Out Of Order wrote: »

I've been told that having the radiator opposite the window causes a draft as the warm air races over to the cold side?

Another option is skirting board rads all around the room, they cost somewhere between rads and underfloor, they seem like a great idea, anyone got any feedback on them?

they are used in the extension to the abbeyleix manor hotel, if you are ever passing... they impress me, they look good, but remember that there will be a gap apparent here the air rises from...

MicktheMan

Out Of Order wrote: »

I've been told that having the radiator opposite the window causes a draft as the warm air races over to the cold side?

Out of order is correct. I have observed this when I have done surveys for people complaining of cold feet caused by draughts.
When the rad is on the opposite wall to the window and the rad is hot then the air around the rad is heated (convection/conduction) rises rapidly to the ceiling where it is "pulled" accross towards the colder windoe area. As it cools it falls, passes the window and cools further increasing in speed. It then hits the floor and has nowhere to go except acrosss the floor causinf discomfort to anyone sitting in the vicinity. I have demonstarted this effect several times using chemical smoke.