Why You Shouldn’t Use Radiator Covers?

Radiators play an integral part in keeping our homes warm and cosy in the colder months, but traditional radiators aren’t exactly exciting, they blend in and are often overlooked. Decorative covers are used to enhance radiators and make them look more like a feature, rather than a dull necessity, so whether you’re sprucing up column radiators or your bathroom radiator, covers are an option. However, there are a few issues that come with these radiator covers which may change your mind about using one in your home. We’ll look at the problems they can cause in more detail below…

What are radiator covers?

Radiator covers are exactly as you’d expect – they are used to cover your radiator, as a way of sprucing up a room or to cover your radiator to make it safe for any small children. They can come in various materials and styles to suit a room and be used for aesthetic purposes or to provide extra storage space. You can choose radiator covers most suitable for bathrooms, bedrooms or living rooms – you can even make them yourself. Below, we’ll look at the various types of radiator covers.

Types of radiator covers

• Bathroom radiator covers: You may find that a lot of people choose a radiator cover to suit their bathrooms as they provide a bit of extra space, and with the bathroom being one of the smallest rooms in the house, this is advantageous. They can also be used to hide any additional pipework.
• Designer radiator covers: A lot of people choose designer radiator covers to spruce up an old and worn radiator, to give it a new lease of life. They are available in a wider range of colours and styles than your average radiator cover, they can even be handmade or bespoke.
• Traditional-style radiator covers: If you’re adding to a period property, or you’re looking for a more conventional style to suit your aesthetic, these traditional covers can provide a decorative finish to your home.

What are they used for?

Now that we’ve looked at some of the radiator covers that you could choose from, it helps to know what they’re commonly used for. Many people choose to add radiator covers into their homes to reduce the interruption that noise from radiators can cause. You will often hear radiators clicking, banging, and vibrating, so those of us that find this particularly annoying may introduce a radiator cover as a way of reducing the noise. They can also be used to ensure small children or vulnerable adults don’t burn themselves on your radiator. Although radiators don’t tend to get hot enough to burn just with one touch, some families with small children would rather not take this risk.

Sometimes radiator covers are used in the home simply for aesthetic reasons. Radiators aren’t the most exciting pieces of home furnishings, and they can often look bland – adding a cover can give your radiator a new lease of life and can be used as a statement piece in any room.

What are the issues?

Although radiator covers may seem like a useful addition to your home, they come with a few issues that you should consider before using one. Your radiators should not be blocked by any piece of furniture or heavy material, as this can absorb the heat and you won’t be able to feel the warmth circulating the room as it should, it makes your heating less efficient and will leave you feeling chilly in the colder months – not to mention your heating bills will most likely increase!

Blocks heat

Placing anything in front of your radiator can comprise efficiency. You may be aware that you shouldn’t place furniture or curtains over your radiator, as this prevents the heat from radiating around the room as it should, meaning you won’t feel the full benefit – radiator covers can block the flow of heat from the radiator from circulating the room.

Higher energy bills

By placing a heavy cover over your radiator, the heat will be blocked which means your room won’t heat up as quickly – this means that you’ll most likely turn up the heat in your room to feel warmer, when in fact, it is not heating correctly because it is being blocked. The harder your boiler and heating system must work, the more energy you’re using and the more money you’re spending!