Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
All too often, I see them placed under a window, in the UK they are anyway.
To put the radiator in a position where the most possible heat loss occurs, due to the greatest difference between internal and external temperatures, seems really stupid.
I suppose if you really wanted a cold spot in the room for some reason it would make sense to locate them elsewhere.
But most people want to keep their homes a uniform temperature, so they place their radiators (or registers in a forced-air system) under the windows to offset the draft from the windows.
The article doesn't address radiator placement at all. If anything it simply suggests that having less windows will reduce energy consumption. This is not rocket science. It also says that a 5000 square foot home should have twice as much insulation as a 2350 square foot home, and a 2350 square foot home should have more insulation than a 983 square foot home. Again, not rocket science. I hope nobody got paid to write that article.
If you do have windows and you place your radiators or registers someplace other than hear the windows the heating system will constantly be cycling to fight back the cold air that infiltrates the room via the windows. If they are placed under the windows the cold air is immediately cancelled out and allows the heating system to maintain a more consistent temperature while running less frequently and using less energy.
The article doesn't address radiator placement at all. If anything it simply suggests that having less windows will reduce energy consumption. This is not rocket science. It also says that a 5000 square foot home should have twice as much insulation as a 2350 square foot home, and a 2350 square foot home should have more insulation than a 983 square foot home. Again, not rocket science. I hope nobody got paid to write that article.
If you do have windows and you place your radiators or registers someplace other than hear the windows the heating system will constantly be cycling to fight back the cold air that infiltrates the room via the windows. If they are placed under the windows the cold air is immediately cancelled out and allows the heating system to maintain a more consistent temperature while running less frequently and using less energy.
All too often, I see them placed under a window, in the UK they are anyway.
To put the radiator in a position where the most possible heat loss occurs, due to the greatest difference between internal and external temperatures, seems really stupid.
Also, finding a cold spot in a room can be nice.
Your thoughts on this.
My radiators were placed under my windows when my boiler was fired by coal. The radiators were purposely oversized and generated A LOT of heat because everyone in 1918 knew stale air was the cause of all health problems so they wanted to open their windows in the winter. And hell, why not? It's not like coal was that expensive... it still isn't.
When we lived in Europe, we had a gas radiator in every room, and the locations varied. Under the windows for the two bedrooms, in the middle of the room for the living room, kitchen, and bathroom. The kitchen had a stove, a fireplace next to the stove, and a radiator across from both, so it was the warmest room in the house. Still, nothing could truly warm an 800+ years old stone house with 12" solid stone walls and stone floors, so we had to wear sweaters, jackets, scarves, and Ugg boots indoors.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
