Energy-Efficient Radiator Cover

Originally, I wanted to build a radiator cover that would protect my daughters from our cast-iron, steam radiators. Steam radiators get much hotter than hot water radiators, and I was concerned that they would get burned. As I researched different designs, I found a lot of discussion about whether you are increasing or decreasing the energy efficiency of your radiators by covering them.

Both sides made valid arguments, but I needed to cover my radiators to protect my children. I decided to incorporate all of the best ideas I had found and a few of my own into one design.

Step 1: Efficiency and Insulation

Efficiency

Some people say you are preventing a radiator from transmitting heat to the air and surrounding area when you cover it. Other people say that because the hot air coming off the radiator goes straight up, a bare radiator is an ineffective way to heat your house.

Radiators do circulate some hot air around the room, but the majority of the heat is transmitted via radiation. Because most radiators are on the outside walls of a house, a lot of the energy is wasted warming an exterior wall. Many sites suggest insulating the backside of the radiator with a foil insulation to reflect the radiant heat back into the room. This is a smart thing to do even if you are not going to cover your radiators. If you plan to use your radiator cover as a shelf, some people suggest lining the underside of the cover's top with this insulation to keep it cool.

Radiator cover efficiency
Improved Air-Flow
Benefits of covers


Insulation

There are many different types of foil insulation, but ideally you just want something with a foil coating and a thin insulation backing. I actually got my insulation at Lowes, but I really like the selection at insulation4less.com

Excellent selection of insulation types
Foil bubble Insulation

Comments

[SWV1787]

This is a very nice build. You have a good to the point Instructable, but I don't know of too many people in my area who still have radiators in their home.

[clrcopy]

Seriously? I live in a town of 3200 and I bet a 1/4 do, go out into the county and probably equal that many or more and this is just one rural area. Houses that were built in the early 1900's are common to have them. Ours are water vs. steam, and actually very efficient heat for our area. NE Iowa gets cold, in fact watching This Old House, you see them very frequently on that show, again a very cold area. If you live in a warmer region, not as practical, but for us, 0 degree days for months, great way to heat our house.

[justjordy33]

Great job on the post. The insulation looks pretty well done.

[TomMontana]

Great job. I really like the look of this cover. The lack of a metal grill and straight lines really make this a sharp and contemporary looking piece.

1) Did you anchor it snug against the wall so nothing falls into the back or just let the weight of the cover keep itself in place?

2) How is the cover working now that it is winter? Any noticeable difference?

[ProfMuggs]

Thanks a lot.

I didn't anchor the cover against the wall. The 1/4" plywood fits flush up against the wall and there is very little space between the back of the radiator and the wall, so it wasn't necessary for me.

I am very happy with how the cover works. It definitely helps warm the room and it protects my kids from the radiator. Its also nice that it can be used as a little display shelf for my daughter's stuffed animals.

My only complaint with this project is that the wood expands and contracts unevenly because of the extra heat. I noticed that some of the slats had small gaps at the ends where they med with the rails. I have some painter's acrylic latex caulk that I plan to fill those gaps with and touch up the paint.

On my next cover I plan to use mortise and tenon joints at the end of the slats. These will replace the dowels and hopefully give me a tighter fit.

[EDNA KEENAN]

Your design is reall nice and good looking... Well done!

[EDNA KEENAN]

Steam heat is the best hot water raditors not true that people don't have heating systems..... Long Island, New York Housing Buildings and New Jersey & alot of Apartment still have HOT WATER HEAT......

[anita018]

This design is ridiculously amazing. I wish they were mass produced by the amish so I could buy 12.

[davon]

Every Radiator Cover isn't efficient...the insulation behind it is a good idea, but the cover maintain the hot inside the radiator, only insulation in back of the radiator is better.

[ProfMuggs]

True, most radiator covers limit the amount of heat that reaches the rest of the room, but I left plenty of space for the radiant heat to escape. The added feature of using the natural convection of hot air around the radiator to push the heat out into the room makes this a more efficient way to heat the room. This type of design would be especially helpful to get heat up and over an obstacle like a couch that wouldn't fit elsewhere in the room.

[improprietary]

a good looking radiator cover you got there, nice touch with the insulation but you mention the effectiveness a few times, as to how much hot air gets trapped and so forth.
If you got the spare parts laying around you can put some 80mm fans or bigger right at the skirt of it so it blows air up, 12v tranformers 'should' be cheap for this purpose, frankly i don't know. Just a thought

[ProfMuggs]

That would be cool, but I also like the simplicity of a convection only design. It really is surprising how much hot air is directed out into the room by the top vent.

[pnwheel4]

I have not been on the site recently and was pleased to find your instructable. I have steam radiators in my home and have been brainstorming what to cover them with. The flimsy metal ones are actually pretty expensive-so this is great. Thanks for your help. And the graphics are pretty cool--how did you get them?

[CICCI]

Does radiator cover presents a fire risk?

[ProfMuggs]

For a steam or hot water radiator, I would say there is no risk of fire. Hot water radiators are always below water's boiling temperature of 212 degrees F (depending on your elevation). Steam, under normal pressure at sea level will not be much hotter than that because as soon as it boils in the boiler, it travels up the pipes to the radiators. Because wood will combust at 450 degrees F, I don't think there is any risk of fire.

[ProfMuggs]

Electric radiators may be a different story. I know they can get a lot hotter and can burn fabric if couches or curtains are too close to them.

[bicygirl]

You did a great job with this instructable. Although I don't have a radiator in my home, I still benefited by learning a little more about furniture construction and tools that I didn't know about. In the future I may have the courage to try a simple furniture project. You are a very clear and thorough in your explanations. Thanks!

[Cat on my Lap]

Can you post a link to the Harbor Freight item? I am intrigued.

[ProfMuggs]

You mean this one?
http://www.harborfreight.com/self-centering-doweling-jig-41345.html

[Cat on my Lap]

I meant the one seen in step 9.

[ProfMuggs]

Ok, here it is...
http://www.harborfreight.com/multifunction-power-tool-67256.html