The Truth About Radiator Cabinets And Radiator Efficiency

By: William Penworthy Click author's name for more of his/her articles

Radiator cabinets are unusual, since it's very rare that you find something which not only adds character and style to a room, but which also serves a very practical purpose, whilst saving you significant sums of money into the bargain! Radiator covers and radiator cabinets are available in a wide range of styles and designs, meaning that there's almost certainly a style and design which would suit any room in your own home, from the bathroom to the living room. But how can you be sure that a radiator cabinet will save you money? Isn't that a little like speculating to accumulate, since in the first place it will cost you money?

Although that may be true, the same could be said for having your home's roof replaced with a solar panel array. It'll cost money to have it installed, but then over a period of time the savings end up paying for the original installation. However, unlike solar panels, radiator cabinets look great, and many people have had them installed in their homes purely for the visual style and elegance. The same can't be said for solar panelled roofs, however.

There are three main parts to a radiator cabinet: the shelf along the top, the frame, and the front cover or grille. Each of these three parts not only provides a very practical purpose as far as warming your room and saving you money is concerned, but can also contribute a great deal in terms of style and design. With a wide range of wood colours and finishes, as well as paint or varnish finishes, radiator cabinets can be designed to compliment your existing room decor perfectly.

If you have started to look around at radiator covers you might also notice that they are available in many different styles, from traditional to ornate, from contemporary to modern, each of which, when matched with a suitable colour or finish, can create a stunning focal point for your room. Our living rooms used to have the fireplace as the focal point, but with modern televisions and central heating having a combined effect, our rooms have been transformed, so that no longer is the warm hearth the centre of the room, but the television. With radiator covers and cabinets you'll have the chance to create a centre piece that will lift any room, whether it's a small bathroom or a lavish dining room.

As far as serving a practical purpose, and particularly with regard to improving the efficiency of your home's heating, and reducing your fuel bills, how do these three parts of a radiator cover work? The frame serves to support both the shelf above the radiator and the grille at the front. It also supports the grill above the floor a few inches. This leaves a small gap at the base of the radiator cabinet, which is an essential element in the way radiator cabinets work to improve the efficiency of a radiator.

The problem with traditional radiators is that most of the energy is expended in heating the air above it. Once the air above a radiator is heated, it rises towards the ceiling. This means that very little of the heat being generated can actually be detected by those in the room. In fact, once the heated air reaches the ceiling it only begins to descend into the centre of the room once it starts to cool. Eventually after a considerable time the air begins to circulate, and the overall ambient temperature begins to rise. But at the cost of a considerably waste of energy.

With radiator covers or radiator cabinets fitted over the radiator, the way the air is heated and circulated is quite different, and so much more efficient that it is highly likely you will be able to turn your heating off sooner. Of course, having your heating on for shorter periods of time is likely to result in much reduced heating bills.

The way in which radiator cabinets achieve this is by drawing cool air in through the gap at the base of the cabinet, where it is then heated quickly in the enclosed space. Once warmed, the air is then pushed out through the decorative grille at the front, directly into the centre of the room where it is both needed and felt most. The shelf above the cabinet not only acts as a convenient shelf for the display of pictures or ornaments, but prevents the heated air from simply escaping towards the ceiling, wasting energy and money.

Radiator cabinets and radiator covers really can achieve that enviable combination of style and efficiency, elegance and economy, and in today's style conscious world, your conscious can also be clear with regard to the use of energy and the environment.