They definitely work and they are cheap! Our plumber installed them behind all new radiators on external walls. He actually doubled the stuff up and physically screwed it to the wall before hanging the radiator. Makes a huge difference and you really feel the heat coming inwards.
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Combating energy prices
- Thread starter Dirk Diggler
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It's supposed to be pretty effective, especially with radiators on external walls. Considering Screwfix sell a roll of the stuff for about £7 it might be worth looking at.
http://transitionbath.org/technical-analysis-of-radfleks-radiator-reflectors/ V
they estimate for insulated cavity wall 80p saving per radiator per year at 5.5p/unit - payback in 4 years
testrig used in experiment does have the sheet 80mm fom wall - hmmh
edit: on sme web site they have a community thermal imaging project in bath
http://transitionbath.org/thermalimaging/ - we need one of those in Cambridge
they estimate for insulated cavity wall 80p saving per radiator per year at 5.5p/unit - payback in 4 years
testrig used in experiment does have the sheet 80mm fom wall - hmmh
edit: on sme web site they have a community thermal imaging project in bath
http://transitionbath.org/thermalimaging/ - we need one of those in Cambridge
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That first study is from 2014 so I assume the savings are considerably more just now...
Soldato
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Also if it lets you feel warmer meaning you use the heating a bit less, that's a benefit too.
Soldato
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I remember as a kid my parents using that reflector foil behind the rads as the heating struggled to keep the house to a modern temperature. The house had background level CH installed.
It also had large metal single glazed windows. Lovely for light, terrible for heating.
My recollection was that it was very very difficult to keep the foam stuck to the wall (it was very thin sheets of metallic covered foam but it may have changed since)
Its probably far easier if you have the rads off the wall so you can glue the whole surface. From memory if you tried to apply it in place you could only stick the edges, and once one started to peel (as the glue gave out) then it eventually ended up partly leaning against the rad itself.
It also had large metal single glazed windows. Lovely for light, terrible for heating.
My recollection was that it was very very difficult to keep the foam stuck to the wall (it was very thin sheets of metallic covered foam but it may have changed since)
Its probably far easier if you have the rads off the wall so you can glue the whole surface. From memory if you tried to apply it in place you could only stick the edges, and once one started to peel (as the glue gave out) then it eventually ended up partly leaning against the rad itself.
Well things have moved on a bit since then, double sided tape seems to be good enough for the job these days. Tbh having to stick it down again occasionally wouldn't be too much of a bind. There's always velcro...
Weird that we're now trying to do things that our parents etc had to do in the past.
I regret not having a fireplace like the house I grew up in, and no room for a wood burner.
Soldato
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I was discussing it with someone at work and his patents never had it. After I explained what it was he did ask if it looked gash, which think it back it did really. Does it depend on the type of rad too as some of mine are double and some aren't.
We've got a water heater in our flat which i'm assuming comes on periodically when the water needs heating or we've had showers/done the washing up etc (we're not on any kind of Economy 7), do we think this is a feasible way to save some money by turning it off when we're away for the weekend?
Or would it be somewhat of a false economy because when we get back it will then have to reheat more?
Or would it be somewhat of a false economy because when we get back it will then have to reheat more?
Sounds like a standard immersion heater. Do you know if your hot water tank is connected to your central heating? If not, I would think switching it off when you know it wont be needed for a while such as when you go on holiday would be beneficial. No need to heat the water if it wont be used.
We don't actually have central heating in our apartment, its electric heaters in each room throughout. Does that make a difference? I assume it is just heating water for our taps and shower.
Depends how long you are on holiday for - if it's more than a week then you'd still need it to be on to heat cycle to prevent legionella
Ah same as my sisters flat then - They have a timer installed on their immersion heater they use for scheduling - Something like this: https://www.screwfix.com/p/lap-manual-immersion-timer/3212r
This is true - If you have the thermostat set 60c or higher, will it not just kill the bacteria regardless?
60c Is enough to kill legionella and it’s not something to worry about unless your not heating your water for extended periods of time.
https://www.hse.gov.uk/healthservices/legionella.htm
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- Rollergirl
Isn't it timed to run off peak?
Ours is but his is not because he’s stated he doesn’t have an economy 7 tariff.
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Wow, that's got to be expensive.
Do you have a switch (or switches) running to it? Mine had that, meaning it was either left on all the time which would use a huge amount of energy, or I'd have to remember to turn it on and off when needed. The letting agency (before I bought the place) got the landlord to install a digital timer.