How do you deal with curtains over radiators?

[danlightbulb]

In my house almost all radiators are under windows, which is probably most common.

In a previous house they weren't, because they'd put them on the internal walls to make the pipe runs easier.

At the moment I have decorated all of the upstairs bedrooms, and thrown away the manky curtains and curtain tracks left by the previous owner. Currently, all my upstairs windows are bare as I haven't been able to decide how best to clothe them.

I would like curtains, they keep the room much warmer. But if I get floor to ceiling curtains obviously this won't work because of the radiators. I could get windowsill length curtains, but they don't look as good, and it leaves a gap between curtain and windowsill that nice hot air from my radiators can still sneak up behind instead of coming out into my room.

Blinds would solve the privacy issue, but don't do much to help with warmth or cosyness.

I should add that I have fairly large windows - the two larger bedrooms and the living room have a multisided bay window.


Bit stuck.

 

[squerble]

...if I get floor to ceiling curtains obviously this won't work because of the radiators. I could get windowsill length curtains, but they don't look as good.

Choose.


Also, yes the gap will let a bit of heat up towards the window, but infinitely more heat is getting into the room compared to them being completely covered. We hemmed our curtains in the bedroom to be window sill length; works fine.

 

[danlightbulb]

Choose.


Also, yes the gap will let a bit of heat up towards the window, but infinitely more heat is getting into the room compared to them being completely covered. We hemmed our curtains in the bedroom to be window sill length; works fine.

I also have really shallow window sills upstairs because the bays are actually timber frame. The downstairs brick is solid brick so normal window sill depth.

 

[Hagar]

The curtains go to the top of the radiator less half an inch.

 

[Maundie]

We've removed all curtains in the house and have vertical black out blinds, they sit in the window sill so no heat 'disappears' behind them, makes the room look larger also

 

[Simon42]

We've removed all curtains in the house and have vertical black out blinds, they sit in the window sill so no heat 'disappears' behind them, makes the room look larger also

Same here as we went fully blinds when we moved into our current home and won’t go back to curtains ever again.

There’s such a range of types these days and we even have some with a double blind arrangement with a blackout and non blackout so we can reduce sun in the day and still use blackout when sleeping.

 

[Hawk Tuah]

I've got floor to ceiling curtains over the radiators in our living room. Room still seems to get plenty warm enough. Theres a decent gap at the top, so the heat isn't entirely trapped.

 

[Mercenary Keyboard Warrior]

We have been moving to over rad and they do block less than rad covering ones for sure.

We have blinds as well as curtains on almost all windows though. So the cold air behind the curtains is already blocked from a free run by the blinds.

Its semi old fashioned but rad shelves were there to help direct the warm air into the room as opposed to up behind the curtains.
I've seen them sneaking back into fashion.

I have installed a couple of rad boxes (rad covers) recently and they have the same effect of forcing the air out he front as opposed to allowing it to go up.
I would say it heats slightly slower with these in place as part of the point of rad placement is that it rises to the top of the room and hence creates a convection.
Every time you try to control the flow of the air you reduce that.

 

[SpellowHouse]

We have been moving to over rad and they do block less than rad covering ones for sure.

We have blinds as well as curtains on almost all windows though. So the cold air behind the curtains is already blocked from a free run by the blinds.

Its semi old fashioned but rad shelves were there to help direct the warm air into the room as opposed to up behind the curtains.
I've seen them sneaking back into fashion.

I have installed a couple of rad boxes (rad covers) recently and they have the same effect of forcing the air out he front as opposed to allowing it to go up.
I would say it heats slightly slower with these in place as part of the point of rad placement is that it rises to the top of the room and hence creates a convection.
Every time you try to control the flow of the air you reduce that.

That's a good idea. Never thought of that. A simple shelf above a radiator will deflect the heat so it rises in front of the curtain instead of behind it.

I always remember that my mum solved it slightly differently, she would have the curtains and rails so they all fitted inside the window recess.

 

[200sols]

I ditched all curtains in favour of thermal blackout roman blinds ages ago. Not the recess fitted so they fit where curtain poles would.

 

[danlightbulb]

Here's one of the bay windows in question. I cant photograph the other one right now as its full of junk.

Note the depth of the window sill is tiny, the radiator is quite low down and its a 5 sided bay so complex to install any blinds onto.

Proper curtains would be very difficult as the pole would have to go on the bay ceiling.

Edit - the other issue Im finding is the protrusion of the window handles. To not foul them I will have to bring the blinds out a good 40mm from the face of the window, which means they then don't sit on the sill, but in front of it.

 

[Scam]

Here's one of the bay windows in question. I cant photograph the other one right now as its full of junk.

That bay would look lovely with some proper shutters in. We don't have any curtains in our house. Shutters all the way. Good for sound dampening when shut, and help with insulation too. Generally look much classier than curtains too, and help when you're in a relatively overlooked London terrace e.g. letting light in whilst avoiding peeping Toms...

 

[danlightbulb]

That bay would look lovely with some proper shutters in. We don't have any curtains in our house. Shutters all the way. Good for sound dampening when shut, and help with insulation too. Generally look much classier than curtains too, and help when you're in a relatively overlooked London terrace e.g. letting light in whilst avoiding peeping Toms...

I dont think proper shutters could be mounted, there isn't the depth to the window cills given the handle protrusions and the fact that proper shutters have a frame depth to them as well. Plus 5 sided bay (which isn't straight/level at all - old house) - it would have to be custom made carpentry which I doubt I can stretch to.

 

[200sols]

Awkward space, curtain rail and custom length curtains looks like the easiest anf cheapest choice there. I agree with you sill length curtains looks a bit naff/old fashioned though.

 

[Scam]

I dont think proper shutters could be mounted, there isn't the depth to the window cills given the handle protrusions and the fact that proper shutters have a frame depth to them as well. Plus 5 sided bay (which isn't straight/level at all - old house) - it would have to be custom made carpentry which I doubt I can stretch to.

I dunno. you might be surprised. Ours sit like this picture - the box frame protrudes over the sill. Looks as intended. We paid around £4k for the whole house.. Victorian bay (also wonky), two bedrooms plus loft bedroom, plus bathroom. That's the bay (4 big sash windows), plus essentially 6 other sash windows across the other rooms. Local company, he did all the measuring etc. but he was upfront about them being manufactured overseas which most smaller companies seem to do anyway.

 

[Diggsy]

Have you looked at Perfect Fit blinds? Might be an option for you.

Something like these… https://www.blindsdirect.co.uk/perfect-fit-blinds

 

[danlightbulb]

Have you looked at Perfect Fit blinds? Might be an option for you.

Something like these… https://www.blindsdirect.co.uk/perfect-fit-blinds

I have looked, unfortunately the maximum width for a single pane is 1200mm, my centre window pane is wider than that.

Also its much more expensive, as each one is more expensive and I need more of them because every individual pane of glass has its own blind. On that window above its 11 individual panes.

I dunno. you might be surprised. Ours sit like this picture - the box frame protrudes over the sill. Looks as intended. We paid around £4k for the whole house.. Victorian bay (also wonky), two bedrooms plus loft bedroom, plus bathroom. That's the bay (4 big sash windows), plus essentially 6 other sash windows across the other rooms. Local company, he did all the measuring etc. but he was upfront about them being manufactured overseas which most smaller companies seem to do anyway.

Thanks, its a nice idea but much more than im able to spend.

If I go for wooden venetian blinds, measured and fitted myself, ordered online, Im at around £400 for the whole upstairs.

Blinds don't really solve the warmth issue though, not as good as curtains do anyway.



Im looking at these slimline handles which only protrude 28mm from the frame, thats less than half what the existing handles do so might help a lot.

Venetian Slimline Espag Window Handle in White - For use with Window Blinds

Window Handle poking through your blinds? These low profile handles are the perfect option, available in 3 colours and easy to fit.

www.handlesandhinges.co.uk

 

[LuckyBenski]

You could build out the bay window walls with insulated plasterboard and make a wider sill. We have timber frame walls throughout and that's our plan - right now we don't even have a little sill like yours! Just straight down from frame to wall.

 

[thenewoc]

Spare room has curtains that don't cover radiator and a venetian blind. The only other room we have that has a radiator under a window is a bedroom with full length curtains but it also has a wooden venetian blind and when the curtains are drawn the heating isn't on.

In your situation I would do venetian blinds, wide slat white on the bedrooms or shutters in similar style, with curtain poles and black out curtains that come down just below window sill. The lounge I would do shutters in white and wide slat to match the bedrooms above. The lounge shutters could come slightly lower than the skinny window sill and I wouldn't put curtains on the lounge bay then. Some shutters can have their slats opened across only part of the height of the window.