Much benefit to foil faced radiator lining?

[cluglue]

Up to 25% of heat can be lost to the wall, according to what I've read.

I have a radiator on a stud wall (and the other side of the wall is not mine). Would a foil faced lining be worth the ugly factor?

 

[Grenage]

You'll find varying opinions on this; for a perimeter radiator, I suppose it will make 'some' difference - not that I've bothered with mine.

There shouldn't really be an ugly factor, as the foil is only behind the radiator.

 

[jeds]

It depends on the insulation of the wall. if it's a well built modern construction then not much heat will transfer through it and the foil will have little effect. If the wall is a crappy old stud wall with little or no insulation then heat transfer will be higher and the foil will have greater effect. Having said that, if this wall is a crappy old etc... etc... then you'd be better off getting it properly insulated before doing anything else.

 

[cluglue]

It depends on the insulation of the wall. if it's a well built modern construction then not much heat will transfer through it and the foil will have little effect. If the wall is a crappy old stud wall with little or no insulation then heat transfer will be higher and the foil will have greater effect. Having said that, if this wall is a crappy old etc... etc... then you'd be better off getting it properly insulated before doing anything else.

Yeah good point. It is a crap old stud wall. It sounds hollow. What insulation should be done to it?

 

[footprints]

I doesn't have to be ugly just cut it slightly smaller than the rad and fix to the wall with wallpaper paste, neat and no bulges.
I find the one with grey foam on the back easiest to work with.

 

[Hugh Jaleak]

Radiators actually radiate very little heat, the majority is convected upwards. Debatable what, if any, difference it would make unless you were to insulate the entire wall IMO.

 

[Grenage]

That would be an interesting feature wall.

 

[AronSearle]

Uh, it needs to be radiated out, before it can become warm air.

So they do radiate 100% of their heat.

 

[Grenage]

They do radiate a little, but most is by convection.

 

[AronSearle]

/Pedantic mode.

How can the air that rises, become warm without radiation?

 

[Grenage]

I assume through direct contact with the radiator. The warm air is then displaced by the cold, which is heated, etc etc.

 

[AronSearle]

 

[kbdiy]

Air is warmed by convection. Radiant heat warms objects, hence radiant electric fires (old days), plaque heaters etc are used to direct heat, normally where people work in cold environments such as warehouses, garages etc.

 

[jeds]

It depends on the insulation of the wall. if it's a well built modern construction then not much heat will transfer through it and the foil will have little effect. If the wall is a crappy old stud wall with little or no insulation then heat transfer will be higher and the foil will have greater effect. Having said that, if this wall is a crappy old etc... etc... then you'd be better off getting it properly insulated before doing anything else.

Yeah good point. It is a crap old stud wall. It sounds hollow. What insulation should be done to it?

Top job would be remove layer of plasterboard, insulate with PUR foam, replace plasterboard, make good. It sounds like a bit of a job but heating is so expensive these days it would probably pay for itself fairly quickly. If this wall is a separating wall do you not get a lot of sound transfer as well?

 

[AronSearle]

Air is warmed by convection.

....no.....

Molecules are warmed by radiation.

Convection just moves warm molecules elsewhere.