Is there a way to reflect heat from a radiator away from LPs

DIYNotIan · 25 Jan 2011

Hi all

I'm currently reshuffling and making a new studio/music room in a spare bedroom. I have a load of vinyl which I have no choice but to place in front of a radiator.....

I will be building a unit with 18mm MDF to house the records, and there will be just a very small gap between the back of the unit and the front of the radiator. So all that will separate my vinyl from the radiator will be 18mm of MDF and a centimeter or three of an air gap.

To avoid fluctuations in temperature and possible damage to the records, I wondered whether there is anything I line the back of the unit with to stop the heat going though the MDF and reaching the records?

Would appreciate any advice.

Many thanks

Max

PS - please move to General DIY section if I've posted in the wrong section (and sorry!).

Here are a couple of pics to illustrate...

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ChrisR · 26 Jan 2011

I'd use polystyrene sheet.

Nige F · 26 Jan 2011

MaxDread said:
Hi all

I'm currently reshuffling and making a new studio/music room in a spare bedroom. I have a load of vinyl which I have no choice but to place in front of a radiator.....

Would appreciate any advice.

Many thanks

Max

I too have a vinyl collection - and keep it in a spare room . I would get that rad moved rather than put the vinyl near it

But then I`m a plumber so it`s easy for me

DIYNotIan · 28 Jan 2011

ChrisR said:
I'd use polystyrene sheet.

Do you mean the stuff with the silver foil attached?

DIYNotIan · 30 Jan 2011

Hi again. My plan so far is to line the MDF on the back of the unit (the vertical MDF which will be just in front of the radiator) with heat resistant board. Saying that, I'm not entirely sure where to buy this from (I live in Norfolk) - especially seeing as I'll only need a small amount. Any suggestions?

I then plan to line the two horizontal parts of the unit (i.e. the top side of the MDF which forms the shelf above the second row of records, and the underside of the main, long top shelf) with polystyrene/foil, to form a kind of duct. Hopefully, the heat resistant board will stop the heat reaching the back of the records, and the "duct" with stop the heat getting to the vinyl, record decks/mixer, etc. whilst also pushing the heat out into the room.

Does that sound like a good idea?

Cheers

Max

HERTS P&D · 30 Jan 2011

Nige F said:
MaxDread said:

Hi all

I'm currently reshuffling and making a new studio/music room in a spare bedroom. I have a load of vinyl which I have no choice but to place in front of a radiator.....

Would appreciate any advice.

Many thanks

Max

Click to expand...

I too have a vinyl collection - and keep it in a spare room . I would get that rad moved rather than put the vinyl near it But then I`m a plumber so it`s easy for me

Hey Nige, whats's vinyl??? Before my time.

Andy

AlanE · 30 Jan 2011

Does that sound like a good idea?

You can get 50mm thick sheets of polystyrene, as used for floating floors, from any builders merchants but any amount of insulation will only SLOW DOWN the transfer of heat. After a few hours it will penetrate it somewhat.

How much heat penetration can you tolerate during the course of each day?

ursamajor · 30 Jan 2011

May be worth investigating moving the rad. By the time you've finished mucking around with kingspan or cellotex and reinforcing the shelves to make them free standing intead of partly supported by the wall etc, you may well not be far off the price for shifting the rad anyway. It's a job that you might be able to tackle yourself by running the new pipework from the original above the surface but under a plinth upon which your shelving can stand.

DIYNotIan · 30 Jan 2011

Unfortunately, moving the rad is simply not an option - not least of all because there's so much stuff in here and nowhere to move it to!!!

The kind of heat resistant board I've been recommended (which I plan to use on the back of the unit) is this:

http://www.ebuildingsupplies.co.uk/category/fire-resistant-board/567/

@AlanE -

I tried the rad for the first time the other night. I was surprised to find that after a few hours the back of the unit was only mildly warm. Not really even warm - just not cold like wood which was not near the rad. The only thing which did get warm was the underside of the main top shelf. So whilst I appreciate that nothing will ultimately stop the transfer of the heat, I'm hoping/wondering whether my plans will make the situation even better.....

Added to this, my partner and I only have the heating on when it is really cold and only for a few hours at a time. We are not mega users and only usually heat the house to around 17/18C when we do have it on. During the cold snap i got up one morning and it was 3.4 in my music room!!!!

Cheers

Max

ursamajor · 30 Jan 2011

Not sure that I'd post that link since the owner of this site views it as a competitor (both sites rely on advertising income)

DIYNotIan · 30 Jan 2011

Did not realise that. Cheers for letting me know! I've edited my previous post accordingly....

DIYNotIan · 2 Feb 2011

http://www.ambient-ufh.co.uk/floor-insulation-marmox-marmox-tile-backer-bo ard-c-39_30.html

Any thoughts on how this stuff would work in between the radiator and MDF at the back of the unit?

Also, does anyone know if it is possible to buy or hire "surface thermometers" - i.e. something I could attach to the MDF itself and then measure how much the surface of it heats up once the radiator's on?

That way I'll know for sure whether the vinyl will be safe once I have things sorted!

Cheers

Max

greemyamochop · 2 Feb 2011

You can get ellis board from plumb center for about a teener, that any good?

namsag · 2 Feb 2011

This might be too simplistic why not just turn the rad off and have a portable heater for when your in there

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Is there a way to reflect heat from a radiator away from LPs

ursamajor

ursamajor

namsag

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