Bay Window Radiator - Worth It?

[chuckalicious]

I have a bay window (3 sash windows) in my Victorian house, which is in the living room. The living room has 1 radiator which is behind the sofa (the sofa is away from the wall so there is space between it and the rad.

The bay is noticably colder than the rest of the room.

I am going to get the windows refurbished to get some draught proofing put in, but I was wondering if putting a radiator on the widest part of the bay would help. I know when the curtains are closed it'd be of little use but during the day when they are open I was hoping it'd make a difference.

There are no other free walls to put another rad, or move the sofa.

Do you think it's a worthwhile project? Access to the existing pipework is easy as it's a raised wooden floor.

Thanks

 

[PlumbGas]

If it's that easy to fit then you have nothing to lose, the cost of the Rad is not much although curved bay window rads can cost a bit a normal straight low level one to cover the straight part of the bay will be fairly cheap, if you can fit it yourself then go for it, as you've said in your post you have no other options

 

[ianmcd]

yes just fit the rad and fit blinds rather than curtains then you wont lose the heat from the rad in the evening

 

[chuckalicious]

Good stuff. Thanks both.

 

[Agile]

I often fit three rads on that kind of bay window.

Best to seriously seal them. Perhaps with silicone bath sealant for the winter.

Never put curtains over the rads.

Make the curtains stop above the rads.

Venetian blinds are a good alternative and can be closed in the evenings.

Tony

 

[chuckalicious]

What do you mean by seriously seal them? Why would it be any different than any other rad?

As for curtains, they are floor height and no option of changing them - they are open far more than closed tho.

Other than heating the wrong side of the curtain, there's no safety issue is there?

 

[Agile]

Its the sash window that needs to be sealed!

You can forget the rads if you close your curtains.

Its during the long dark winter months when you need the heat at the window!

Thats just when you will be closing the curtains!

Curtains do add a bit of insulation value though.

Tony

 

[dcawkwell]

Yes go for it.
I had exactly the same problem in my house.
So I bought a single panel radiator and had it bent to
fit the bay.
Now blocks the cold from the window nicely.

 

[chuckalicious]

Interesting, dcawkwell - we won't be getting ours bent, happy for it to just go under the widest of the 3 windows - the windows on either side of that are mostly covered by the very large thick curtains when pulled back.

As for the earlier comment about having the curtains closed when it's winter, we still tend to keep the curtains open during the day and as I will be there every day during the day with my toddler, I hoped the rad would make a difference.

When the curtains are closed we would just turn the rad down.