The Case for Radiator Covers

HeatingHelp

The Case for Radiator Covers

Landlords should cover all the radiators in the apartments that had little ones living there. I’d also make sure the system was working as it’s supposed to work. It’s the right thing to do. It’s common sense. And the stakes are simply too high to do otherwise.

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RayWohlfarth

Wow that is scary. So if the landlord covered every radiator, his heating costs would rise. Plus the cost of the covers It seems like common sense has been replaced with lawyers in this country. Perhaps radiators should be painted red with a large sign saying, Hot Thanks for sharing.

SlamDunk

I know everyone says covers reduces radiation but I haven't experienced that after I covered every radiator in the house. We are just as comfy and burn roughly the same amount of gas as we did before we installed covers. The cost of covers are expensive but for us it was an aesthetic issue. If I were a landlord, tenants would be made aware of the dangers of hot radiators and would have to sign a waiver when they sign a lease. You can't claim ignorance if you read, understood and acknowledged the warning.

cross_skier

They are pretty ugly and that might be a problem with some homeowners.  A table with an iron base to block toddlers would be good.

SlamDunk

Yeah, I like that. but wrought iron is more expensive than sheet metal. And, my rads are beneath windows.

cross_skier

That one was recycled from an antique daybed which was free

DanHolohan

The covers reduce convection more than radiation. It's the solid top that slows the flow of air.

And there are much more attractive covers available that the one in the pic. That's more typical of what you'll see in the older buildings.

Since steam radiators are mostly oversized, many people don't miss the reduction in conduction with the covers on.

ReggietheLandlady65

I am a landlord. I got some wood, nails and my staple gun. Measured all of the various radiators in the rental unit. I made a slightly oversized wood frame for each of the radiators. Went to Lowes; bought some of the pretty metal covers for the front (cut them to size); stapled them on the inside of the wood frame. They look great; last forever and don't rust out like the metal ones can

DanHolohan

@ReggietheLandlady65, thanks for caring about the kids. You're pretty special.

Steamhead

cross_skier said:

They are pretty ugly and that might be a problem with some homeowners.  A table with an iron base to block toddlers would be good.

I like this. Where do you get them?

delcrossv

We're landlords too. Tenant with 2 year old just made an open cage of slats around the two big rads in their front room. The bedroom rads are arranged so so one can get "stuck" behind them. Their kid already knows not to get too close to the "hots".

We've generally been removing the covers from the other rads in the building and switching colors from silver to black to increase radiation. Made a big difference in tenant comfort. 👍

STEAM DOCTOR

Install covers with holes on the top. Will actually increase heat output 

STEAM DOCTOR

Holes on front and top

STEAM DOCTOR

I am sure that if put on covers that reduce heat output, you will be sued every time kid gets sick. Landlord fault that heat output was reduced. For that matter, if kid rolls off bed and gets injured,  landlord will also be sued. It's the landlord's floor after all. 

cross_skier

@Steamhead. The table is not mine, but is a source of inspiration from my better half for a front hallway table over a narrow steam radiator.  She says the table was made by a diy couple in Europe featured in a show on Peacock called "Escape to the Chateau".  We have had two or three instances where little ones have touched the hot radiator so this has been a priority.  

SlamDunk

@Steamhead - They are out there. here's one for sale:

https://www.1stdibs.com/furniture/building-garden/balustrades-fixtures/1920s-marble-gilt-metal-console-radiator-cover/id-f_19274012/


The UK has really nice selections:

https://lasercutscreens.co.uk/radiator-covers/

Voyager

RayWohlfarth said:

Wow that is scary. So if the landlord covered every radiator, his heating costs would rise. Plus the cost of the covers It seems like common sense has been replaced with lawyers in this country. Perhaps radiators should be painted red with a large sign saying, Hot Thanks for sharing.

I don’t know many 9 month olds who can read a sign.

Voyager

While I agree that landlords have a responsibility here, we should not let the parents off either. The landlord should provide covers, but the parents should have taken turns spending a few nights in jail for placing a bed so close to the radiator that a child could roll off it onto or behind a radiator.

JakeCK

😢

I don't want to think about this. I have a one year old. At least I only have hot water, not steam.

One of my cats did get stuck between the wall and one of the bedroom radiators once. I was lucky I was home and in the room when the cat fell off the rad. 

delcrossv

These guys are the go to shop in Chicago, I'm sure there're others out East. Ordering with the humidity pan is a good option.

https://barkermetalcraft.com/

SlamDunk

Got half from Monarch then the other half from Arscometals.com. I think Monarch shut down.

Steamhead

delcrossv said:

These guys are the go to shop in Chicago, I'm sure there're others out East. Ordering with the humidity pan is a good option.

https://barkermetalcraft.com/

Not one of these has top grilles.

BobKing

I was in Central Radiator Cabinet Company on Elston Ave. in Chicago with my dad about 45 or 50 years ago. My dad knew the man who made the covers a little bit, and we must have bought a couple here and there for jobs.

My dad opened the top of a cabinet there, and stenciled on the bottom of the top was "Central Radiator...", and my dad said to me, "If you open the cover on a radiator and it doesn't say, 'Central Radiator', kick it!"

I thought it was funny. He had something corny to say on a regular basis and I got to ride around the city with him doing service and sales calls. It was a huge privilege (that I didn't appreciate like I do now) and a lot of carefree fun.

Recalling this, I had to google... it looked like maybe Central Radiator Cabinet Co. is gone 'permanently closed'. However, I picked up the phone and dialed the number just now, and after a lot of rings, a message came on saying they are there dealing with cabinets still today/

Those were nice heavy covers as I recall. I remember a lot of them in churches I've worked at. And to this day when I open a lid on a radiator cover, I look to see if 'Central Radiator' is on the bottom of the lid, and I remember my dad. But I never bother to kick the cover if it isn't Central Radiator's, because he was obviously just being silly.

DanHolohan

Beautiful story, @BobKing. Thanks for sharing. 

delcrossv

Steamhead said:

delcrossv said:

These guys are the go to shop in Chicago, I'm sure there're others out East. Ordering with the humidity pan is a good option.

https://barkermetalcraft.com/

Not one of these has top grilles.

I believe you can order them such, no one does though as they use them as tables etc.

mastercraft

40 years in the biz & I could never understand solid rad covers! Talk about impeding the convection.
So, growing up with upright rads(was gravity, but I closed the system & made it fhw) my Mom, good love her, used to prop the cover open during the winter months. This resulted in much more comfort......Unfortunately, the ‘insulation’ underside of the cover was corrugated asbestos. She later, at a young age died of lung cancer. Never smoked a day in her life. Couldn’t get the doctors to rule it as mesothelioma but they also wouldn’t rule it out. Embarrassed that I had never noticed the insulation. It was also the only rad in the house that had it (?). A month after she passed, I had my abatement guy ‘glove/bag’ it hopes that it didn’t affect my Dad. Sorry to go on & on but I miss that incredible woman every day!

Steamhead

Somewhere on this site are at least two articles showing the negative effect of adding covers to existing radiators- up to 1/3 reduction in output- but I can't find them now..................

Erin Holohan Haskell

More on radiator covers here: https://heatinghelp.com/systems-help-center/radiator-covers/

Glenn_16

And you have to love bleeding a system in an old Evanston three story when every single one has enclosures that also serve as bookshelves, display cabinets, desktops,,,,all waiting for your patient removal to get to the vent that's been painted 26 times prior to the covers being installed.

DanHolohan

@Glenn_16, that cracked me up. Oooof. Thanks!

Jimbabwe

Oh how I despise Evanston. Yuck. But Chicago is the same. It always annoys me to no end that we are expected to remove all of ther people’s belongings when called out for service. And the paint, don’t even get me started lol

delcrossv

Jimbabwe said:

Oh how I despise Evanston. Yuck. But Chicago is the same. It always annoys me to no end that we are expected to remove all of ther people’s belongings when called out for service. And the paint, don’t even get me started lol

Good reason to bill by the hour. 😉👍

jumper

DanHolohan said:

The covers reduce convection more than radiation. It's the solid top that slows the flow of air.

And there are much more attractive covers available that the one in the pic. That's more typical of what you'll see in the older buildings.

Since steam radiators are mostly oversized, many people don't miss the reduction in conduction with the covers on.

Lots of radiators only have a shelf on top. For steam that is an improvement because radiation is pleasant and because reduced convection keeps radiator warm longer. For low temperature HHW I don't know.