In these times of huge energy bills, it’s surprising that the mass media does not give airtime to some simple solutions which could drastically improve heat and reduce bills for most people. Nearly everyone has radiators in their home, but these can waste a huge amount of heat, as although the front of the radiators sends heat into the room, the area behind emits the same amount of heat, smack into the wall. There are ways to stop this happening, so in effect almost doubling your heat, and lowering your bills. Learn how to bleed your radiator and install thermostat controls, to make your radiator energy-efficient. Also read how to cut your energy bills in half.
an energy-saving radiator reflector
Radflek is an affordable invention that reflects 95% of the wasted heat energy from the back of radiators, back into the room. You can therefore save money (pays for itself in around a year) and also help to save the planet. With no DIY skills needed, just buy the sheet and cut to fit with scissors, and recycle any offcuts with metal waste. For any technical queries, see the company’s frequently asked questions. Commercial customers can buy sheets on the roll, which generate huge energy and money savings.
Radflek works by reflecting wasted energy back into the room, rather than heating up the wall (or the street outside). It’s one of the easiest and most cost-effective ways to save money on your heating bills, and at least 23% more efficient than other methods, and far more efficient than using aluminium foil.
Made from laminated foil, up to 40% of heat released by a radiator goes to the wall, rather than into a room. Therefore placing Radflek behind the radiator will reduce the heat loss, and make it heat up your room, saving money on energy and bills. With this device, you can simply keep the radiator at the present temperature for more warmth, or turn it down slightly, for the same warmth.
Conventional foil is not effective after a while as it reduces in effectiveness, whereas Radflek is made from a material used in the building industry, with seven layers and a special coating. It’s not an eco-friendly product in manufacturing, but it saves huge amounts of heating bills, and with a cleaning using a damp cloth to remove dust, is designed to last at least 60 years. Customers report that using Radflek brings the room temperature up to the desired amount, faster than not using one.
Taking minutes to install, it simply suspends from clips that hang, so no need to use sticky pads or call someone in to do it for you. Or you can hang them from sticky hooks on the wall, if preferred. The foil is also flexible enough to bend around curved radiators or near windowsills. Install with the matte side facing the radiator, and the shiny side facing the wall. Remember to leave an air gap of around 25mm ideally.
using portable radiators (safely)
Avoid radiators having direct contact with furniture. Oil-powered radiators are better over noisy convector heaters that are not just noisy and expensive, but dry out the air and can quickly lead to heatstroke in people and pets. Never dry clothes direct on radiators (see how to dry your clothes naturally).
ProBreeze Oil-Filled Radiators are one of the best brands. This radiator costs around £85 but can drastically reduce your bills, and features 11 powerful heating fins that warm and circulate hot air, and 3 heat settings with an adjustable thermostat. This enables you to find the perfect room temperature. The 24 hour timer improves energy efficiency and lowers bills, by selecting when you want the heat to run. You can heat a room (rather than the whole home) for when you wake up or return home.
The radiator has built-in overheat protection with a safety tip-over switch and automatic thermal shut-off, to ensure the radiator instantly switches off, in any unsafe situation. The radiator comes pre-assembled with 4 easy-roll castor wheels, a carry handle and cable tidy, so it’s easy to move.
