With winter fast approaching, energy bills are set to soar for households across the UK, but a clever radiator trick promises to heat your home more quickly and efficiently. Despite soaring energy costs, keeping warm doesn’t have to mean sky-high bills—if you know the right tricks.
For everyone with a radiator situated by a window, a simple two-second technique could make all the difference, as demonstrated by California Shutters’ specialists.
According to insiders, a common household habit could be costing you warmth and money—covering radiators with curtains not only feels snug but is also a significant heat-wasting mistake.
An expert shared advice suggesting that to fully utilise your heating, it’s best to tuck those curtains behind the radiator or fold them onto the windowsill.
“When we draw our curtains over a radiator, the heat is absorbed by the nearest cold surface – usually the window – effectively warming up the glass instead of our rooms. And no one wants to waste energy heating their windows,” they told The Sun.
Experts are offering a savvy trick to keep your home snug without cranking up the thermostat – and it could save you a tidy sum on energy bills.
They suggested: “By simply tucking the curtains behind the radiator or leaving them on the windowsill, the heat from the radiator can properly circulate throughout the room. At the same time, the curtains are also acting as a barrier preventing heat from escaping through windows.”
That’s not the only tip heating up the conversation; insulation wizard Michael Wray from National Insulation Supplies has another nifty method to get more bang for your buck from your radiators.
He revealed how a simple kitchen staple could significantly reduce heating costs: “Adding large pieces of foil, which can be purchased as little as £1, to the back of your radiator, will reflect your radiator’s heat back into the room. The hack is even cheaper if you have aluminium foil already in your kitchen.”
Wray further explains the science, confirming that due to its reflective properties, “aluminium foil is an ‘excellent’ heat reflector”.
Assembled correctly, the foil acts as a thermal barrier, sending the warmth back into your living space and reducing the amount needed to maintain a comfortable temperature – potentially cutting your heating bill by up to £200.
