Homeowners urged not to place curtains over a radiator this winter

Waking up this morning pretty much summed up the British weather - grey, wet and miserable.

The colder months are finally upon us and as the nights get darker and the mornings get chillier, many will be turning on their heating and feeling the warmth from their radiators.

However, people may not be aware of the risks posed by not taking care of the radiator when heating the home.

Emily Green, an expert at Howarth Timber, has shared four common radiator mistakes households may not be aware of that could end up causing damage, or even worse a small fortune.

Let's take a look at the expert's advice in more detail.

Letting the curtains dangle over the radiator

While many people think there is no harm in doing this, allowing the curtains to dangle over the radiators may not cause any health risks, however, they can cause heat to be lost and therefore waste energy and money.

When curtains cover a radiator, much of the heat gets absorbed by the window, meaning that the glass of the window is heated instead of the room itself.

We’d suggest opting for shorter curtains, that sit two to four centimetres above a radiator to prevent the curtains from blocking any wanted heat. Alternatively, tuck the curtains behind the radiator, to prevent them from acting as a barrier to the heat.

Forgetting to bleed the radiator

A common mistake made amongst households is forgetting to bleed the radiator. People are advised to bleed the radiators at least once a year, ideally when they first turn the heating back on after the summer.

Radiators need bleeding to release trapped air that prevents hot water from circulating and makes the radiators less efficient. Inefficient radiators can cause heating bills to rise because they will need to use more energy to heat the home.

If the radiator is cold at the top, but warm at the bottom, it usually means they need to be bled.

It is critical to switch off the heating and allow the radiators to cool before someone bleeds them. This will prevent the hot water from burning someone when they bleed the radiators.

In addition, if someone needs to bleed more than one radiator, always begin with the one on the ground level farthest away from the boiler.

Drying wet clothes on the radiator

Drying wet clothes on a radiator can ultimately pose a fire risk. If left too close to the radiator, clothes can ignite, particularly if leaving the home unattended for some time.

In addition, drying wet clothes on a radiator can increase moisture levels in the room, this can result in mould, which can trigger nasal congestion, sneezing, coughing, wheezing, and respiratory infections, worsening asthma and allergic conditions.

Finally, drying the clothes this way can impact the amount of heat your radiators provide to the rest of the house. This can lead to higher energy bills as people generally leave their heating on for longer periods.

In order to avoid this, we would recommend using an airer to dry the clothes or alternatively, if individuals have to use a radiator, open a window to enable water vapour to escape.

Allowing dust to build up on the radiator

Radiators are one of the most often used appliances in the home, but they are frequently the least cleaned.

A build-up of dust or debris can often prevent the heating system from operating effectively and can be incredibly unsightly.

In addition, accumulated dust and debris inside the radiator can increase the risk of fires, and placing flammable items on a high-heat surface can cause them to ignite easily.

It’s important that if someone is cleaning the radiators, they turn off the heating as this makes the job much safer and keeps them from sucking up additional dust as they clean.