Boost the heat in your home AND save energy? A radiator booster fan might be the answer if your heating is struggling in the cold weather.
Radiators only radiate about 20% of their heat - the rest rises up to the ceiling or is lost through nearby walls or windows. Radiator boosters are designed to increase the efficiency of central heating by redirecting warm air out into the room. The room heats up more quickly, allowing the boiler to shut down sooner. They are usually automatic, using a thermostat to run only when the radiator is hot.
Radiator boosters fit most single or double panelled radiators but are not intended for use on storage heaters or oil filled radiators. Installation is simple and they are easy to move from room to room as they just plug into the nearest socket.
Radfan Classic Low Power Radiator Booster Fans come in two sizes, small and medium. They have 2,3,4 or 6 forward facing ultra low power fans, depending on the model, costing approximately £2 to £6 per year in electricity to run.
Warm air is gently blown from the radiator directly forward into the room. The manufacturers state that a Radfan on a radiator under a window reduces heat lost through the window by 35%. The Radfan has been extensively tested in field trials with housing associations and in Salford University Energy House showing proven energy savings - for more details of these trials see Radfan Energy Savings
Radfans cost from about £47.99 depending on size and model and are available to buy from Lake Home and Leisure
If your radiator sits below a window a simple heat diverter may be all you need to deflect the heat out into the room, away from curtains and the window.
Homeware Radiator Boosters\Heat Diverters are available in a wide range of sizes to fit standard single or double radiators (with either one or two rows of fins inside). Prices from about £16 for the smallest size. The boosters are simple to fit and have no running costs.
Available to buy from Amazon*, see My`homeware Radiator Air Flow Adapter for double rads or My Homeware Radiator Air Flow Adapter for single rads or from MyHomeware.co.uk
Radiator reflectors
The Energy Trust also recommend fitting radiator reflectors behind radiators fitted to outside walls to reflect their heat back into the room - see *Radiator reflective foil at Amazon.
See also our post on No-cost ways to reduce your energy bills
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