Panels behind Rads to conserve 30% energy

N

NHG

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I was just wondering has anyone had panels installed behind their radiators to throw the heat out into the room instead of the wall heating up. Its supposed to make your heating up to 30% more effective. I have 20 rads to be done and am just wondering is it effective.

I saw it on TV3 yesterday morning and had previously picked up a brochure at a show some time ago.

Do they work?

Thank You
 
where do you get them? I saw that clip also. Had been meaning to get one of those chimney balloons also for ages but that clip just jogged my memory
 
Energy Saving Systems, 091 797 131, 087 417 2228

The brochure says,

Reduce your Heating Bills up to 30% by fitting radiator reflector panels.

Only €300 (aprox) to fit a 4 bedroom home (This covers 10 radiators)

Summary: Faster heat up time, Longer heat retention in radiators when boiler switches off, 20,000 satisfied customers in Ireland in 10 years, Less fuel burned, more environmentally friendly, Low price - we bring the system direct to you (not available in stores), Works with any fuel source - oil, gas, wood, wood pellets or solar panels.

What has me here asking about them is when I called last night (8.00pm)after measuring up all my rads, the lady told me that he was in Carlow (from Athenry) and could call to me last night! I said no as I had to go out, he is now calling to me at noon today, she was not able to give me a quote even though I had precise measurements all she said is even though the advert says €300 aprox for 10 rads it won't be €600 as I have 20. He will fit them when he is here today if I want to go ahead with it - I thought that this was a little bit strange!
 
€30 a rad is expensive in my mind for what is simply a reflective panel! You can buy similar in builders merchants and the DIY shops for less. I'd also be very dubious about the 30% claim.

All they do is prevent some of the heat energy from the rad being absorbed by the wall behind it. On external walls fine, but there is a school of thought that says heating internal solid walls is a good thing. The thermal mass of the wall will maintain heat in the house better after the heating goes off. I've read suggestions of painting the walls behind rads on internal walls black to encourage this effect.


Also, just say it costs €500 to get this installed, what's the pay-back period? Can they provide the technical specs of this product?
Leo
 
I can only see advantages on putting them behind rads on external walls. No sense on the rads on internal walls.

Believe me when I tell you these chimney balloons really do make a huge difference. Did you see the test they did with the plastic bag on TV3 yesterday?
 
tosullivan said:
Believe me when I tell you these chimney balloons really do make a huge difference. Did you see the test they did with the plastic bag on TV3 yesterday?
Click to expand...

I wouldn't dispute this. A 6 inch dimater hole in any house is going to be a source of big heat loss.

A diy version (I'm told) is to stuff a black bag with fibreglass insulation and stick it in the flue.
 
Just to update everyone, rang woodies and it would cost €90.00 (not allowing for wastage or mistakes) to buy their roll (3) of reflective panel plus a tube of gripfill or whatever they would use to stick it on, plus OH doing the job which would take a few nights.

The guy came priced the job for €450 and I was still unsure, without asking he done one for free for a demonstration as to what it would look like. I told him to go ahead, he was a solid 2.5 hrs doing 21 rads (inc one in the hotpress that I thought could'nt be done with the shelving). He did'nt put any pressure of any sort on me to do the job, said that he was in the area anyway. He did a very neat job.

Yes, I did take on board the idea of not doing the rads on the internal walls, but only 4 small rads were on internal stud walls. Thankfully the weather has picked up today, so hopefully I won't be testing them for a while, but I will update you on what I honestly think.

I have no open chimneys as I have two solid fuel stoves and an oil cooker attached to the 3rd chimney.
 
NHG said:
but I will update you on what I honestly think.
Click to expand...
Seems like a very subjective way to assess the results. A better way might have been to monitor the temperature (e.g. inside and out) for a period of time before and then after the changes and then compare the two to see if there was any significant improvement.
 
I have the before temps for four of our rooms with and without heating and the heating is on a timer and the temp is set is set to 60 for the last few weeks (min on stanley oil cooker) and usually at 70/75 in the very cold weather.

I also have a chart for the last few years of how many ltrs of oil used & cost in the year and how much our esb and phone cost, thats why I am here on aam on tips for where to put my savings (hopefully its not €450 gone out the door)
 
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thinking of picking these up myself and doing the house. Surely can't hurt..
 
NHG... Can you update us on the job you had carried out last year withyour radiator heat reflectors?
 
I do find that the rads throw the heat out better from the rads now and the house seems to warm up quicker, my sil had them put in since and thinks the same.
 
Hi NHG,
did he use something like the Novitherm panels ?
[broken link removed]

Just wondering how much of a dust-catcher they are, which would wipe out their insulating properties quite fast I think.
 
NHG said:
I do find that the rads throw the heat out better from the rads now and the house seems to warm up quicker, my sil had them put in since and thinks the same.
Click to expand...
If the 30% energy conservation claim was true then surely your heating bills should fall by a similar figure?
 
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