Curtains can touch radiators if made of non-flammable materials. Opt for fire-resistant fabrics like wool or polyester for added safety. Water radiators are safer than electric heaters.
Don't worry, the heat from the radiator will not ignite your curtains. I've had all sorts of curtains and had them full length over the radiator, touching the top, hanging over etc etc etc. No issues whatsoever.
More to explore Don't locate curtains or drapes directly over or in front of electric heaters. Keep drapes and curtains at least 8-10'' above electric baseboards, and/or at least 3'' in front of them with 1'' floor clearance (to allow air to circulate).
Avoid Direct Contact With the Radiator
Items touching the radiator can also overheat and cause damage to the item or injuries and fire hazards for the people in the home. Check your radiator regularly to make sure nothing has inadvertently been placed on it or has fallen onto it.
Is It a Good Idea to Dry Your Clothes on the Radiator? Drying clothes on a radiator might seem like a quick and easy fix, but no, the truth is it's not ideal. While the warmth from the radiator speeds up the drying process, it blocks the radiator's ability to heat your room effectively.
Curtains can touch radiators if made of non-flammable materials. Opt for fire-resistant fabrics like wool or polyester for added safety. Water radiators are safer than electric heaters. If you have electric heaters, consider switching to water radiators for improved safety with curtains.
Furniture materials such as leather, wood, and upholstery are at risk of heat damage if placed too close to radiators; maintaining a minimum gap of 12 inches or using heat protectors can prevent this.
Curtains. Curtains should be long enough to cover your window, but not long enough that they hang over your radiators. While it's very unlikely that a curtain will catch alight from being heated up to a high temperature, do you really want to take the risk.
Don't tuck curtains behind the radiator, use tie backs instead. Pair floor length curtains with blinds for additional privacy and sunlight control. Install ceiling tracks to increase the distance from the radiator to the curtains.
If you want your room to benefit from the heat generated by your radiator, one obvious option is to choose curtains that don't extend below your windows. It's a practical choice, as longer curtains would act as a barrier, preventing heat from circulating around the room.
You should never allow draperies/curtains to touch the heater. Short drapes or curtains need a minimum of 8 inches from bottom of fabric to top of heater.
This is something most of us learn in school and it helps to explain why radiators are located underneath windows. As the hot air rises from the radiator, the cold air that is coming in through the window pushes against the warm air, circulating it around the room much more efficiently.
Having fabric covering the radiator when the radiator is in use is not a good idea. Leave it exposed.
Placing a sofa in front of a radiator is not recommended as it can obstruct the heat distribution and reduce the efficiency of your heating system. To maintain a comfortable and well-heated living space, it's essential to leave a sufficient gap of at least 12 inches (30 cm) between the sofa and the radiator.
Studies demonstrate that medium-colored draperies with white-plastic backings can reduce heat gains by 33%. When drawn during cold weather, most conventional draperies can reduce heat loss from a warm room up to 10% and increase the thermal comfort of the home.
Yes! It is perfectly safe to put things above a radiator. As long as you leave at least a 5cm gap above the top of the radiator to allow the heat to circulate properly. The more empty wall space you leave above the radiator the better.
Can you really hang curtains over baseboard heaters? The answer to that question is YES as long as they are above the heaters. These are the new curtains I just purchased and I made sure that the length of the panel hovered above the heaters. They hover above the baseboard heater a couple of inches.
Yes, it is safe to put things above a radiator provided that you leave a small gap of 5cm or more between the top of the appliance and the item or the shelving. With that said, you should look to avoid placing things directly on top of a radiator for any significant period of time when the central heating is turned on.
Close curtains and blinds
Something like 30% of unwanted heat comes in your windows so keeping curtains and blinds closed will help, especially during peak sunlight hours and on windows that face the sun. Some roller blinds are designed to let you see out while still blocking those rays.
Choosing to hang your curtains above a radiator is perfectly fine. However it's best if your curtains sit a maximum of 2-4 centimetres above a radiator to prevent the curtains from blocking any wanted heat.
The furniture would prevent heat from being distributed freely throughout the room, and could be damaged over time from the close exposure to heat. You should attempt to leave around 6 to 12 inches (15-30cm) between any furniture and your heating appliance to ensure free movement of air and better distribution of heat.
Hang 2 drapery panels on the window, and pull the sides back with drapery hooks or ties. The hooks should be sitting about halfway down the ACs so the AC's top corners are covered by the fabric and blower isn't. Give a little extra length to the drapes for creating swag above the hook.
The main mistake that people make is to fit heavy floor-length curtains over both the window and the radiator below. This traps the heat in the window space and does not let it into the room. Correctly fitted curtains should not cover the top of the radiator, but should stop just below the window ledge.
For the most effective and efficient distribution of heat, BestHeating would recommend leaving a clearance of 50mm above, and 100mm below your radiators. By creating clearances of these sizes at either end of your radiators, you can guarantee the warmth emitted from them will be able to travel around the room freely.
Allowing space between the radiator and radiator cover lets heat disperse evenly. If a radiator cover touches the radiator at different points, it will cause the materials used to heat at different rates. This can cause the wood to warp or split, so it should always be avoided.