Heating Radiator & Baseboard Covers - Impact on Heating Efficiency, Cost, & Energy Savings Suggestions
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How much does adding a radiator cover affect heating costs?
Do baseboards need their covers?
Can I replace the original manufacturer's cover on my wall-mounted electric heating convector unit?
What is the benefit of adding insulation or a heat reflector behind a radiator or convector unit?
Can I leave the covers off of my hot water heating baseboards?
Questions & answers about heating system radiator covers in buildings

Radiator covers: This article describes the types of heating radiators: hot water, steam, cast iron, heat convectors, baseboard heat, electric heating convectors, and we explain the diagnosis and repair of no-heat or leaks or other problems with heating radiators.

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Energy Saving Suggestions About Radiator Covers

Radiator cover problems (C) Carson Dunlop

Our photo above (at page top) shows a typical "one pipe system" steam cast-iron heating radiator. A single pipe delivers steam to the radiator and condensate from the cooling steam returns to the heating boiler via that same pipe.

This website answers most questions about all types of heating systems and gives important inspection, safety, and repair advice. If you don't know what kind of heat your building uses, we explain how to figure out the answer at HEATING SYSTEM TYPES. If your heating system is not working properly, see NO HEAT - BOILER or NO HEAT - FURNACE.

In addition to cast iron radiators using hot water or steam as a heat source, we describe two other very common hot water heat distribution methods below.

How Much Do Radiator Covers Reduce Heat Output or Increase Heating Bills?

While radiator covers are a popular way to modernize and improve the looks of steam or hot water radiators in a building, as Carson Dunlop's sketch (left) shows, any radiator cover can significantly reduce the heat output of the device.

Because adding a radiator cover slows the movement of heat out of the radiator and into the room, the rate of heat loss out through the building exterior wall is likely to be increased - also increasing your heating bills.

Below we show how to avoid this problem by adding solid insulation (usually foil-faced) behind the radiator and over the wall surface.

If the space between the radiator and the wall is too small to add much insulating board (less than1/2") or if adding insulation would totally block air flow in that area, you might prefer to install a foil reflector instead.

We don't yet have authoritative data on the specified percentage of open area in the screens used to construct do-it-yourself or even pre-fab radiator covers, but in field inspections we have not noticed a significant difference in the venting designs of covers over hot water radiators compared with electric convector units.

We like to use a very open screen material and have even used lattice with 1" openings so that we maximize airflow through the cosmetic screen of the cover (photo at left). But in the example shown, a large cast iron radiator in an academic office was enclosed by shelving that we constructed deliberately to reduce heat output in a building where regulating heat among offices had proven difficult.

If the heat output is interfered-with on a hot water radiator, not much of a safety concern would be raised. But if we blocked heat output of an electric fan convector unit we might create an unsafe condition or even an electrical hazard or malfunction if internal components are overheated.

Adding Insulation or a Heat Reflector Behind Your Radiators

While you're at it, if your heaters are an older installation that was recessed into the building wall, you can greatly improve their heat output and perhaps significantly reduce heating costs if you move them forward to a flush-on-wall mount over a suitable insulating and/or heat reflecting board.

Carson Dunlop's sketch (left) demonstrates the improvement in heat output (and thus reduced building heating bills) from simply adding insulation behind heating radiators.

Thanks to Bearsville NY Architect Barry Price for the tip about bringing recessed radiators forward Feb 2010.

Utica Boilers provides a useful document - Utica Radiation Tables - that allows a homeowner or heating service technician to determine the heat output of a traditional cast iron radiator, measured in square feet of radiation for column, tube, and wall-type heating radiators.

Radiator Covers Over Electric Heat Convectors and Fan Boosted Convection Heaters?

Wall-mounted electric heating convectors with or without a fan to increase air movement, are produced and designed to work with the cover provided by the manufacturer.

Some readers have asked if it was acceptable to replace the manufacturer's OEM cover with an alternative. Sketch (left) of a generic wall mounted heating convector and its heating convector cover is courtesy of Carson Dunlop.

You may be risking a fire if you put any cover of any kind over or even close to a wall-mounted electric convector heater. Using the DeLonghi CH15 CH15F instruction manual as an example, that document describes a portable electric convection heater that includes a blower fan. The heater can also be wall-mounted. But the manufacturer specifically states,

"Keep combustible materials, such as furniture, pillows, bedding, papers, clothes, and curtains at least 3 feet (0,9 m) from the front and top of the heater and keep them away from the sides and rear."

Do not buy or make or install additional or retrofit or "cosmetic" covers for heaters of this type without first getting an OK from the manufacturer. You're risking a fire.

As we mention at the DeLonghi wall panel heater citation in Technical Reviewers & References below, we do not recommend modifying or covering any OEM wall-mounted panel heater covers without checking with the manufacturer as well as reviewing the heater's installation manual.

Do We Really Need the Covers on Heating Baseboards?

The short answer is yes.

While heat will come off of an un-covered finned tubing baseboard heat system, it won't be working optimally because without its cover, it is more difficult for the baseboard to set up a convection current that draws cool air from the floor in at the baseboard bottom, delivering a flow of warm air current out of the top of the baseboard opening.

Quite often when we see that heating baseboard covers are missing, we also see that people walking near by or vacuuming, or just kids playing nearby have damaged the fins on the heating baseboard.

If significant areas of heating baseboard fins have been crushed, airflow over the heating pipe is reduced and heating costs are increased. Usually we repair these systems by installing new baseboard sections and covers.

Small areas of damaged baseboard fins might be un-bent manually or using a comb device intended for that purpose.

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Questions & answers about heating system radiator covers in buildings.

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Technical Reviewers & References

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RADIATOR or CONVECTOR COVERS - see detailed links at page left
RADIATOR or CONVECTOR INSULATION

Carson, Dunlop & Associates Ltd., 120 Carlton Street Suite 407, Toronto ON M5A 4K2. (416) 964-9415 1-800-268-7070 info@carsondunlop.com. Thanks to Alan Carson and Bob Dunlop, for permission to use illustrations from their publication, The Illustrated Home which illustrates construction details and building components. Carson Dunlop provides home inspection education including the ASHI-adopted Home Inspection Training Program (home study course), publications such as the Home Reference Book, report writing materials including the Horizon report writer, and home inspection services. Alan Carson is a past president of ASHI, the American Society of Home Inspectors.
Barry Price, AIA, LEED, AP, is an architect in the Hudson Valley, in Bearsville New York, 845-679-3282 bprice@barryprice.com
DeLonghi Mica Panel Radiators can be wall-mounted and function similar to older designs of electric wall mounted heating convectors. We do not recommend modifying or replacing the manufacturer's covers on products such as this one and we do not recommend constructing home made covers to install over portable heaters of any type. Doing so risks a fire. Examples of fire and heat safety clearances for the DeLonghi electric panel heater are shown in this DeLonghi heater installation manual. - http://www.delonghiusa.com/index.php?product&nid=27
DeLonghi electric fan convector unit installation manual
Thanks to reader Alan Pickles for ongoing discussion of the use of MDF radiator covers or pre-fab radiator covers with convection heaters 02/11/2010
Utica Boilers - The company's Utica Boiler Literature Page link: http://www.uticaboilers.com/product_literature.asp provides download links to current product information for the company's absolutely huge list of products.
Utica provides a useful document - Utica Radiation Tables - that allows a homeowner or heating service technician to determine the heat output of a traditional cast iron radiator, measured in square feet of radiation. - Original document source: http://www.ecrinternational.com/secure/upload/document/293.pdf

Books & Articles on Building & Environmental Inspection, Testing, Diagnosis, & Repair

Our recommended books about building & mechanical systems design, inspection, problem diagnosis, and repair, and about indoor environment and IAQ testing, diagnosis, and cleanup are at the InspectAPedia Bookstore. Also see our Book Reviews - InspectAPedia.

The Home Reference Book - the Encyclopedia of Homes, Carson Dunlop & Associates, Toronto, Ontario, 2010, $69.00 U.S., is available from Carson Dunlop. The Home Reference Book is a bound volume of more than 450 illustrated pages that assist home inspectors and home owners in the inspection and detection of problems on buildings. The text is intended as a reference guide to help building owners operate and maintain their home effectively. InspectAPedia.com ^® author/editor Daniel Friedman is a contributing author. Field inspection worksheets are included at the back of the volume.

Domestic and Commercial Oil Burners, Charles H. Burkhardt, McGraw Hill Book Company, New York 3rd Ed 1969.
National Fuel Gas Code (Z223.1) $16.00 and National Fuel Gas Code Handbook (Z223.2) $47.00 American Gas Association (A.G.A.), 1515 Wilson Boulevard, Arlington, VA 22209 also available from National Fire Protection Association, Batterymarch Park, Quincy, MA 02269. Fundamentals of Gas Appliance Venting and Ventilation, 1985, American Gas Association Laboratories, Engineering Services Department. American Gas Association, 1515 Wilson Boulevard, Arlington, VA 22209. Catalog #XHO585. Reprinted 1989.
The Steam Book, 1984, Training and Education Department, Fluid Handling Division, ITT [probably out of print, possibly available from several home inspection supply companies] Fuel Oil and Oil Heat Magazine, October 1990, offers an update,
Principles of Steam Heating, $13.25 includes postage. Fuel oil & Oil Heat Magazine, 389 Passaic Ave., Fairfield, NJ 07004.
The Lost Art of Steam Heating, Dan Holohan, 516-579-3046 FAX
Principles of Steam Heating, Dan Holohan, technical editor of Fuel Oil and Oil Heat magazine, 389 Passaic Ave., Fairfield, NJ 07004 ($12.+1.25 postage/handling).
"Residential Steam Heating Systems", Instructional Technologies Institute, Inc., 145 "D" Grassy Plain St., Bethel, CT 06801 800/227-1663 [home inspection training material] 1987
"Residential Hydronic (circulating hot water) Heating Systems", Instructional Technologies Institute, Inc., 145 "D" Grassy Plain St., Bethel, CT 06801 800/227-1663 [home inspection training material] 1987
"Warm Air Heating Systems". Instructional Technologies Institute, Inc., 145 "D" Grassy Plain St., Bethel, CT 06801 800/227-1663 [home inspection training material] 1987
Heating, Ventilating, and Air Conditioning Volume I, Heating Fundamentals,
Boilers, Boiler Conversions, James E. Brumbaugh, ISBN 0-672-23389-4 (v. 1) Volume II, Oil, Gas, and Coal Burners, Controls, Ducts, Piping, Valves, James E. Brumbaugh, ISBN 0-672-23390-7 (v. 2) Volume III, Radiant Heating, Water Heaters, Ventilation, Air Conditioning, Heat Pumps, Air Cleaners, James E. Brumbaugh, ISBN 0-672-23383-5 (v. 3) or ISBN 0-672-23380-0 (set) Special Sales Director, Macmillan Publishing Co., 866 Third Ave., New York, NY 10022. Macmillan Publishing Co., NY
Installation Guide for Residential Hydronic Heating Systems
Installation Guide #200, The Hydronics Institute, 35 Russo Place, Berkeley Heights, NJ 07922
The ABC's of Retention Head Oil Burners, National Association of Oil Heat Service Managers, TM 115, National Old Timers' Association of the Energy Industry, PO Box 168, Mineola, NY 11501. (Excellent tips on spotting problems on oil-fired heating equipment. Booklet.)
Links to our list of additional information on heating system inspection, repair, maintenance
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Heating Radiator & Baseboard Covers - Impact on Heating Efficiency, Cost, & Energy Savings Suggestions InspectAPedia® -

Energy Saving Suggestions About Radiator Covers

How Much Do Radiator Covers Reduce Heat Output or Increase Heating Bills?

Adding Insulation or a Heat Reflector Behind Your Radiators

Radiator Covers Over Electric Heat Convectors and Fan Boosted Convection Heaters?

Do We Really Need the Covers on Heating Baseboards?

Questions & Answers regarding this article

Ask a Question or Search InspectAPedia

Technical Reviewers & References

Books & Articles on Building & Environmental Inspection, Testing, Diagnosis, & Repair

Heating Radiator & Baseboard Covers - Impact on Heating Efficiency, Cost, & Energy Savings Suggestions
InspectAPedia^® -