Radiator Covers. . . . . Yes or No?

[SlB09]

Bought a new house, radiator cover throughout - can't decide whether tj leave be or I want to rip them all out as abit of me thinks they are unnecessary tat!!!!
Opinions please, are they still fashionable?!

We have them in the living room, the shelves are useful and they look much better than the old rads underneath. They do block heat, tho', and if I was starting again and could afford it I'd probably go for nice rads.

Plain shelf a few inches above the top is god, kind of forces the heat not to rise but pushes it out into the room. We bought a flat with them already in situ and were surprised by the difference it made.

Hate them

@Houseofmirth66
You can’t dry your pants on a radiator cover.

@GetOffThatPhone
This sounds like it should be the title of a country album.

Now if that had been Adele's come back single, i might have bought that

@SlB09 p.s No. Radiator covers are pants.

I remember those in the 1980s. With energy costs rising have you factored in the cost of heating the cover before it heats the room?

Some of the newer radiators available are certainly nicer on the eye than older ones. Unless you are going for really retro design.

Radiator covers do create a sort of mantle piece when there is no fire place though.

Is it possible, rather than rip them put to gently remove and store one for a few weeks and see if you are comfortable with them not being there?

We've got one in our downstairs loo, it's absolutely massive and covers the water meter.
We had to move it as the meter had broken when we moved in. It hid the most awful tiling job so we put it back!

There was one in the hall when we viewed, but they took that with them, we haven't replaced it.

Naff, and surely they reduce heat in the room?

Totally naff and a bit Hyacinth. Why would I want more MDF in my house, purely to insulate my radiators?

Plus of course they block heat radiating out. Some posters actually use them for that purpose. In case a toddler burns themselves. I would have thought turning the radiator down would have achieved the same objective but each to their own.

Bad for the environment and your bank balance as you lose heat, plus look a bit naff and shrink the room.

For people upthread saying the radiators have paint on them, you can also get them taken off and resprayed - some money, but cheaper than new ones or putting on covers.

They block the heat, and you can't put towels/clothes on them to warm up.

I don't understand the obsession with covering up functional items like radiators, apart from preventing small children from hurting themselves. It's as bad as covering your wheeelie bin with floral design sticky back plastic IMO.

I love them, we have loads!

I’ve painted my radiator in the living room black. Fits in much better with the decor and was very easy/cheap to do.

The look naff and tacky, Instagram Mrs Hinch style . Plus they block heat, totally inefficient.

We got them because our place is small and the radiators looked crap.

Make sure you can get to the temp knob thingy... it’s no fun lying on your back trying, poking your hand under the bottom to find the knob (with all the spiders and beasties).

Can kids hurt themselves on radiators? Surely they don't get burningly hot and if kids touch them, they quickly move their hands away? Never occurred to me to cover them!

@EnidFrighten they can, my niece at around 10mo pulled herself up to standing by holding onto the radiator and it didn't seem to occur to her to let go so she just stood there screaming- ended up in A&E with big blisters on her hands

Like @Flyonthewall01 I have one in the hall covering a horrid old radiator and messy plaster around it.
It looks neat. The shelf is very useful and looks attractive with things on.
But it is definitely chilly in the hall, and getting rid of the cover and replacing the radiator is on my to do list.

Naff and they block heat/waste energy.

I wanted to keep ours when we moved into our flat but was persuaded to get rid by my DP. He was 100% right, they blocked SO much heat

Depends, unused them to cover up shitty radiators until I could afford to replace them

I bought one to covers a 20 yr old radiator which was yellowing and needed a good clean but for the life of me, i cannot take the grill off. So bought be and i love it! Should have bought one years ago.

Planning on buying a couple more.

I had just one in the landing of a period house - was great. Wouldn't have them in a modern house.

I wouldn’t have them in lounge etc, but we do have one in our (tiny!) hallway, to use as a makeshift side for a lamp, a reed diffuser, keys, any old crap everyone leaves on it

Handy if you have small children. Or if the radiators are really old and manky looking. Otherwise. Rip em off.