Where are your radiators?

[mistletoeploppy]

In our current house the radiators are under the windows, which annoys me as you either have nice long curtains that block the heat, or naff short ones.

We're moving to a Victorian semi in the new year and I've noticed that the rads are in the same place, but the heating system is old so we might be replacing it soon. Where's good for radiators? Does anyone have those stumpy little skirting board ones? What about underfloor heating? (can you do this in old houses??

Arrgh, I hate being cold but I hate short curtains more...

Under the window is the traditional place to put the rad to avoid drafts (cold air from window mixes with the hot air rising from the rad so you don't get a cold draft from the window). However, with well insulated windows that's less of an issue so put them wherever you like.

Underfloor heating is fabulous but can be expensive and disruptive to fit. You can fit it to individual rooms and have radiators in others.

I haven't heard good reports about the skirting board rads. It can be difficult to get enough heat output and the chunky skirting boards would look terrible in a Victorian house.

SOme of ours are underneath windows, in the bedrooms anway but we are having shutters/blinds upstairs so this is ok.

In Victorian houses you can often find room behind doors, esp if you re-hang the door to open towards the wall and use a tall rad like this:
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Most of ours are currently under the window. Design your room to a scaled plan - cut out scaled bits for your furniture and decide on the best configuration - you may find under the window is your only option - if it is go for blinds or shutters, you might end up with the radiators in the same position but at least you'll have thought it throw properly which will help you come to terms wit the loss of your long curtains.

I just had tall thin ones put in the lounge as when doing some rejigging building work I didn't want to lose the wall space (have patio window so no space underneath). I put one either side of the patio window.

I got these. They weren't may fav's but as I wanted 4 (replaced a couple of other rooms) and my fav was £600 a piece - I decided to be sensible! They really are narrow - only 21cm's.

The house we are buying has radiators on the 2 walls at right angle to the windows. This is annoying me because they are the only free walls available for furniture, shelving etc.

Under windows is OK (apart from curtain issues) but apparently you must never put one opposite a window as that way lies madness and chilly drafts.

I dream on underfloor heating. Is it ridiculously expensive?

Most of ours are just inside the door. Generally this means they are also opposite the window, so the heat is still circulated (I think, don't quote me on that) but crucially it means we can have long curtains, and lots of stuff against the walls. The only place they are under the windows is one bathroom, and the kitchen, where we have blinds that tuck behind the radiators at night.

Could cost a fair bit to move all your pipes though.

We had underfloor heating in our old house. Loved it, but it cost a fortune to run (electric). Don't think we'd do it again unless going in to a new build where the mess etc wouldn't be an issue.

We have underfloor heating through a large area downstairs, its cost effective ( water ).

But, it needs to be laid under screed, so massive job lifting and replacing floor, 2 months min for screed to dry etc etc. It is divine though, the cat sleeps on the floor and noone wears slippers as you can't feel the warmth then!

In other places downstairs, we have a big rad in the living room on a back wall with some very high windows so they aren't in the way of each other. In the hall we have a massive wall rad that isn't the most attractive thing on the planet, but it kind of blends in, pumps out enormous amounts of heat and is very out of the way.