Curtains over radiators

C

cho

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My house renovations are almost complete so I'm at the decorating stage, however something I didn't think of at the time... all my radiators are under my windows. I'm now concerned about curtains. The windows are very large - and I don't want short curtains that only come to the windowsill as this doesn't look great. I'm also not that keen on just having blinds alone.

So, is it dangerous to have long curtains over a radiator? How much heat will you lose when you close the curtains on a cold evening?

The rooms where I want curtains are a bit dark, so I was trying to avoid having a roller blind / wooden blinds and wanted to go for a double curtain rail with voile on the inner rail (to let in more light) and then curtains on the outer rail.

I know voile is a bit delicate and I was only planning to have it come the length of the sill (as I'm sure it's not a good idea to have voile hanging over a radiator), but I did want the curtains to be full length. Now I'm not sure this will work.

Does anyone have any advice on this? What is the best way to let light in during the day, but keeping things warm and cosy on a winters evening?

Also, anyone know of where to get double curtain rails? I can only see them on uk websites - not sure if they are sold in Ireland.
 
Heat from your rads goes vertically up past your window, which will heat the cooler air at the window, it then travels across the top of the room, down the opposite wall and across the lower section of the room where it enters the bottom of the rad to be reheated to start the cycle all over again. so....if you cover the outside of the rad you will reduce its surface area and therefor its efficiency. If the curtains reach and actually touch the floor you will interupt the cycle rendering it practically useless.
 
I got some in Pottery Barn years ago so you could try them. The ones I got were heavy steel though, which I don't recommend. Ikea have them too, if they ever open here...
 
You may not be keen but using blinds will be far more efficient. Or else just leave those curtains open on a cold night. :)
 
You could try a compromise length.........say 72" which would fall half way down the rad, allowing the heat to fluctuate upwards as is its tendency but leaves a good space at the bottom so all the heat is not essentially trapped behind the curtain.

All depends on your house really, how well insulated etc. I know in my parents house its so draughty the long heavy curtains, although blocking the rad , work very well to prevent you getting wind chill in your ear from the badly sealed windows !
 
We had our radiators stepped out from the window and made freestanding. It was a little easier because we used cast-iron radiators, but should be possible to do with many other kinds. This way the curtains close behind the radiators for increased efficiency.
 
when we bought our house off plan, we made sure to move all the rads away from under the windows to an internal wall....have no complaints at all. Every other house I have ever been in (renting) has always had them beneath the windows and most of the heat is lost out the window straightaway....madness !!!
 
Pique318 said:
when we bought our house off plan, we made sure to move all the rads away from under the windows to an internal wall....have no complaints at all. Every other house I have ever been in (renting) has always had them beneath the windows and most of the heat is lost out the window straightaway....madness !!!
Click to expand...

It doens't get lost out the window, it actually is the most effective position for a radiator provided the window is properly fitted and insulated.
 
A few things to bear in mind.

We have some of the curtains at 72" drop and I'm convinced it blocks the heat so much so that I leave some open.

A lot of those rails that are used for two curtains are meant for a pelmet and might not be strong enough to hold lined curtains.

If you are out during the day voile does not provide much security.
 
Hmm,

Good food for thought. I guess it's better to get blinds and then only close the curtains when it's excessively cold. Good thought on the voile - I hadn't really thought about the security angle.

Thanks for the ideas. Wish I hadn't put radiators under curtains, but I guess a lot of other people have it that way and get by. My house should be pretty well insulated (I hope) after all work completed, so I guess the blinds/curtains option should do it.

Has anyone ever got blinds in a semi-translucent material so that they will let in a lot of light, without making it easy for outsiders to look in?
 
My neighbours who have totally re-done and one new built house put in those white blinds. You can't see a thing through them day or night. Having said that I don't spend time at night looking to see if anyone is in the room or not but during the day you can't see a thing.
 
Hello,

I have voile curtains hanging over the radiators and I've never had any trouble. Just my tuppence worth: On my patio doors, leading from my living room into the conservatory I have a double rail, with full length voile curtains on one rail and curtain lining on the other rail. If I wish I can leave the voile curtains drawn all day and then just draw the lining curtain at night. I extended the rail beyond the window on both sides, so the lining is drawn back completely in the day time, thus giving as much light as possible.

On other windows I have full length voile curtains over radiators, made in the style of heavy curtains. I can pull then open or leave them closed as I wish. I use roller blinds with these for night time privacy. I appreciate that I don't have the advantage of heat retention that heavy lined curtains may give but I prefer the look of the voile curtains.

Btw, there are double rails specifically made for two sets of curtains. I've seen them in Woodies. I bought mine through Kays online shopping. They were far cheaper than Woodies.

Hope this helps :)
 
Hi JustSally,

Thanks for your reply. Can I ask - what do you mean when you say you have your voile curtains made in the style of heavy curtains? Do you mean you doubled up the material to make it stronger and more opaque? Or just that you have them made up with pleat tops/pencil tops etc to look like regular curtains? Where did you get the voile curtains made? I've looked in Hickeys and there is an Arnotts in Sandyford near where I work - but it seems very pricey there for curtains etc.

Thanks so much for the double pole info. What you have is exactly the effect I wanted to go for - the voile and the roller blinds, or voile and curtains.
 
Hello Cho,
(1)
"in the style of heavy curtains*....They are made just like unlined curtains, with the tape and pinch pleats. These would probably be considered the old fashioned type curtain swish rails and they are the ones that I used with the roller blinds. I made them myself. I bought the material in Hickeys, in Henry Street - cream voile. Now I know this is easy to say, but they are not difficult to make - if you can use or have a sewing machine. I taught myself how to sew, it's certainly not my trade :) Depending on the width of your windows you will probably not need to sew any side seams. All that should be needed is to leave a few inches extra at the top of the curtain length (to make a fold behind the tape) and a few inches at the bottom for the turn up. So basically it's two rows of machine sewing to sew the tape on to each curtain length and one row of hand sewing at the turn up at the bottom of each length. If you could master the basic technique you'd save a fortune over the years. Hope I'm not not jumping to the wrong conclusion. Maybe you just haven't the time to make them.:eek: I guess in my case necessity was the mother of invention. I haven't used the double pole with the roller blinds, I don't want to confuddle you.
(2)
With the double rail curtains, with separate Lining and Curtain I used a plain tape just to give some stiffness to the top of the folded down voile fabric, no pleating necessary. They are made the same way, except for the different types of tape used. The lining is on rings on one rail, and the voile curtain is on rings on the second rail. I found it better not to make these curtains too full - they just sit with very little gathering when they are closed. (I was able to buy ready made linings, they were almost as cheap as buying the lining material and making them myself.) The wider the material the more rings you will need and too many rings just don't look right - in my opinion.:)

Btw, there was a discussion about double pole curtain rails on AAM but as I don't know how to refer on this site, try searching under "curtain panels* you should find it there.

Cheers, hope this helps.

Just sally.
 
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