Mythbusting: does covering your radiators increase your bills?

Radiators are essential home features, though many find them visually unappealing, so people often conceal them for aesthetic or space reasons.

This should generally be avoided. While central heating operates identically, boxing in radiators, whether with furniture or purpose-built covers, traps air and prevents heat circulating around the rest of the room. When heat circulation drops, rooms feel colder, which can prompt residents to raise the thermostat and directly increase energy costs. If you must place furniture near a radiator, keeping a gap of several centimetres helps heat distribution.

Interestingly, installing a shelf above a radiator has a beneficial effect. The shelf redirects hot air back into the room rather than letting it rise straight to the ceiling, so the room warms more efficiently.

If you want to optimise space or minimise visual impact, consider the shelf approach instead of full coverage. For more efficiency tips, see our guide on how to get a lower central heating bill.