painting MDF radiator covers - spray them?

[John Rumm]

You seem to be arguing with yourself... then repeating what Andy said.

[Doctor Drivel]

Much more by convection.

[John Rumm]

So which part of "by radiation and more so by convection" do you find so cryptic that you feel the need to add your own interpretation?

Out of curiosity, do you know what the approximate percentage split between heat losses from a rad by radiation and convection are?

[Andy Hall]

Er... WHat did I just say, n*****ts...?

[Andy Hall]

Did you want the 5 minute argument or the full half-hour?

[Dave]

Just what does he not understand?

Any radiator cover will slow down convection and radiation.

Went down to our son's, new to him, house last Tuesday and very nearly burnt my hand on a radiator. Am I right in saying that the lower you run the boiler temp, the more efficient the system is?

Dave

[The Natural Philosopher]

do you want te simpoel answer 'everything' or teh exahaustive list..which would be a lifetimes work.

Things I Do Not Understand, By Dr Drivel.

[John Rumm]

Yes and no ;-)

If you have a condensing boiler, then its efficiency will improve as the temperature of the return water flowing into it from the heating circuit gets cooler. However on the flip side, the efficiency of the rads (i.e. amount of heat released into the room will go down). So it helps if the rads are oversized for the room (which they probably will be on all but the coldest days if the system was designed in the first place).

With a traditional boiler however, having a low return temp (typically anything less than 70 degrees C) risks it condensing as well - something that will damage a boiler not designed to cope with this.

[Stuart Noble]

Aha! A benefit for covers at last. I'm amazed with all this health and safety stuff that you can fry eggs on your rads, and that some boilers don't have a temperature control

Am I right in saying that the lower you run