Radiator grille: some tips on how to choose the right protective screen

The design of some heating radiators, especially in older houses, serves dust collector.

Also some radiators may be cause of injuries.

To hide accordion batteries, secure the space and give the interior a more aesthetic appearance, It is worth using decorative grilles.

Purpose of gratings

Protective screens for heating batteries have a number of functions:

• protect residents of the house from accidental injury - a child can hit the protruding corners of the register, and in winter, when the coolant temperature at 70 °C and above you can get burned;
• prevent dust and debris from accumulating in the registers - a flow of cold air towards the battery carries away all the small debris and dust that accumulate in the folds of the registers, the protective screen prevents the movement of dust.

Types and sizes of screens for heating batteries: photo

The main condition hanging panels of any design - it is nit should not impede the free circulation of air. In order for the radiator to give off more heat, it is recommended to do a large number of holes in the top cover, or remove the top panel.

For servicing the battery, shut-off valves or thermostat, the design It is preferable to choose a removable one. Please note absence of sharp corners — the grate itself should not cause injuries. Not all designs meet these requirements.

Wall-mounted without side panels

A lattice of this type is screen, which is suspended on brackets to the wall, is fixed to the windowsill or is installed on the floorThe latest design meets the requirements of convection and provides access for repair of the heating system, as it provides an inflow of cold air from below, an outlet of heated air from above, and it is easy to remove for repair.

Photo 1. An example of a hanging screen without side panels, attached to the wall using brackets.

If the battery is not installed in a window sill niche, but on a small-width window sill, then 2/3 batteries leave open, as required by building regulations.

Wall-mounted with top cover

The grate is made of metal sheet. The advantage is high heat output. The screens are hung on the battery using hooks, easy to remove and clean, but due to the top cover such grates impede air exchange.

Photo 2. This is what a protective grille for a radiator with a cover looks like, made from a metal sheet.

Boxes with ventilation holes

The screen boxes provide free access of cold air from below and from the sides, and the upper panel with a sufficient number of openings freely releases heated air into the room. Box - the most correct from the point of view of thermodynamics design.

This screen has excellent decorative possibilities - the front panel can be decorated decorative pattern using laser cutting, or an insert made of woven rattan, fabric repeating the wallpaper pattern.

Photo 3. Battery screen in the form of a box with ventilation holes.

Three described constructions are more common, but do not exhaust all the design possibilities: by individual orders Some companies produce furniture with built-in or sliding grilles, which significantly saves space.

Protective grilles for radiators made of various materials

A wide variety of materials are used to make radiator screens: perforated steel sheets, wooden beams of various sections, MDF, NDF boards, plastic, glass, rattan and many others. Each of them has its own advantages and disadvantages.

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Steel

Steel gratings are made from perforated sheets thickness 0.8-1 mm with different shapes and sizes of holes, in a frame made of a special profile or from a bent sheet without a frame. The color can be selected according to RAL catalogueEnamel, pural, galvanic or powder coating can be used as a coating.

The most expensive screens are manufactured industrially made of stainless steel.

To make the grating yourself, you will need a special welding machine for thin-walled metal.

Steel panels are durable, do not require special care, and fit perfectly into current interior styles. loft, high-tech, techno.

Wooden

Making your own lattice from wooden beams accessible to a craftsman who has skills in working with a drill and a jigsaw.

The wood must first be well dried, to avoid warping later, impregnated with fire retardant for protection from fire and antiseptic — from rot and mold. Using stain or glazing compounds of different colors, you can give ordinary birch the appearance of valuable wood. Completes the process heat-resistant varnish coating, sauna compositions are suitable.

Wooden gratings easily fit into the interior of most styles, the main thing is to choose the right shade of coating.

MDF

Plate MDF or NDF also suitable for making a protective screen thanks to high heat transfer.

Laser cutting allows you to create any design you like on the panel - an ornament, a landscape or another image.

Plates It is better to choose laminated ones, they are easier to maintain and last longer in high temperature conditions.

The frame for the screen is made of wood or plastic profiles, the surface of the plate can imitate fine wood, mosaic, natural stone. From the variety of options, you can always choose one that matches the style and color scheme of the interior.

Plastic PVC

Heat resistant plastic PVC is often used to make radiator grilles due to its easy processing, low weight construction, easy cleaning from dust and dirt, budget cost. PVC has a higher thermal resistance than metal, so this type of grille will retain some of the heat.

Surface of PVC screens decorated to look like valuable wood or stone, you can apply it to them film coating with any designThe main requirement for the material is safety: all components of the structure must be heat-resistant and not emit harmful substances when heated.

Features to look for when choosing

A quality grille is a combination of several characteristics:

1. Design - removable or easily dismantled for maintenance, ensures free air flow to the radiator.
2. Material — does not change shape at high temperatures, does not burn, and does not emit harmful substances.
3. Safety - should not have sharp corners.
4. Service - easy and quick cleaning from dirt using detergents.

Useful video

Check out this video on how to choose a radiator screen.

Undoubted advantage and a few little tricks

Protective screen is decorative, stylish and safeThe range of products is very wide and there is always the possibility of custom-made unique panels suitable for a specific interior.

And to increase the heat flow on the wall behind the radiator stick it on heat reflective screen from foamed foil-coated polyurethane. And to prevent air from accumulating under the window sill, make a heat-reflecting a visor made of metal or plastic.