Radiator Height From the Floor

[MD]

This is not really a period property question, but I would appreciate peoples views.

I am having a new gas central heating system installed in my house. The plumber has now started to hang the radiators on the walls. He has done about half of them so far. However, to me, they look as if they are far too high up the wall. I measured the gap from floor to bottom of radiator, and the distance is 8 inches (200mm).

Every wall is different to be honest -most radiators are under windows, but windows are all different heights. Some walls have skirting, some don't, and any skirting there is is no more than 3 to 4 inches. Some walls have exposed studs, others don't. So, there is nothing really that you have to match.

I asked the plumber about the distance from floor and he said that 200mm was the standard and best height, as any less detracted from air movement and made it difficult to "to do the pipework".

I've measured the floor to radiator height in my current house and it is about 4.5 inches (120mm). Even the builder I have doing some other work says he thinks they look high. I'm sure I've never lived in a house where the radiators are so far up the wall, but the plumber insists this is the standard height that 90% of radiators are hung at.

The plumber reluctlantly said "I can lower them if you want".
But I just wondered what people's views on this were. Do you think there is a standard recommended height from floor, or is it just down to preference and what looks right?

 

[middi]

If you want the rads lower you can, depending on run of pipes you can have them 100mm( 4 inch) or even lower.

The plumber is right about better/quicker heat convection if they are higher, also it is much easier to work at that height to make connections etc.

You should have what you like best, if possible.

 

[MdB]

They are 200mm in my office here. Look ok to me but if you want them lower then I would ask for them to be lowered.

 

[worms]

All 120mm here.

 

[MD]

Thanks for your opinions.

I think I'll ask him to lower them at least a couple of inches. Maybe its a combination of low window cills, narrow or no skirting boards and generally lowish ceilings, but they just don't look right at 200mm above the floor.

 

[Andrew Bodenham]

It's true that rads need to be off the floor to allow air convection to take place. However, air is pretty thin stuff, and I'd doubt that there would be much performance difference between a rad set 8" of the floor and one set 3" off.

Pipework connections can be made from about 2" upwards, so really your plumber is talking guff. Maybe he finds it hard to bend down that far - he certainly sounds rather inflexible. In which case the exercise might do him some good. I hate it when tradesman spout psuedo-technical nonsense to justify their unhelpful approach to their clients. It demonstrates a worrying lack of technical understanding, or simple contempt for the customer.

Ultimately you're paying the bill, so you can have your rads where you want them.

 

[stuart]

I would have thought the lower the better, seeing as the coldest air will be at floor level. You wouldnt put the radiator near to ceiling height as you'd end up with a hot head and cold feet, :wink:
However, as mentioned there needs to be space under to allow airflow, and I've read that 120mm or just under 5 inches is the minimum recommended.
You also have a harder job to decorate your skirting if it is too low, and its good to have room to put a shallow bucket underneath for if you need to drain it.
But 8 inches sounds a bit high to me. I think I'd go with whatever looks right in any given room

 

[GeoffP]

I have 9" skirting boards and I sited the bottom of new rads just above the top of the skirting so if needed, I can remove the skirting without any problems. They look OK and work OK.

Geoff

 

[Flyfisher]

I don't see why there has to be an air-gap between the floor and radiator for convection to work properly. Surely the warm air around the radiator will rise regardless of its height above the floor and cooler air will be drawn in towards to the radiator. The old cast iron floor standing radiators seem to work.

Having said all that, it's clearly more convenient to have them wall mounted above the skirting for cleaning purposes.

 

[chuckey]

Flyfisher, a modern radiator has a front and a back, both these surfaces have to be used to get the rated heat out of the rad. Lots of of radiators have fins on their backs so would actually require more airflow up their back then up their front! Putting the rad too close to the floor would strangulate the air flow to the back. Your "Victorian" multisection finned type are better is this respect, because air can get in between the sections to flow up the back.
I hope the plumber is putting a nice shiny heat reflector on the wall behind the rad.
Frank

 

[Penners]

It's true that rads need to be off the floor to allow air convection to take place. However, air is pretty thin stuff, and I'd doubt that there would be much performance difference between a rad set 8" of the floor and one set 3" off.

Pipework connections can be made from about 2" upwards, so really your plumber is talking guff.

I agree with Andrew. There may be some minute theoretical improvement in convection at the 8-inch height, but I reckon it's much more about what's comfortable for the plumber to work on.

 

[Flyfisher]

Thanks for that Frank; I've often wondered about those fins at the back. But are you sure air wouldn't be drawn in from the sides of the radiator, a bit like those old ones, or modern double ones for that matter. Anyway, a bit academic because I'm sure no one fixes them too close to the floor.

Actually, given all the points raised for an apparently simple question, I'm surprised this is not covered by some regulation somewhere. After all, electrical sockets and light switch heights are specified in the regulations I believe (not sure if these are the wiring regs or building regs though).

 

[Aidan]

80mm I was told for the double panel convector jobs; any lower it messes up the air flow. The NHS used to have a minimum height to allow them to clean under the radiator. I can't remember it.

 

[Penners]

The NHS used to have a minimum height to allow them to clean under the radiator.

The NHS doing cleaning?? That'll be the day.