Improving central heating

Piwoslaw · 12-12-23, 02:15 AM

I once started a discussion about increasing the efficiency of my heating system by lowering its temperature:
How to lower heating system temperature?

There Ryland proposed installing fans under the radiators, mostly to increase the heat transfer (more heat to the room, with the extra benefit of lowering the temperature of the water returning to the boiler for additional efficiency). These would also slightly boost air circulation, as you mentioned.

Since then I have had 120mm computer fans under most of the radiators in the house. Do they help? Yes, but not enough to measure. Mostly because the effect of the low flow from the fans on the massive, cast iron radiators is a tiny percent of all of the energy.
The effect on lighter, thin radiators would be much more noticeable, especially with higher effeciency fans, blowing air across the full length of the radiator, not just a 120mm segment of it.

12-12-23, 02:15 AM	#2
Piwoslaw Super Moderator Join Date: May 2009 Location: Warsaw, Poland Posts: 961 Thanks: 188 Thanked 110 Times in 86 Posts	I once started a discussion about increasing the efficiency of my heating system by lowering its temperature: How to lower heating system temperature? There Ryland proposed installing fans under the radiators, mostly to increase the heat transfer (more heat to the room, with the extra benefit of lowering the temperature of the water returning to the boiler for additional efficiency). These would also slightly boost air circulation, as you mentioned. Since then I have had 120mm computer fans under most of the radiators in the house. Do they help? Yes, but not enough to measure. Mostly because the effect of the low flow from the fans on the massive, cast iron radiators is a tiny percent of all of the energy. The effect on lighter, thin radiators would be much more noticeable, especially with higher effeciency fans, blowing air across the full length of the radiator, not just a 120mm segment of it. __________________ Ecorenovation - the bottomless piggy bank that tries to tame the energy hog.