why r radiators built underneath windows in every home?

Question

why r radiators in houses always built under windows

Answer 1

1) it saves space - access is needed for the window so putting furniture there instead is generally avoided.
2) 'down draught' caused by air in the room convecting up - causing the air near the window to flow down. Thios colder air flows over the radiator and it heated quicker than if the radiator was elsewhere.

Answer 2

First, when was the last time you saw a modern house built with radiators? Radiators use steam! STEAM! When was the last time you saw a modern house with a steam boiler? Radiators were put infront and aligned with windows because the glass was the weak thermal point of every wall in the room. Today and with the advent of thermal windows, registers are placed where possible in the floor plan and out of traffic lanes in the house. generally the radiate from the central air handler in the utility room. Baseboard heating is even more common and easier to install and those generally are placed under windows because no one puts furniture infront of a window. Thus not blocking the ever important heat transfer through the unit.

Answer 3

Space as under a window leaves all the other walls free & secondly it helps as the coldest part of the room is the window most doors are in the center of the house and heat will pass across the room to the exit as it radiates.

Answer 4

Christoph has it in one. When placed under windows it is not possible to have long curtains. I had all my radiators removed and put behind the doors where they should have been in the first place. Builders still have not realised this simple ploy, as they are still hanging doors the "wrong" way therby making the room smaller. I had all my doors reversed on to the other side, and you have no idea how much extra space was created, unfortunately all my light switches are behind the doors, so will have to get an electrician.

Answer 5

In the past when drafty windows were common, the logic was that a radiator was placed under the window to counteract the cold air draft from the window.

Answer 6

I'm amazed at people not knowing this.......its called " natural convection" the radiator radiates heat......it rises....then the cold air that comes from the window hits the rising hot air.......that produces convecting air ( air in a circulating form) that moves away from the window into the room.....if you ever stand on a chair in a room the air is hotter at the roof.......I feel old saying this.....if you ever fart....stand on a chair after half an hour and it still stinks up there !! end of lesson 1 !!

Answer 7

The theory used to be that the air coming in from the window pushed the heat from the radiator into the room and circulated it. Now with double glazing there is no draught coming in, so yes it is pretty stupid.

Answer 8

Heat rises as cool air sinks.. so they build radiators under windows to heat the input of cold air making it rise infront of the window (also helping clear condensation on the glass) .. it really is the best place for them..

Answer 9

To heat the air more efficiently as the windows are a source of cold coming into the house.

Answer 10

They used to be put there to counteract the cold draught that came from a single glazed window, and, hopefully, warm that cold draught. With the advent of sealed units in windows, it is now not a particular requirement and most plumbers tend to keep them as close together as possible, for instance, one on one side of a wall and one on the other side. Cuts down on pipework, possible leaks, heat loss from pipes and less floorboards to remove.