The Claim
Radflek is a revolutionary energy saving radiator reflector that reflects 95% of the wasted heat energy radiated from the rear of a radiator back into your room and claims to cut heat escaping through the walls by 45%.
Radflek is a laminated aluminium foil with a long lasting coating that prevents oxidation and preserves its high reflectivity. With Radflek, less energy is needed to heat the room to your desired temperature and so your energy bills will be less. Radflek is at least 23% more efficient than any saw-toothed reflector and will typically pay for itself in under a year. It also lasts many times longer and is much better than using standard foil.
How does it work?
The aluminium foil is positioned down the back of the radiator and then as heat is emitted, instead of going out through the wall, the infrared heat hits the foil and gets reflected back into the room thereby reducing heat loss from the radiator.
How did it work for me?
Radflek is really easy to install for starters. You simply unroll it, cut to the desired length, then hang it behind the radiator. It requires very little maintenance, just the occasional dust, which is easily done by lifting it out by its hooks.
How well do they work? Well, the science tells us that they do reduce heat loss. Practically, you probably have to be careful that instead of making savings, the house will just be a little warmer. The difference between 21 degrees and 22 is pretty small, and you will only get the energy saving benefit if you consequently use your heating less. If you have a good thermostat you may find the heating is on a little less. If you rely on a programmer, try just cutting the time it is on by 15 minutes.
I have a couple of radiators on internal walls so I thought it might be worth putting the reflectors on them. Although it wont affect the energy bills, it will make the room heat a little quicker, as more heat is reflected into the room, instead of heating the walls.
It is really important to manage expectations with these reflectors. They will reduce your heat loss and you should see a little fuel bill benefit, but given the relatively small cost, you may only see savings of ten or twenty pounds – worth it in the long run, but easily going unnoticed.
Radflek is a very good product easy to install and I speak as one without any DIY skills. I have noticed the difference in temperature as the heat is reflected back in to the room making it much warmer. A product that every outside facing wall radiator needs to improve heat efficiency.