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How to hide an old battery. How to close the batteries of the heating system and save the heat flow conversion

The heating radiator very rarely can harmoniously fit into the interior, in other cases it has to be somehow masked. In an attempt to bring beauty to the apartment and hide the batteries, many make big mistakes, the result of which can be an even greater protrusion of the place where the radiator is located, or a violation of convection air flows. How to hide a heating radiator in such a way as to preserve its necessary functions and make it truly invisible? We reveal the secrets of designers and learn how to apply them in the independent arrangement of an apartment.

No. 1. What needs to be considered?

The radiator, which some do not hesitate to compare with a log in the eye, performs in an apartment essential function, and we must not forget about it, because it is impossible to survive the harsh winter without proper heating. That is why all attempts to decorate the radiator should not go beyond common sense.

Deciding how to disguise, it's worth take into account such nuances:

The easiest way get a battery that is not conspicuous and 100% preserve all its functions - this is buy designer radiator. Such products are made to order and fully comply with the design of the room. The downside is the high price, which forces you to look for more affordable options.

No. 2. Radiator painting is the easiest way

In any case, it is better to paint the radiator in such a way as to “dissolve” it as much as possible against the background of the walls. It is necessary to use thermal paint, ideally - exactly repeat, but discrepancies in a couple of shades are allowed.

If the walls are not white, then a white radiator, clearly contrasting against their background - big mistake. Often, those who decorate the walls with patterned wallpaper also glue them into the niche behind the battery, thereby emphasizing the latter. In this case, it is recommended to leave the entire niche white: against its background, the white radiator will be almost invisible.

No. 3. Radiator painting

With painting and decoupage you have to be very careful, because there just cross the line from simply disguising a battery to protruding it. If a radiator with a pattern applied to it contrasts sharply against the background, it will catch the eye, although a completely different task was originally set. Such a battery, as if, suggests that it greatly interfered with the owners, and they tried to hide it.

Designers recommend painting not only the radiator itself, but part of the wall against which it is located. The drawing can be made in any technique and colors. If there is talent, then we take paints in our hands and start creating: do not forget that the paint must be resistant to heat. If there are no special artistic talents, then you can use ready-made stencils for drawing, use the decoupage technique or even vinyl stickers. The main thing is that everything looks harmonious, and the battery turns out to be really disguised.

No. 4. Hinged screens (grilles) for radiators

Hinged screens, as a rule, are made of metal, have a lot of holes, so they do not interfere with free air convection. Among others benefits ease of installation, providing access to the radiator at any moment, a good assortment, besides, the metal heats up quickly. Hinged screens differ not only in color, the nature and size of the holes, but also in some functional features: there are models designed for one-sided and two-sided pipe connections.

It is better to choose grilles with rounded corners to reduce the risk of injury. From cons this option is not a very pleasant sound when struck, but it can be experienced. Dust from such a grid will have to be wiped regularly. It can also be advised to take the screen to the entire width of the window sill, and not to the width of the radiator: in this case, it will be possible to really disguise the radiator rather than underline its location.

The metal hinged screen can be of any color and style. You can even find a stainless steel screen with a shiny surface. If the former look good in a classic style, then the latter will complement the interior in. Forged screens, due to their openwork, provide excellent air circulation, but a radiator is visible through them, so they are often duplicated with a metal perforated sheet.

To be able to hide the radiator with glass, you need to pay attention to the method decoration surfaces. Of course, you should not leave the glass without a picture: in this case, the outlines of the radiator hiding behind the screen will be clearly visible, and the screen itself will play the role of drawing attention to the battery. It is desirable to at least give the glass some shade. Among the ways to decorate glass allocate:

photo printing. You can apply absolutely any pattern to the glass, even a photograph taken with your own hand, so it will turn out to fit the screen perfectly into the existing interior;
. You can use expensive stained glass techniques (fusing, Tiffany technique or faceted stained glass), or you can create a pseudo-stained glass window using films or paints, which is much cheaper, and the effect will be no worse. Another option is sandblasted stained glass, perfect for modern interiors;
independent decoration. Typically, screen decoration is entrusted to companies specializing in this issue, but it is possible to decorate an ordered matte screen. with your own hands. This is a sticker of stained glass films, rhinestones, etc.

With glass screens, the same rule applies as with hinged metal screens: it must harmoniously fit into the space under the window, so it is advisable to choose glass with a width equal to the width of the window sill. If you highlight with glass only a part of the space under the windowsill where the battery is located, you will get an effect that is the opposite of what you expected.

No. 6. Wooden screen for radiator

To mask the batteries, you can also use wooden screens, which are both attached and flat, if the radiator is located in. Such an option can be called the most environmentally friendly and one of the most attractive in appearance, since from wood that is malleable for processing, screens with the most bizarre patterns can be obtained. Externally, such a screen can have any look, it can be purchased both ready-made and to order.

Wooden screens are best used in classic interiors, and in order to successfully fit them into the room, they must overlap with other elements of the interior(furniture and doors), and optimally, have similar elements. In any case, such an overlay for radiators should cover the space from wall to wall or be as wide as a window sill. The wooden side screen can be used as a stand, table or even a bench. Main minus- this is a feature of deforming and drying out under the influence of temperature changes and with significant fluctuations in humidity levels.

chipboard screens not very common due to their not the most outstanding performance. Outwardly, they are not bad, but for use in a residential apartment, it is necessary to choose chipboard with a formaldehyde emission level of E0 or E1.

Plastic screens amaze with variety and low price. The main thing is to make sure the material is safe by examining the accompanying documentation. For screens, plastic should be used that can easily tolerate heat up to 60-80 0 C. Such products are great for, as they are hygienic and not demanding to maintain.

No. 8. Creating a false wall with a niche for a radiator

If the radiator protrudes above the wall surface, then it can be quite difficult to disguise it with all the methods described above. In this case, they resort to mounting a plasterboard structure around the radiator, the main goal is to create a kind of niches for batteries. As a result, it is possible to achieve an excellent effect, but part of the usable area of the room will have to be abandoned.

You can cope with all the work yourself: a frame made of a metal profile is constructed the same as with, or. Drywall sheets are mounted on the frame, special attention is paid to the area near the radiator. After all this, puttying the seams, priming and applying the finishing material to the walls follows. Himself radiator sometimes closed drywall with a number of small holes for air circulation, but this is not the best option - it is much better to use a metal grill or, in extreme cases, a plastic ventilation grill.

No. 9. Several original ideas

If for some reason the standard solutions do not suit you, you can use more original methods:

pull on picture frame fabric to match the walls and use as a regular screen. The option, of course, is suitable for radiators located in a niche;
- a very unusual way to hide a radiator, but in some cases it has a place to be. Installation work is minimal;
creation above the heating radiator. The frame of the fireplace can be made of drywall or plywood, close the hole with a metal grate. With the right finish, the design will resemble a real fireplace as much as possible, and in winter real heat will come from there.

On such frosty winter days as now, heating saves our houses and apartments. Therefore, the presence heating radiators in dwellings - this is undoubtedly a plus. But often batteries become a stumbling block when you want to decorate a room beautifully.

So where to put the hated batteries? After all, no matter how modern they are, the appearance of the rooms, alas, still deteriorates because of them ...

The problem with the design of radiators is especially relevant in children's rooms and rooms where children often play, not only for aesthetic reasons, but also because kids run a lot and can hit the battery.

If modern radiators have such an appearance that they can easily fit into a high-tech or minimalist room, then Soviet cast-iron batteries look quite depressing. Therefore it is necessary disguise the battery so that it was not visible, but did not stop warming us in the cold.

How to hide the battery

Editorial "So simple!" prepared for you 14 practical ways how to hide the nondescript radiator and at the same time transform the interior. Now, looking at the batteries in the house, I get aesthetic pleasure!

The easiest way is to paint the battery. Use a special paint that is resistant to high temperatures for this. The color must be selected to match the interior of the room. This option is best applied to modern aluminum batteries. Painted cast iron products will stand out strongly.
But if you decorate them with various patterns - a completely different matter! This is especially true in the children's room or in the kitchen. If artistic skills are completely absent, you can use special stencils.
A very original idea! To implement it, you must have several skeins of twine, 3 hours of time and perseverance.
You can close the heating battery with a cotton curtain. This option is only suitable for products installed in a niche.
You can attach the curtain to the window sill with Velcro, the fabric should be matched to the tone of the wallpaper. Blinds can be used as an alternative.
And this idea is just 2 in 1! We hide the batteries and get a new place for reading or pleasant gatherings.
And you can hide them under special bars or perforated screens. Such devices are made from a variety of materials, have a variety of shapes and designs.
Thanks to the screens, the battery can be used as an additional resting place, as a shelf or stand for decorative elements.
How about this way?
Screens made of thick glass will successfully cover an unsightly battery. Such products look beautiful and very stylish.
However, glass screens cover only the outside of the battery. They are fixed using screw holders with elastic protective gaskets.
Another interesting idea is a nightstand with lattice doors. Practical and convenient, right?
You can hide the radiators with the help of hinged grilles. Most often, such products are used for cast-iron batteries located in a niche under the windowsill. And a nice bonus is that everyone can handle the installation. All that is required is to hang the structure on the heater.
Great idea for a kid's room!
Please note that the choice of material from which the screen will be made must be approached no less scrupulously than the design of the product itself. After all, the material must be resistant to high temperatures.
Another great idea: a battery hidden in a box with a perforated panel. Stylish and tasteful!
And finally decoupage. Using ordinary napkins and PVA glue, you can also decorate the heater. It is easy to do it yourself, special skills and expensive materials are not required.
It is enough to pick up napkins to match, cut out the necessary elements and paste over the radiator with them. On top, you can apply a special heat-resistant varnish.

The cold is just around the corner, and it is already worth paying attention to heating radiators, and thinking about how they can be hidden so that they do not spoil the interior. There are many creative ideas that will allow you to turn batteries into a decorative element and use them in a practical way.

Interior style disguise

In a beautifully designed interior, all objects and elements should one way or another overlap with each other and form a single style. Heating generators in this case are also no exception. They, of course, are simply obliged to fit into the common space and only decorate it, and not spoil it. Therefore, it is worth worrying about a decent disguise of the batteries in advance. In the classic versions, screens in an elegant style, made in light shades - ivory, beige, noble white, will be appropriate. Laconic wooden models without elaborate decor will look good in a Scandinavian or modern interior.

Choosing the Right Material

The choice of material from which the screen will be made must be approached no less scrupulously than the design of the product itself. First of all, the selected material must be resistant to high temperatures. Today, such screens are made of metal, plexiglass, wood, plastic and plywood. The most reliable and popular of them are metal and plywood. Wood can deform over time, and it is expensive, plastic is only suitable for offices and non-residential premises, glass can interfere with heat transfer during heating.

Warmth or beauty?

When choosing a screen, there is another dilemma: what to put in the first place - beauty or to take care of warmth to a greater extent. Here it is already necessary to build on how severe winters are where the apartment is located. If you want to reduce the flow of heat and it is hot in the apartment in winter, then you should take a closer look at the closed options. If space heating is in the first place, then you need to choose options without additional gratings, as well as as light and patterned as possible.

Practical use of the radiator

The most interesting thing is that thanks to the screens, the battery can be used as an additional place to rest, as a shelf or stand for decorative elements. Thus, two birds with one stone are in the hands at once - the battery is disguised, the interior looks great and at the same time it has an additional element that performs practical functions.

A heating radiator that fits beautifully into a new interior is a rarity. Batteries, especially old, cast iron ones, stand out sharply against the background of fresh wallpaper and look ridiculous in a room if its design is not made in retro style. Think about how and what to close heating batteries, it is necessary even at the planning stage of the repair, and not after its completion, when some work can no longer be carried out.

Installation of new radiators

Owners of apartments in houses of old construction are most often faced with the fact that installed in the rooms cast iron batteries. For efficient heat transfer, such a device is better. However, during the years of operation during the Soviet era, in conditions of a shortage of materials of any kind, the only manipulations that were carried out on radiators were painting. Turning a monster covered in many layers of peeling paint into something decent is extremely difficult. In addition, cast-iron radiators do not have ball valves that allow you to turn off the heating batteries if it is hot in the apartment.

The easiest way to replace the radiator for the current model and immediately install shut-off valves, which can reduce the temperature in the room and turn off the water for repairs.

For the operation of the new radiator to be effective, during installation it is necessary accurately calculate place of attachment:

It is necessary to place the heating battery strictly in the middle of the window opening.
The distance from the floor to the lower edge of the battery should be within the range of 8–14 cm.
The radiator should hang below the window sill by 10–12 cm.
The gap between the wall and the back wall should not be less than 3 and more than 5 cm.

If these rules are observed, the heat transfer will be maximum.

Heat in the apartment

Complaints about the heat in the apartment quite rare. Usually the temperature of the radiators is controlled by shut-off valves, but they are not always installed. Therefore, if you need to reduce the heat transfer of the battery without taps, then this can be done in several ways:

A budget option is to cover the battery with a thick cloth or blanket. This method allows you to solve the problem of "overheating" here and now, until a special screen for the radiator is purchased.
Another "quick" option to reduce the temperature is to cover the battery with a shield from a tabletop or board.
A more expensive option is reflective insulation. As a rule, this is a foil on a foamed polyethylene foam substrate, which is covered or wrapped around sections of a too hot radiator.
If you want it to be not only cool, but also beautiful, the battery must be packed in a box made of wood, metal or drywall. The construction of the box will require not only financial costs, but also time.

If the room is cold

More often than not, people complain that Not enough heat from radiators to warm up the room. To make the batteries warmer in the apartment, you can also use reflective thermal insulation, only in this case you need to mount it on the wall behind the battery and on the floor below it. Other methods are more complicated:

It is desirable to install on the battery Mayevsky's crane, which allows you to release the air accumulated during the start of the heating season and when filling the radiator with water.
Thorough cleaning of dust and dirt will improve heat distribution. It is necessary to clean not only on the outer and upper sides of the radiator, but also in the space between the sections.
In the battery itself, in addition to air, accumulate dirt and rust. To clean the batteries, you need to call the master.

Ways to mask radiators

If the temperature in the apartment is completely satisfied, and only the appearance of the batteries worries, then you can use one of the decor methods. The main thing is not to harm the heat transfer process and observe several important points:

The radiator may require repair or replacement, so you need to consider a decorative design so that in the event of an accident, you can easily remove the battery. Plumbers who regularly encounter problems with heating devices generally recommend using only attached screens that simply move to the side.
The main threat from the radiator is a possible leak at the junction with the heating pipes. Therefore, the second important nuance is the availability of connection nodes, which can be ensured by providing a plastic door in box designs.

With wallpaper

Typical heating radiators are painted white and look good only against the background of white walls. If the walls are dark in color, but without a pattern, the radiators can simply be repainted. Only heat-resistant paint can be used.

Drawing on the walls complicates the task. Using a stencil and paint, it's easy to duplicate a simple pattern on a battery. If the pattern is complex, you can cut pieces from the remnants of the wallpaper that match the size of the sections and stick them on the radiator.

A special way to decorate the battery is decoupage. Handicraft stores sell vinyl stickers that do not deform under the influence of temperature. For decoupage, you can use not only ready-made patterns, but also create your own from improvised materials: fabric, paper, hot melt adhesive, and even beads.

Fabric Screen

Women with good sewing skills often make their own covers for radiators made of fabric.

An alternative way to decorate is to create a special curtain for the battery. They are made of loose fabric and attached to the wall or window sill with textile Velcro. Most often, a fabric screen is made from the same material as the curtains.

The undoubted plus of such screens: minimal impact for heat dissipation and elementary care - the curtain for the battery that has collected all the dust is effortlessly cleaned during washing in a conventional washing machine.

Mounted and attached structures

For lovers of ready-made solutions, construction and furniture stores offer screens from various materials. The variety of choices allows you to choose a design that fits perfectly into any interior. The most popular screens made of metal and wood:

Metal decorative screens are made of stainless steel. Chrome-plated designs fit well into a stylish high-tech interior. The main advantage of metal decor is high thermal conductivity, easy maintenance and wear resistance.
Wooden screens are suitable for an American or Scandinavian style interior. Most often, wooden screens are made in the form of a large-mesh grid, which does not interfere with the normal convection of the battery.
The decorative glass screen looks very elegant, and the design itself acquires an airy lightness. But decorating with solid glass reduces heat transfer by almost half, a more efficient way is to use a screen of several glass panels.
Plasterboard screens are also very common because you can make them yourself. It must be remembered that the thermal conductivity of drywall is very low, and the material itself begins to collapse under the influence of high temperatures. Therefore, it is better to choose fire-resistant drywall and treat the sheets with a primer or PVA glue.

Camouflage boxes

More difficult to execute decor option- a box covering the radiator from all sides.

Most often, boxes are made from the following materials:

Heat-resistant drywall is an inexpensive material that is painted at the finishing stage, pasted over with wallpaper or film, decorated with decorative elements and even stucco.
MDF panels are also inexpensive and successfully imitate rare wood species. Panels are selected to match the color of the main furniture.
Plywood, like drywall, is very often used in the independent manufacture of the box, and at the final stage it is decorated with various materials.
Wood is used as a material for the box due to its high environmental friendliness, but it is more expensive and difficult to process.
Plastic, although it is used as part of the box design, is not very popular. When heated, plastic elements can emit toxic fumes.

The box is often made not in the form of a simple box, but as interior items: an imitation of a fireplace, a false wall or a section of a cabinet built under the window.

Concealed battery mounting

One of the most difficult decorating methods is to hide the radiators as if they were not installed:

Installation of pipes and batteries in the wall radically solves the problem of the appearance of heating devices. At the same time, thermal conductivity invariably suffers, and in the event of a leak or breakdown of the radiator, the wall will have to be broken.
In the bathroom and kitchen, you can successfully close the heating elements with furniture. In the bathroom, cabinets are most often used; in small-sized kitchens, the window sill is replaced with a countertop, and false cabinets with lattice doors are installed under it.

radical method

You can completely abandon the batteries, replacing them with alternative heating systems:

Warm floor. Electric and infrared floors are most often installed in apartments, and in a cottage it can be a water system. The point here is not efficiency, but the fact that it is impossible to obtain permission to install a water floor in an apartment. The disadvantages of underfloor heating include:
- a large number of building materials that need to be purchased and installed - pipes, a pump, a mixing unit.
- Heat transfer losses due to floor coverings (carpets) and furniture.
- High accident rate of the system: laminate (or parquet) laid on top of a warm floor can catch fire, the water system, like conventional batteries, has a risk of leakage.
- Difficult-to-regulate heating temperature.
Film heaters. They belong to infrared heat devices and work due to the flow of electricity through resistive elements, the heat from which is transferred to the aluminum screen. Film heaters are good because they can be mounted for decoration in any part of the room: floor, ceiling or walls, or stylized as a picture, for example. The advantages include durability (up to 50 years of operation), the absence of combustion products, noiselessness, ease of installation and low weight of the structure. Among the negative features of this heating method, it should be noted that it is effective only in rooms with good thermal insulation, it requires a high power supply, and its operating costs are higher than those of gas equipment.

A popular battery masking solution

The most common way to hide the battery is to sew up the wall with drywall. This method has its advantages (quick, easy and inexpensive) and disadvantages (reducing the area of the room). It is also necessary to pay attention to the fact that, without having practical knowledge and experience with drywall, disguising batteries can be a real torment. It should be remembered that it is not recommended to completely cover the heating devices with drywall. To ensure proper air circulation, slots are made in the material, which are subsequently closed with special decorative screens. The use of such screens also helps maintain radiators.

The advantage of drywall can also include the ability to hide not only radiators, but also the pipes leading to it. Along with this, it is more expedient to sew up the entire wall with material during the repair of the entire room.

How to hide the battery - easy and simple!

An easier and less expensive way is to close the batteries with a hinged screen. Today there are a huge number of different models:

hinged screen with cover;
box screens;
metal screens;
wooden screens;
screens from MDF;
glass screens.

Hinged screens will help to hide the batteries when the repair in the room has long been completed. Installation of such models does not require special knowledge and effort, they are installed by hanging on the battery. The hinged screen does not interfere with air circulation and heat exchange, performs a decorative function and greatly facilitates the maintenance of the heater. Such screens are produced with the expectation of two options for piping - one-sided and two-sided.

Box screens most often used to mask batteries installed in halls and along blank walls. Such models perform not only a decorative function, but also serve as an excellent piece of furniture. They can be used as small shelves on which you can put cute trinkets, and if you have a cat in your house, believe me, the surface of such a box will become her favorite resting place during the cold weather. The boxes differ in size, so if you have fairly low radiators, use small-sized products that can easily be turned into cozy and comfortable benches. They can also be finished using various techniques, such as openwork carving, decorative overlays, and the possibility of applying any image to the front of the box, the main thing is that such a screen does not disturb your interior, but becomes a real addition to it.

Metal, wood and MDF screens for batteries can also be made in the form of a box or have a flat shape, which is ideal for disguising batteries built into niches or hidden by drywall. The screens offered today have an original design - these are carvings, drawings and forged decorations, thanks to which you will not only hide the radiators, but also save the interior of the room.

How to hide the battery - an original approach

Don't feel like installing screens and fiddling with drywall? Show off your creativity- visually dissolve the battery in the interior. Paint the radiator the same color as the walls, or vice versa - make the radiator the main highlight of your room. Today you can use the services of a printing company that will apply your chosen image on self-adhesive paper - later you can easily place it on a radiator and make your interior unique. You can paint the batteries yourself - someone draws colored pencils there, someone gives the batteries the color of their favorite animal, and someone prefers to capture their favorite flowers and patterns on it.

Needlewomen can experiment with different textures and shapes, giving the batteries an original look. Today you can easily find workshops on decorating heaters with various covers in the form of animals, you can also use the remaining yarn and wrap the battery around it (it is not at all necessary that the yarn be exclusively of one shade).

If you know how to work with beads and beads, prepare a frame according to the size of your battery and create an original bead curtain or braided bead curtain that you fasten to the frame.

Everything is in your hands and completely depends on your capabilities!