correction
In a previous version of this story, the last name of D.C. architect Colleen Healey was misspelled on a second reference, and Modern Masters paint was incorrectly described as spray paint. The errors have been corrected.
Unlike the hand-carved staircases and crown moldings that often draw buyers to older architecture, the radiators found in many homes built before World War II often register as clunky and puzzling rather than charming.
“A contractor might tell you to rip them out and put a heat pump in, and that certainly is an option,” says Richard Trethewey, a Boston-area heating and plumbing expert. “But if you are in a colder climate, radiators are an amazing heat producer: quiet, comfortable, and they don’t blow allergens around.”
And although they do take up floor space, there are effective strategies for decorating around them. Living happily with radiators is almost always much easier than replacing them. Here’s how to do it.
Get to know your radiators
Radiators are essentially coils of metal that act as heat exchangers — powered by either steam or hot water — that bring thermal energy from your boiler into individual rooms. Though steam and hot water radiators work in similar ways, they have a few operational and maintenance differences, so it’s good to know which type you’re working with.
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Steam versions tend to be found in buildings (especially big apartments) built before 1940 or so. They are hotter to the touch than water radiators and are more prone to making clanging and banging noises. You’ll know your system is steam if your boiler has a “sight glass” — a slender glass tube that measures water level. Steam radiators have either a single pipe going into the floor and an automatic valve to release air, or two pipes connected to the radiator (one with a shut-off valve and the other with a heat-regulating device called a steam trap).
With a hot water radiator, you’ll usually see two pipes going into the radiator and a release valve somewhere on the unit for “bleeding” trapped air.
Experts say a properly maintained and installed radiator system shouldn’t need to be bled of trapped air before you turn the heat on each year. But if you have a radiator that bangs frequently or doesn’t seem to heat as well as others, call in a plumbing or heating professional to check your system for leaks or sagging pipes that might be blocking the flow of air or water.
Find the right kind of radiator help
It’s worth tracking down an HVAC contractor (or sometimes a plumber) who specializes in radiators. They can ensure your system is working properly and give you tips on operating and caring for it.
“Most of these systems are 100 years old, and you need someone who understands them,” says Dave Bunnell, a Chicago radiator expert who calls himself the Steam Whisperer. To find a specialist near you, ask for referrals at architectural salvage businesses or look for HVAC companies that specialize in older homes. There are also contractors listed on heatinghelp.com, a website run by and for radiant heating pros and enthusiasts.
Paint your radiators
Radiators might seem like space hogs or impediments to your decor. “But to me, particularly with the ornate Victorian ones, radiators are a reminder of a time when we decorated even the most mundane things,” says Elizabeth Finkelstein, founder of older-home real estate sites Circa Old Houses and Cheap Old Houses. “They can be beautiful in their own right.”
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Annie Elliott, a D.C. interior designer who has 12 hot water radiators in her 1910 rowhouse, believes they “were meant to be seen.” As such, she has taken the approach of making hers even more obvious by painting them bronze, gold and silver.
Before painting your radiators, consult a paint store about which types of paint will withstand high heat and won’t off-gas or flake. (Elliott used Modern Masters metallic paint.)
You’ll want to have your radiators turned off when you paint them. Scrub them down with a wet sponge, getting between the coils to remove dust. Wedge a drop cloth or some newspapers on the floor underneath, and expect to apply one to two thorough coats.
You can also have your radiators professionally removed, then stripped and dipped in matte or high-gloss paint by a restoration business. (There may be lead paint on your radiators, which is why you shouldn’t attempt to strip them yourself.) You’ll want to inquire about the price and how they’ll do the job before committing, because some radiators are so heavy that they require a crane to relocate. More typically, though, the process is much simpler and costs a few hundred dollars per radiator.
Hide your radiators
You can use paint to camouflage your radiators, too. You’ll just want to coat them in the same color as what’s on the walls and baseboards behind them.
Sometimes radiators create challenges that are too thorny for paint to solve. “They complicate furniture placement, especially in smaller houses,” says Colleen Healey, an architect in D.C. In those cases, you can consider incorporating the radiator into furniture; for instance, you can hire a carpenter to carve out space within a built-in bookcase. In one recent project, Healey encased a radiator in a window seat. Just be sure to leave either the front or the top of the radiator exposed (or veiled by metal mesh), so the unit can still effectively put off heat.
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You can also disguise radiators with wooden or metal covers. Swedish-British interior designer Beata Heuman turned the ones in her London townhouse into chic consoles by topping them with scallop-edged wooden caps.
Use your radiators as shelving
For the most part, radiators get nicely warm, but not sizzling — 70 to 90 degrees — meaning you can safely put some things on top of them. (Still, the first time you run your heat, make sure your radiators aren’t scalding. If they are, you might need to have a professional adjust them.)
Covered radiators work well as shelves or consoles for items such as pottery or heat-tolerant plants, such as cactuses and succulents. Any radiator, however, can warp fabric that touches it regularly, such as curtains, or melt plastic or candles.
Jennifer Barger is a writer in D.C. who covers home and travel.
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