Radiators - does it matter what colour you paint them.

[ian.miller]

I vaguely remember the parts at school about black and white things being better/worse radiators of heat.

So what would happen if you painted all the radiators in a house black? would they give off more heat, faster, cool quicker?

Why are they white now? just aesthetics?

Ta muchly

[sweetchariot]

Yes, Black radiators would radiate more heat than white ones, however the effect this would have on heating a house would be very small, because in fact most of the heat transfer from a radiator is actually by convection. Begs the question why they're called radiators really...

[rja211077]

yes my old physics teacher told me that black radiators would be more effective (though i take on board sweetchariot's point) and it's just aesthetics and convention that keep them white

[Hammer]

Turning the thermostat up would also make them give out more heat. Painting them black would only really help if they weren't hot enough.

[Thunderchild]

the colour makes no difference actually so we prefer white. the colour comes into play with absorbtion. thats why in africa they use white for clothing. and solar pannels r black !