Drying clothes can be a challenge during the winter months.
The weather often isn’t conducive to hanging laundry outside, and it can take a while for our homes to warm up and dry things properly. To speed up the process, many people resort to using radiators, but experts are now cautioning against this practice.
According to specialists, using radiators to dry clothes not only wastes energy, but also increases your expenses. Which? advises against this method, citing straightforward reasons.
In a brief TikTok video, an energy expert explained: “You need to stop drying your clothes on radiators. Radiators circulate warm air around the room so, if your heating is on and is set to 20C, your radiators will pump out heat until the room reaches that temperature – at which point the boiler will stop.
“But cold and wet clothes act as a barrier to the heat being given off that means you could be heating your room for a lot longer than you need to. While you might end up with dry clothes, you’ll also end up with a colder home and bigger energy bills.”
Additionally, radiator experts at Posh.co.uk highlighted six reasons why drying clothes on radiators can cause more harm than good, potentially leading to concerning issues. When you drape clothes over your radiators, the garments may heat up, but your room doesn’t.
This results in your heating system working overtime to warm your home, potentially escalating your energy bills.
Mould
Hanging damp clothes on radiators releases moisture into the air. Once evaporated, this moisture has to go somewhere and can cause damage and dampness in your home over time, leading to staining, peeling paint and structural damage.
Health problems
In addition to damaging your home, there can be serious health implications. Dampness and poor indoor air quality can lead to respiratory issues and allergic reactions.
This can be particularly hazardous for children in the household.
Fire hazard
Clothes left too close to hot radiators could ignite, posing a significant fire risk. If you leave your home unattended or forget to remove the clothes, this can be especially worrisome.
Radiator damage
Moisture from clothes can seep into the metal, promoting corrosion and rust. Over time, this can weaken your radiator, reducing its lifespan.
If you find yourself having to replace damaged radiators more frequently, this is another costly consequence.
Clothes damage
Your favourite garments may not fare well when dried on a radiator, and you could end up ruining them. Clothes in direct contact with heat from radiators may develop stains, and the fabric can weaken over time.
Discolouration can also occur as the heat causes colours to bleed.
Andy Ellis, from Posh.co.uk, has warned against the seemingly simple act of drying clothes on radiators, explaining: “It might seem like an easy solution but you should really try to avoid drying your clothes on radiators if you can. It can prove costly in more ways than one.
“Your boiler will be working much harder to heat up your room if the radiator is covered in clothes and this will drive up energy costs.
“Not only increased energy bills, but you might also be causing some damage to your favourite clothes, and over time you may find yourself replacing your radiator more often.
“As well as the financial impacts, you will be causing damage to your home and health as well. The indoor air quality can cause mould to grow, and this can then lead to health risks such as flu-like symptoms.”
