Landlord Tip of the Day: Radiator Covers Ahead of Winter

[Parris Taylor]

Winter is creeping up, and for those of us managing older multifamily buildings (especially the pre-war stock with steam radiators), heat season is right around the corner.

One small, inexpensive improvement I’ve been testing is retrofitting radiators with covers.

Here’s why:

- Safety: Tenants with kids or pets don’t have to worry about burns.

- Efficiency: Covers with reflective backing help direct heat into the room instead of into the wall.

- Aesthetics: An old clunky radiator is rarely the best look. A simple cover instantly upgrades the space and can even reduce tenant complaints about “uneven heat"

- Durability: Protects the radiator from being used as a shelf or getting dinged up over time.

💡 Pro tip: You don’t have to custom-order expensive pieces. There are DIY kits and prefab options that fit most units. If you bulk buy and retrofit during turnover season, the per-unit cost is surprisingly low.

I’d love to hear from the community:

- Have you installed radiator covers in your rentals?

- Did it help with tenant satisfaction or reduce complaints?

- Any brands or hacks you’d recommend?

Sometimes it’s the little seasonal upgrades that save us the most headaches down the line!