eli5: Why are radiators in houses often situated under a window- surely this is the worst place and the easiest way to lose all the heat?

Question

eli5: Why are radiators in houses often situated under a window- surely this is the worst place and the easiest way to lose all the heat?

In: 2851

Answer 1

If you have a room with a window on one side where heat is escaping, and a radiator on the other, you’ll have a gradual drop in temperature across the entire room between the radiator and the window, and the side by the window will be quite cold

If the radiator is under a window, it will be warm there because it’s near the radiator, and the rest of the room will also be warm, because there is no where in the other part of the room for the heat to escape