Electric Heating Options

Hi, I wonder if anyone can help. We live in a 2-bedroom flat which is 3-aspect North facing. It is single-glazed and we don't believe we can change this as it is a period property. We have two Fondis Solaris heaters in the lounge which seem to cost the earth to use and don't seem to be that effective. Also, the lounge is open plan to the kitchen and hallway so there is a large area to heat. Someone has suggested using an oil-filled electric radiator as it would keep the heat for longer, but we have borrowed a plug-in one to try which goes cold as soon as it is switched off. With winter fast approaching and the place getting colder by the day, we are keen to know what other options would be available that won't cost a bomb. We haven't got gas or any form of central heating. We aren't on E7 and don't believe it would be any more economical.

Many Thanks.
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Comments

  • SallyD
    SallyD Posts: 1,009
    Uniform Washer
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    On 20/10/08 I posted a thread on Storage Heaters, this was one of the replies you might find interesting.


    Check these out:
    "Heat Electric has developed a truly revolutionary central heating system. Our unique, electric water filled radiator requires no plumbing or pipe-work. Simply wall mount onto brackets, plug into a standard 13 amp socket and switch on. The radiators are highly efficient - being water filled they attain the same heat output quality of a plumbed wet system - have exceptional controllability and are easy to install."

    How it Works: http://www.easy-heat.co.uk/how_it_wo...9abd_page.aspx

    How Much it Costs to Run: http://www.easy-heat.co.uk/easy-heat...39b5_page.aspx

    I've heard good things about them. The main benefit is they don't require special wiring or plumbing. Just mount them on the wall and plug them in.
    SallyD
  • Cardew
    Cardew Posts: 29,036
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    There are lots of threads on this problem.

    The first and most important thing to remember is that all forms* of electrical heating are 100% efficient, So it doesn't matter what type of heater you get, oil filled radiator, convecter heater, these fancy new kalirel type systems, etc you get exactly the same amount of heat for your money.

    There is absolutely no running cost advantage for any of these heaters and it is the most expensive way of heating available.

    Storage heaters are cheaper only because you store heat obtained at cheap rates. However as discussed on here at length, they do have problems of 'leaking' heat and you need to plan ahead. However if on E7 you do get cheaper hot water.

    So there is no doubt that storage heating on economy 7 will be cheaper than any other form of electrical heating for most people.

    * Heat pumps are cheaper to run, but probably not practical for a flat.
  • Cardew
    Cardew Posts: 29,036
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    SallyD wrote: »
    On 20/10/08 I posted a thread on Storage Heaters, this was one of the replies you might find interesting.


    Check these out:
    "Heat Electric has developed a truly revolutionary central heating system. Our unique, electric water filled radiator requires no plumbing or pipe-work. Simply wall mount onto brackets, plug into a standard 13 amp socket and switch on. The radiators are highly efficient - being water filled they attain the same heat output quality of a plumbed wet system - have exceptional controllability and are easy to install."

    How it Works: http://www.easy-heat.co.uk/how_it_wo...9abd_page.aspx

    How Much it Costs to Run: http://www.easy-heat.co.uk/easy-heat...39b5_page.aspx

    I've heard good things about them. The main benefit is they don't require special wiring or plumbing. Just mount them on the wall and plug them in.

    I would like to know what good things you have heard about them.

    I am sorry but these things are every bit as expensive to run as any other form of electrical heating.

    You can pay £thousands for these systems which produce exactly the same amount of heat for you ££££s as some £20 oil filled radiators or granny's old 1/2/3 bar electric fire.

    IMO their website is specifically designed to 'fool' those people with little knowledge of electrical theory or physics.
  • SallyD
    SallyD Posts: 1,009
    Uniform Washer
    Forumite
    I have no knowledge of this type of heating I simply cut and pasted a reply from PasturesNew who supplied the information which I found useful in as much as I could, if I wanted, replace the Sunhouse night storage heaters already installed to this type of electric radiator to existing sockets without uprooting major renovation works done on the property plus the benefit would be that I could control it.

    The nightstorage heatings although brand new are not the convector type. The house is semi rural no natural gas so alternatives being oil/propane (with a patio garden not much room for tanks or heat source pump) or making the best use of the electric heating already installed and these suggested radiators not only looked nicer but would be controllable.
    SallyD
  • Still looking into portable electric heating options, it would seem that an oil-filled radiator would be most economical. However, we have also seen oil-free radiators advertised as being more economically friendly and cheaper to run. How exactly do these work? Are they not just convection heaters? Any advice would be great.
  • Magentasue
    Magentasue Posts: 4,229 Forumite
    Williams wrote: »
    Still looking into portable electric heating options, it would seem that an oil-filled radiator would be most economical. However, we have also seen oil-free radiators advertised as being more economically friendly and cheaper to run. How exactly do these work? Are they not just convection heaters? Any advice would be great.

    I have used convector heaters at home and found them effective but expensive. That's compared to gas CH, though. I have used oil filled radiators at work and found them less effective but I think that's because they were being used in larger rooms than domestic spaces. The main difference is that they take a while to heat up but, in the same way, they take longer to cool down so I suppose that's why they claim to be cheaper to run. Maybe in tests, they needed to be on for less time to achieve the same temperatures?
  • Cardew
    Cardew Posts: 29,036
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    Forumite
    Williams wrote: »
    Still looking into portable electric heating options, it would seem that an oil-filled radiator would be most economical. However, we have also seen oil-free radiators advertised as being more economically friendly and cheaper to run. How exactly do these work? Are they not just convection heaters? Any advice would be great.

    All electrical heating is 100% efficient.

    So regardless of what type of heater you have*, convector, oil filled radiator, radiators filled with ANY substance, Granny's old 1/2/3/ bar fire etc etc you get EXACTLY the same amount of heat for your ££££s.

    So no heater is 'more economical'; they just have different characteristics. An oil filled radiator retains heat longer, but it is slower to warm up as the electrical energy is heating the oil.

    * excluding heat pumps. Storage heater have the same efficiency but can use cheaper electricity.
  • Mazio_2
    Mazio_2 Posts: 347 Forumite
    I agree with Cardew but I always think for larger rooms and to distribute the heat qicker a fan heater seems to be best but will still cost you the same if you have a large area to heat you will need 2-3k (if not bigger) this will cost you 2-3 units of electricity an hour my own cost would be 33p/hour for 3Kw doesnt sound allot until you multiply by the amount of time eg 8 hours a day = £2.64 for me to heat 1 (hopefully) room if it runs continuosly..
    But if you can get it up to temp and retain the heat in the room for some time then the running costs will fall as the unit will switch its self on and off so if you have to go with electric

    1) Try to insulate windows and stop drafts
    Cheap secondary glaziing include bubble wrap, stick it over your windows (if you dont need to look out) using water, I have never tried this.
    Draft excluders use masking tape to seal badly fitting window joints.

    2)Get a heater with a thermostat "if" your room reaches temp then this will cut the the electric to the heater and should save you money.

    If you need safety then an oil filled rad is safer (pets/children) less potential to cause a fire also gives more localized heat in one area.

    Have you considered a calor (bottled) fire they will cost more to buy but I think they should be cheaper to run and have high outputs the problem with them though you need ventilation in the room,.but I havent used one in years and you will have to check.

    This is only what I would be looking at but your situation will need you to asses and with all the advice and info you can find or get hopefully come to the correct desicion.

    I think even in a listed building you can fit secondary glazing.

    Can you fit cheap curtain in open doorways to seal rooms from one another?
    Look after the pennies and the pounds will spend themselves
  • amtrakuk
    amtrakuk Posts: 630 Forumite
    As mentioned above generally electric heating uses the same amount of electricity. The only difference is the quality of heating, a "radiator" type heater gives out a steady cozey type of heat as it gently warming the moisture in the air. Convector type heaters super heat the air causing the convection, some people report these heaters Dry the air.

    I don't have experience of owning a "bar" electric fire but assume as these radiate heat they warm the moisture in the air,
  • 200
    200 Posts: 67 Forumite
    I regularly use electric panel heaters and they do dry the air
    badly, if they run for a long time it can have seriously anoying effects on humidity,
    youre stuck, you have to research insulation, not heating and those water heaters sound fishy as i dont think itle make much of a diference, unless you take electricCH
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