portable heating?

bonecruncher · 5 October 2006 at 10:21AM

Hi all. Can anyone help?

I have 2 offices heated with economy 7. by 3pm its getting a bit chilly and i am often here till 7pm! Last year i topped up with little convection heater but was bit costly.

Does anyone know the cheapest to run? Portable gas / oil radiator / or halogen?

pollyanna24 · 5 October 2006 at 12:07PM

I wouldn't mind knowing the answer to this question as well. I bought electric heaters for our old house cos we didn't live there and thought it would be cheaper than keeping the central heating on.

Now they're living in the loft in our new house and I just wondered if we put one of these in our living room while we are in there of an evening with the door shut and no other heating on, would it be cheaper than switching on the old central heating? It's just us two so no little ones to worry about. And the cat will be in with us as well, so no worries about her!

PS Sorry for hacking the thread, just thought it was a similar question.

myangelannie · 5 October 2006 at 1:45PM

Must be the weather today but great question! I'd love to know if anyone has some good insight. I was pricing fuel today as well as small ceramic/portable heaters. Fuel tank (kerosene 28) is in dire need of filling but funds are tight and need to be as practical as possible. Can shut off rooms not in use but live in an old home that, while great in summer for being cool, is dreadful now as we draw nearer to winter. :snow_grin

John_3:16 · 6 October 2006 at 4:03PM

First I think you have to take the view that 1kw of electric gives you 1kw of heat which ever electric you go for.

Then you have to work out if you want instant heat or background heat

eg a fan heater or an oil filled rad that will take time to warm up.

If you can code with the brightness the infa red would be the most efficient.
Calor or the like are ok but you can get smell and condensation problems.

We have just had a wood burner put in and I would also consider putting one in the workshop for heat as they are brill but cannot be used in all locactions.

The best way to go is not so much is the cehapest heating but insulate as much as you can eg drafts etc,

There is no easy fix fuel costs are high and you just have to pay them
Big jumpers and thick socks are called for
Sitting for long periods can get you cold put things around the office or room so you have to get up and move.

As for sitting in a room at home having moving flames on a heater can help with psychological heat that means you may get away with lower temp.

Cardew · 6 October 2006 at 4:35PM

As John above states with electricity the efficiency is all the same(100%) but if it is just you in the office a radiated heat source(halogen) will be cheaper.

Would having portable gas heating in an office have insurance implications?(fire risk etc)

I just wondered if we put one of these in our living room while we are in there of an evening with the door shut and no other heating on, would it be cheaper than switching on the old central heating?

Electric costs approx 10p/kWh(and is 100% efficient) and Gas3p/kWh. Even an old gas boiler should be 60+% efficient so it is a cheaper to put on CH - and shut it off elsewhere in the house. Oil CH is a little more expensive but should still produce heat at half the cost of electricity.

christabell · 22 October 2006 at 9:42AM

Check with your Electricity supplier, some of these economy tarrifs have a Booster function for exactly this problem.

Browntoa · 22 October 2006 at 10:23AM

I've got a portable calor gas heater..runs for ages on a bottle if you are only running for a couple of hours

seanbrown86 · 25 October 2006 at 7:47PM

I was going to post a thread with exactly this question in mind.

I'm a student and I have a fairly large room, with a bay window. Its starting to get cold outside and in, and the radiator in the corner isn't really cutting it. So as was thinking of investing in a cheap halogen heater, but I was wondering if they're efficiant and provide any noticable heat?

I keep the curtains closed most of the time to keep heat in, along with the double glazed windows.

Does anybody have any other advice as well?

Cheers
Sean

sammy_sock · 1 November 2006 at 6:26PM

Another (mature) student I'm afraid with heating dilemma.

I've just moved into a small studio flat and inherited an ancient dimplex convector heater. It works (and smells) but I've heard convectors are very expensive to run. Would I be better to invest in a new panel heater or perhaps an oil filled radiator and get rid of the antique. Does anyone know which type of portable heater is the most economical to run? It doesn't have to be instant heat but I want something to heat the room on a fairly permanent basis as there is no central heating.

Any advice much appreciated.
Sam

Cardew · 2 November 2006 at 8:14AM

sammy_sock wrote:

Another (mature) student I'm afraid with heating dilemma.

I've just moved into a small studio flat and inherited an ancient dimplex convector heater. It works (and smells) but I've heard convectors are very expensive to run. Would I be better to invest in a new panel heater or perhaps an oil filled radiator and get rid of the antique. Does anyone know which type of portable heater is the most economical to run? It doesn't have to be instant heat but I want something to heat the room on a fairly permanent basis as there is no central heating.

Any advice much appreciated.
Sam

See posts above!

With electric they all cost the same to run, for a given amount of heat.

The only difference is how they produce that heat - quickly or slowly.

gordony · 4 October 2008 at 10:04AM

It it cheaper to use portable gas or electic for heating a small room?

portable heating?

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