Central heating out of action - Cheapest form of heating suggestions?

Tao81

Still awaiting engineers to fix my central heating under the warmfront scheme, but it would appear that I am on some kind of very slow and extensive waiting list!

Have a gas fire in the lounge but need to heat areas at the other end of the bungalow on occasions therefore, need to find a relatively reasonable form of portable heating, what would you suggest, in your experience, is the best option for this?

I tried using a small oil filled radiator in my DD's bedroom, but when she left it on overnight on one occasion, I realised it is a fairly hefty user of electricity! (are all portable heaters this greedy?)
I'm hoping to find something slightly more effective for the fuel cost or at least a heater that costs the same to run but actually touches the sides without having to be left on for hours and hours to achieve a reasonable level of background heating!

Thanks....:D

27col

Yes. All portable heaters are this greedy. At least they are if they are electric. I suspect that portable gas heaters are just as costly to run, and have the added inconvenience of having to change the gas cylinder at regular intervals. Usually at an inconvenient time. When I built my house in the 70's we had to use portable gas heaters for a time, until the CH was working. We could only heat one room and the gas refills were very expensive even then. If you use an electric heater then make sure that it is fitted with a thermostat.

nitnurse-not2

I have a caravan and I use oil filled radiators. They don't cost too much to run if they have different settings eg, high to heat the room and medium or low to maintain heat.
You cuold try one of those timer plugs which would stop it being left on all night.

TimBuckTeeth

I would stick with electric heating as is it only a temporary measure. Electric heaters are cheap to purchase, compact, easy and relatively safe to use.

Avoid fan heaters and halogen heaters as they are not suitable for semi-permanent use or for use unattended - risk of knocking over or burning.

Convection heaters are usually the cheapest of the panel type heaters (they heat up quicker and are lighter to carry than oil filled), avoid the very cheapest without a thermostat as they will not regulate the temperature and be more expensive to run. http://www.argos.co.uk/ProductDisplayTRK019?partNumber=4150712
A 2kW type with a thermostat will heat up the room quicker and should not use more energy in total than a 1kW type if the thermostat is set correctly.

Portable gas heaters are more expensive to purchase or hire and there are higher risks with portable gas heaters than with a fixed gas fire - gas leaks, carbon monoxide poisoning etc. Maybe OK in an industrial setting (warehouse etc.) but I don't think they are suitable for use in a home.

As you will need a heater for each room you need to be heated, the purchase price of the heaters could be a large amount of the overall heating cost.
It might be worth getting another engineer to look at the boiler, possibly it could be repaired immediately for fairly low cost (cheaper than buying heaters and paying for electricity for them).

daveyjp

Electric heater with thermostat. Put on for an hour or so before bed and an hour or so before you get up and a proper duvet. No need for heating to be on all night and bedrooms only need heating to 18 degrees C anyway.

kittyscarlett

TimBuckTeeth wrote: »

Avoid fan heaters and halogen heaters as they are not suitable for semi-permanent use or for use unattended - risk of knocking over or burning

Agreed as per fan heaters, and also they are very expensive to run - but what kind of halogen heaters have you tried using, I have one that was only a cheapie from Wilkinson and it has an automatic cut out if knocked, I feel that's pretty safe.

TimBuckTeeth

kittyscarlett wrote: »

Agreed as per fan heaters, and also they are very expensive to run - but what kind of halogen heaters have you tried using, I have one that was only a cheapie from Wilkinson and it has an automatic cut out if knocked, I feel that's pretty safe.

I looked into getting a halogen heater and the ones I looked at all seemed fairly poor quality, flimsy and not that stable. I know they have a tip-over cutout (as required by law) but if they fell onto the carpet or some magazines I think they could do some damage as they will not cool instantly. The heating element runs at a higher temperature (red hot) than most other types electric heater, so is a greater fire risk.
I would also not use one around children as burns are more likely due to the higher temperature.
There is no protection against placing a portable halogen heater too close to sofas/curtains and other objects which could be melted or burnt.
Halogen heaters have their uses, high level wall mounted ones are fine, but the small portable types don't seem too safe to me.

kittyscarlett

I tipped mine over accidentally once, did no damage to my carpet. To be honest most forms of portable heater are going to be some kind of risk where lively children are concerned. And I don't understand why anyone would put a fire near to something like magazines, curtains or a sofa - common sense, surely.

27col

I have said before, and I will say again, all electric heaters cost the same to run. The only reason to choose one type over another is the convenience of use. I agree with Timbucktooth when he says that a 2kw is better than a1kw, just as long as it has a thermostat fitted. Whatever room you heat will only require a certain amount of energy to heat it to a pre-set temperature, as set on the thermostat. The larger heater will arrive at that temperature more quickly, and will then maintain it. This will use the same amount of energy as the smaller heater to do the same amount of heating. Obviously it is preferable to arrive at the temperature that you want as soon as possible.
I am sure that I have seen several types of heaters available in the shops, that have cut-outs in the event of being tipped over. Particularly halogen heaters.

Tao81

Thanks all for your relies guys, especially to you timbuckteeth.
I held off purchasing a cheap halogen fire and am really glad I did. I'll be running out to purchase a 2kw convection heater tomorrow with thermostatic control of course!