Central Heating or Heater?? Help please!

kemo_2002

Hi all!

My gas/elec bills have been doubled as i used so much energy last winter having my central heating on all the time (new baby) ive just been given a Rapido Delonghi (SP!?) oil heater, does anyone know if this will use up more energy than my gas central heating or less?

penrhyn

It will use less energy than you central heating, however it would be expensive to run as electricity costs roughly four times more than gas for the same amount of energy.

KimYeovil

Surely you could just run your central heating and switch un-needed radiators off. Same effect as the electric heater. But cheaper.

macman

Are you intending to heat the whole house from one oil filled radiator? Unless it's a bedsit, it doesn't sound very practical.

kemo_2002

no just heating living room, so turn all radiators off? except living room?

macman

You need to read penrhyn's comment above...
You'll still need to run the boiler to heat your hot water, unless you have an immersion heater as a back up.

Claire34

Hiya - I work in one room in a fairly big drafty old house and our heating / water is oil fired :eek: ... so looking to get a heater that will keep me warm when needed in the day, without having to put on the rest of the heating. Some radiators you cant turn off, and you cant have the heating and hotwater on for different times, they are either on once (ie all day from start of the first setting to end of 2nd ... does that make sense?!) or twice (can set times). Not our house or think we might have had to put in a more practical boiler!!

Have read that the little plug in oil heaters take a while to get going but heat well and have residual heat so dont need to be on as much? that fan heaters burn electricity like a mad un, and that the halogen ones are prettier to look at than useful? wondered if you guys had any feedback from your own experience before I take the plunge ... am wrapped up like Bob Cratchett with ice dripping from the end of my nose and mittens on :rotfl:

Am ok about paying a wee bit more for the heater if it is more economical on electricity use.

Claire

penrhyn

All electric heaters, no matter what the design or price are 100% efficient.
There are no losses in the conversion of electrical energy into heat energy.
Having said that some have better controls, timers, thermostats, than others.
Get something with a thermostat, and if you want some automation a timer.

This looks quite good if pricy.


http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumber/4151010/Trail/searchtext%3EDIMPLEX.htm

macman

Claire34 wrote: »

Hiya - I work in one room in a fairly big drafty old house and our heating / water is oil fired :eek: ... so looking to get a heater that will keep me warm when needed in the day, without having to put on the rest of the heating. Some radiators you cant turn off, and you cant have the heating and hotwater on for different times, they are either on once (ie all day from start of the first setting to end of 2nd ... does that make sense?!) or twice (can set times). Not our house or think we might have had to put in a more practical boiler!!

Have read that the little plug in oil heaters take a while to get going but heat well and have residual heat so dont need to be on as much? that fan heaters burn electricity like a mad un, and that the halogen ones are prettier to look at than useful? wondered if you guys had any feedback from your own experience before I take the plunge ... am wrapped up like Bob Cratchett with ice dripping from the end of my nose and mittens on :rotfl:

Am ok about paying a wee bit more for the heater if it is more economical on electricity use.

Claire

Why can't some rads be turned off? They either have TRV's, or a screw-down valve on older systems. If neither can be turned off then they need attention.

Claire34

Thanks Penrhyn - will take a look over that one and any other Argos have on offer. Much appreciate the tips.

Hi Macman - we can turn the rads off, but flicking the heating on and off throughout the day never really works as I forget to turn it off, plus would prefer to use as little of the oil as poss, so just a blast to warm the house on very cold morns and for the hot water ... filling up is uber pricey. so an eco radiator for just my office will keep the costs down I think. I am already MrsMeany with lights on, standby switches etc and also we have the rellies all over Christmas who live in sub-tropical hermatically sealed new build so know I will need all my oil reserves for then ha ha. thanks for thoughts though, appreciate it.
x Claire

Fire_Fox

What about something like ...
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Heated-Seat-Pad_W0QQitemZ270388173829QQcmdZViewItem?rvr_id=&rvr_id=&cguid=e51334f21240a0e204323f22ffe49207
Plus a fleece throw (£3 IKEA) over your legs and a decent fleece sweater on your top half?