GCH whole house Vs Electric Heater one room

stingy_rach

Hi guys

I expect this is probably a common qu but couldn't see a recent one so here goes.

OH is stingy when it comes to utilities but we are unsure about how to proceed. Our house is 1 year old and well insulated, we are link detached so our living room is attached to next doors garage. We live on the moor and so temps can get pretty cold up here! We put on our GCH for about an hour in the morning (sometimes longer if we're on different shifts) and for an hour in the evening before we go to bed. It is not on at all during the day.

We huddle around the oven in the evening when cooking dinner and then usually use the fan electric fire in the front room for 2-3 hours (lowest setting) while we are chilling out or watching tv as we only use one room. The spare rooms are on the lowest setting with the doors closed and our thermostat is on 18C.

Is it better to continue using the electric fire in the evening or should we just put the heating on more?

KimYeovil

Define 'better'.

Premier_2

1kwh of heat by electricity, about 12p.

1kwh of heat from gas, about 3.5p, even after allowing for an extremely poor boiler efficiency, no more than about 6p per kWh output

stingy_rach

Define 'better'


Sorry, meant cheaper!!!!

I know gas is cheaper but would be heating the whole house not just one room. Does this make a difference?

molerat

My whole house is at 20 deg 24/7 plus hot water for the same cost as a 1 bar electric fire 24/7 so I know what I choose.

Robert2009

Why don't you read your meters after a week and calculate how much you have spent on gas and electricity then put your heating on for a week heating the whole house during the day or whatever, then calculate how much that costs.

Nice and comfortable all day or sitting with your feet in the oven. I know what I would chose, regardless of cost.

I pay roughly £2 - £3 a day to heat my house for 6 months of the year and I think it is worth it.

Rob

Fire_Fox

Cheaper is putting a decent duvet and heated underblanket on your bed and heated throw or spare duvet on the sofa!

Pincher

I think you'll find a well insulated house can be heated for longer without inucurring crippling bills. If you keep the house at 20 degrees all night, it doesn't mean the boiler is on all night, it comes on to top up the heat from time to time.

If you get a thermostat that has a timer, you can control the temperature better when people are in the house. for example, set it up so that it keeps the house at 20 degrees from 5pm to 10pm, then 15 degrees over night, then back to 20 degrees 5am to 8am.

Potentially, a house that is too cold all the time can develop damp problems.