Help with electric fire costs.

wam73

Hi there, Hoping someone can help me.

I have just opened my new Craft shop but there is no heating system in place.
I have a calor gas fire to keep me warm but as it is a big shop I am looking at the cheapest way to warm it for customers.
Can someone please help me. If I am buying just cheap electric heaters how do I know the most efficient one to get. Would fan heaters be better as they push the hot air out.
It really is very cold up here and quite a big space.
Advice would be very much appreciated.
Thanks in advance.
Wendy

simpywimpy

we find that fan heaters heat the place up much quicker than the calor heater does although we do have both.

I would be interested if anyone knew the best type of heaters to buy tho

wam73

Have just been checking a few posts on here and apparently panel heaters are the way to go for warming up a large room. Just trying to sort out costs. Can get them as cheap as .15p an hour I think based on a 1.5kw heater. which will cost £79.99. Or so it says on here lol anyone else help me???

Jonesya

All electric heaters are 100% efficient eg. all the energy you put in comes out as heat. The only difference is the form - convection/hot air or radiant.

Assuming your planning to be in the shop for a while (eg. couple of years), stuck with electric heating and going to be heating it for most of the working day I would not consider electric heaters, I would be looking at air-conditioning/ air source heat pumps.

Air-conditioning units use a heat pump, so when in heating mode they pump heat from outside into the building. Most units have a Coefficient of Performance (CoP) of around 3, which means that for every unit of electricity you put in you get 3 units of heat out.

The initial costs are higher than a heater but if you're going to be in the shop for a few years and the heating is going to be on for most days, the electricity and hence cost savings could be substantial.

Cardew

Jonesya wrote: »

All electric heaters are 100% efficient eg. all the energy you put in comes out as heat. The only difference is the form - convection/hot air or radiant.

Assuming your planning to be in the shop for a while (eg. couple of years), stuck with electric heating and going to be heating it for most of the working day I would not consider electric heaters, I would be looking at air-conditioning/ air source heat pumps.

Air-conditioning units use a heat pump, so when in heating mode they pump heat from outside into the building. Most units have a Coefficient of Performance (CoP) of around 3, which means that for every unit of electricity you put in you get 3 units of heat out.

The initial costs are higher than a heater but if you're going to be in the shop for a few years and the heating is going to be on for most days, the electricity and hence cost savings could be substantial.

Agree with the post above. however many small businesses rent/lease their premises so spending £thousands on an ASHP might not be an option.

The OP should be aware that he will be on a business tariff and you really do need to read the small print very carefully. Many contracts have an automatic rollover clause so unless you give notice you are automatically on a new fixed term at whatever price the company want to charge - and of course VAT will be 17.5% from next week.

There are new rules for 'micro businesses' here that will help.

http://www.ofgem.gov.uk/MEDIA/FACTSHEETS/Documents1/probefs.pdf

wam73

I've got what I think to be a good price from my electricity provider. What I am looking for is how much a heater will cost me to run. I think Cardew I have been reading a post you have contributed to before. It says it will cost 15p an hour to run a 500watt appliance and the best for a large room for al day heating is a panel heater. Is this correct.
Once I know roughly what I am paying I can then get piece of mind whilst staying warm.
Just though I suppose the amount per hour depends on what you are paying per unit. My current charge is 9p a unit.

Also regarding contracts. I have been stung. I agreed a contract with British Gas for my electricity elsewhere at 8p a unit and 14p a day standing charge. I now because I didn't cancel my old contract have been signed up by them for a new 2 yr contract at double both prices!!! Is there really nothing I can do about this??
Thank you.

John_3:16

"All electric heaters are 100% efficient eg. all the energy you put in comes out as heat. The only difference is the form - convection/hot air or radiant."


If a fan heater is used some of the power goes to spin the fan so not 100% efficiant granted it is very minor.

If you have a 500w heater it will cost 1/2 a unit per hour to run

Cardew

wam73 wrote: »

I've got what I think to be a good price from my electricity provider. What I am looking for is how much a heater will cost me to run. I think Cardew I have been reading a post you have contributed to before. It says it will cost 15p an hour to run a 500watt appliance and the best for a large room for al day heating is a panel heater. Is this correct.
Once I know roughly what I am paying I can then get piece of mind whilst staying warm.
Just though I suppose the amount per hour depends on what you are paying per unit. My current charge is 9p a unit.

Also regarding contracts. I have been stung. I agreed a contract with British Gas for my electricity elsewhere at 8p a unit and 14p a day standing charge. I now because I didn't cancel my old contract have been signed up by them for a new 2 yr contract at double both prices!!! Is there really nothing I can do about this??
Thank you.

I have never stated that a 500watt heater would cost 15p an hour to run - that would mean electricity at 30p a unit:eek: A 1500watt heater perhaps?

Because electricity prices vary, people often use the figure of 10p a unit(kWh) in comparing costs. Obviously you adjust your costs according to the price you pay per unit.

Premier_2

wam73 wrote: »

Hi there, Hoping someone can help me.

I have just opened my new Craft shop but there is no heating system in place.
I have a calor gas fire to keep me warm but as it is a big shop I am looking at the cheapest way to warm it for customers.
Can someone please help me. If I am buying just cheap electric heaters how do I know the most efficient one to get. Would fan heaters be better as they push the hot air out.
It really is very cold up here and quite a big space.
Advice would be very much appreciated.
Thanks in advance.
Wendy

Well gas central heating would probably the cheapest heating system to run, but initial investment & installation costs are high and if you don't currently have a mains gas supply, it may be out of the question altogether.

Have you considered electric storage heating? Heat up those heaters using cheap rate electricity and provide heat all day long - ideal for a shop I would have thought (if gas is not an option)