Cheapest Electric Heating

tim69er

I've resently moved into a small one bed house which has no heating what so ever.
I'm trying to find the cheapest source of electric heating available for someone who is on a very tight budget!
I'm currently using one 1500watt oil filled heater which heats the house very well but its very costly.
Any suggestions on what I can do?
T

ra200

oil filed heaters like you have or convector heater are good you can get ones from argos that wall mount or you can go for night storage heaters but they are expensive to buy and fit also make sure your on the cheapest electric tariff .

tim69er wrote: »

I've resently moved into a small one bed house which has no heating what so ever.
I'm trying to find the cheapest source of electric heating available for someone who is on a very tight budget!
I'm currently using one 1500watt oil filled heater which heats the house very well but its very costly.
Any suggestions on what I can do?
T

savemoney

A 1500w oil filled radiator will costs the same to heat when on as a 1500w fan heater. The only difference in electrical appliances is how it heats, some are variable and use thermometers, some give instant heat whilst others take a while like a radiator

The cheapest form of heat is mains gas its 2/3rd cheaper to heat than normal electric as you are using

tim69er

Thanks for that - there is no chance of mains gas as I live in the middle of the country.... I no that 1500w oil radiator will cost the same to run as a fan heater but what I was meaning is what is the cheapest to run, and what produces the best sorce of heat...

macman

You've already been told the answer, any electric heater costs the same to run as any other, assuming the same rating. A 2Kw heater will produce twice as much heat as a 1kw heater, but cost twice as much per hour to run.
Heat is heat, the source is irrelevant.
You might prefer a certain type for other reasons, e.g. a fan heater because it's quicker to warm up, or an oil filled rad because it's silent, but the running costs are exactly the same for the same output. No other type of electric heater will cost any less than your oil-filled rad. And if you can heat your whole house from a single 1.5kW heater (at about 15p per hour) then that really is not expensive-even if you left it full on for 12 hours a day then it would only be about £12.50 per week.

Pincher

Fuel poverty will be soon be food poverty as well, if you watch the news. If £50 is the budget, get an electric throw/blanket.

andyrpsmith

People want to know how well the different types will meet their need and this will depend factors other than just the KW rating. Some of the key factors are:

The KW rating: (needs to be sufficient for size of room)

Thermostat: (vital for varying the output and reducing unnecessary costs. Costs to run will depend heavily on this setting)

Variable heat settings: (to ensure flexibility and reduce costs)

Timer: (to ensure flexibility and reduce costs)

Type: Radiant, cheap convector or oil filled (impact on how room is heated and how you feel)

Size of room: (match heater KW output options to ensure comfortable heating)

Insulation & Draft proofing: (major impact on running costs, heater needs to balance heat loss when room up to temp. Double glazing and cavity wall insulation provide a massive impact)

Heater Set up: (Vital to get the most economical running, the combination of setting the right thermostat point, use of a timer, the right power level - some heaters can select between varying power levels to maintain a set level at minimum cost)

Electricity Tariff: (significant impact on overall costs, I moved from 14p per unit to 8.6p and reduced costs significantly - as a heavy electric only user)

IvanDrago

where are you getting 8.6p per unit?

mine is 23p then 9.6p with BG

Cardew

IvanDrago wrote: »

where are you getting 8.6p per unit?

mine is 23p then 9.6p with BG

In my area(Midlands) the cheapes( Scottish Power) is 17.534kWh and then 7.577p/kWh

andyrpsmith

My tariff is with OVO (South) and all of last year to end Dec I was on the fixed rate of 8.61p inc vat. This year it has increased by about 6% to 9.19p inc vat. It is a single rate as I no longer use the storage heaters. I use oil filled with thermostats and timers to heat rooms as I need to.

samtheman1k

How about a small air/air heat pump?