Oil-fired CH Radiator or electric Panel Heater?

MrPC_2

Hi all, we want to add much-needed warmth to our 5m x 3m kitchen which currently is only heated (pretty ineffectually) by an Aga. Our house is an old cottage and is not that well insulated.

Underfloor heating is too expensive to install (we got a quote) and won't provide adequate heating anyway if it is the primary heating source (which effectively it would be).

So instead we are looking at either extending the current oil-fired central heating/water system by adding a radiator to the room (but the price of oil will keep going up), or alternatively by putting in an electric panel heater (which would be less disruptive to install).

Both would be installed on the short end of the room (which is also an outside wall).

The question is: which would be the best choice, when weighing up the effectiveness of heat output against the running costs (say for 5 hours a day)?

And as a follow-up question, what size radiator or panel heater would we need?

Any help and advice gratefully received.

Many thanks.
PC

Cardew

Welcome to the forum.

Oil CH is cheaper per kWh than electricity.

At 60p a litre oil costs 6p/kWh. Your boiler efficiency will effectively increase this to 6.5p/kWh for a very modern boiler to, say, 8p for an older boiler.

Electricity costs you? 10P/kWh to 11p/kWh (for tier 2 prices)?

Why a panel heater? You can buy a 3kW fan heater for £10 or an oil filled radiator for £20 to £30. Just plug it in!

HappyMJ

MrPC wrote: »

Hi all, we want to add much-needed warmth to our 5m x 3m kitchen which currently is only heated (pretty ineffectually) by an Aga. Our house is an old cottage and is not that well insulated.

Underfloor heating is too expensive to install (we got a quote) and won't provide adequate heating anyway if it is the primary heating source (which effectively it would be).

So instead we are looking at either extending the current oil-fired central heating/water system by adding a radiator to the room (but the price of oil will keep going up), or alternatively by putting in an electric panel heater (which would be less disruptive to install).

Both would be installed on the short end of the room (which is also an outside wall).

The question is: which would be the best choice, when weighing up the effectiveness of heat output against the running costs (say for 5 hours a day)?

And as a follow-up question, what size radiator or panel heater would we need?

Any help and advice gratefully received.

Many thanks.
PC

A 15sqm room would require 3kWh of heat input to maintain the temperature. The Aga will provide about 1kWh constantly so I would buy a large oil filled radiator rated at 3kWh with a high and low setting and thermostat to quickly bring the room up to temperature and then maintain it. 5 hours at 2kWh at 12p per unit could cost £1.20 per day. I'd then unplug it and store it away for the summer.

MrPC_2

Many thanks for your advice, Cardew and HappyMJ - seems like the simplest and best solution, at least to begin with, is to get a plug-in oil-filled electric radiator.
I'll see how this goes.
Cheers for the help.
PC