Cheapest way to heat a small flat...electric only?

barbiedoll

My sister lives in a small rented flat which is only supplied with electricity, no gas supply is there. She pays for her electric on a prepay card meter and the flat has no central heating so she is relying on a convector heater to keep her living room warm. Is there a cheaper/more efficient heater that she could use? She is spending a fortune topping up the meter since the weather has turned so cold. I was thinking of something like a halogen heater?
The flat is tiny, just a small living-room, adjoining kitchen and a small bedroom and bathroom leading off from the living-room. She has double glazing and curtains up at the front door. It's still freezing in there though!

Any suggestions would be gratefully received!

WestonDave

Not a lot really - electric heaters are pretty efficient in whatever format they come, but the crux of the problem is that electricity is around 3 times the price per kWh as gas, and on a prepay meter she will be paying a more expensive rate than the best deals around. I would imagine that any change of heater would at best bring marginal benefits so that the cost of buying it might be better used buying electricity.

barbiedoll

Yes, that's what I thought, her convector heater is new and the box stated that it was as about as efficient as they come. She seems to be feeding the meter constantly, she's resorted to staying late at work so that she can stay warm for free. It doesn't help that she is also paying for her neighbour's hot water supply, although her rent is £20/month cheaper than theirs, presumably to reflect this. The flat is basically one dwelling, split into two but even though it is so small, it just never seems to get warm.

notanewuser

Can she hang thicker curtains with thermal linings? Are any windows or doors letting in draughts? Can she use the oven more (for cooking)?

PlutoinCapricorn

I have a halogen heater: they heat you not the room.

However, I have not switched it on this winter - nor did I use it last winter. My flat is tiny; it faces south so I get the winter sun; I get indirect hear from other flats around and above mine.

I have a slanket and use hot water bottles. Soup and ginger help too.

barbiedoll

We bought her a slanket and a new hot water bottle for Christmas.
She does have thick curtains at her front door but she doesn't really want to buy new curtains for the windows as she is hoping to move in a few months and can't really justify the expense. She may as well just stick the money in the meter I guess!
She cooks a lot at weekends but doesn't do so much during the week as she doesn't get home from work until late anyway.

I'll suggest the ginger to her when I see her!

notanewuser

barbiedoll wrote: »

We bought her a slanket and a new hot water bottle for Christmas.
She does have thick curtains at her front door but she doesn't really want to buy new curtains for the windows as she is hoping to move in a few months and can't really justify the expense. She may as well just stick the money in the meter I guess!
She cooks a lot at weekends but doesn't do so much during the week as she doesn't get home from work until late anyway.

I'll suggest the ginger to her when I see her!

She wouldn't have to leave the curtains behind.

good_advice

Hot water bottle and flask of hot chocolate?
Early to bed and read or watch tv?

macman

E7 is the only way she'll reduce her heating bills-and if she works 9-5 then E7 may not be the best option anyway.

rogerblack

barbiedoll wrote: »

The flat is tiny, just a small living-room, adjoining kitchen and a small bedroom and bathroom leading off from the living-room. She has double glazing and curtains up at the front door. It's still freezing in there though!

In principle, a good efficient air-air heat pump would be considerably more efficient - up to three times the output.
However, they end up at around a grand each, for the sort that will actually save money in cold weather.
http://www.orionairsales.co.uk/toshiba-air-conditioning-ras-b10skvp-25kw--8250btu-inverter-490-p.asp for example.

Unfortuately, the comparatively inexpensive versions available are _much_ less efficient and will not save money in cold weather.

On a more practical level - electrically heated blankets and throws can make you nice and toasty warm even in a cold room.
120W of heat will not be noticable in a cold room.
As an electric blanket, it may overheat you.

toolmaker54

I was as warm as toast last night with my single electric blanket on my chair on low setting and the Tesco Electric throw over me again set on low, heating myself and not the room for pennies, while watching the TV, listening to the radio or computing.