Installing electric heaters around house

jhob

We are in the process of buying a 270 year old cottage that currently only has a log burner and 2 storage heaters for heating the house. There is no heating at all on the 1st floor.

We would like to install electric radiators in all rooms and I have been doing quite a bit of research to see what is available and what might suit our needs. These are my current front-runners.

However there is one major downside - we can't turn the heating for the whole house off with one button, which we would want to do if we were going out and the heating was scheduled to be on.

Does anyone here know much about electric heating and could advise as to what sort of system would be good to go for? Are there any alternative heating solutions we could consider?

Basically we are looking for a simple, energy efficient solution for keeping our house adequately heated and offering a reasonable level of control.

Thanks in advance for any replies!

macman

If you already have night storage heaters, then presumably it is wired for E7. If you put in conventional electric heaters (convectors, oil filled rads etc) elsewhere, then these will need to run on the very expensive E7 peak rate and will cost you a fortune.
There is no economic way to run electric heating on a single rate tariff-it will cost you about 300% more than mains gas per kWh.
Since all electric heaters are the same efficiency (100%, they all cost the same to run (on the same tariff) it doesn't matter which kind you install. The ones you link to are about ten times more expensive than the ones you can buy in any of the sheds, and no more efficient. Don't be fooled.
If you do go for electric heaters on a singe rate tariff, you'll need to remove the E7 NSH's and probably change the meter and wiring. But it will be many times more expensive than E7. E7 is less controllable, but much more economic nevertheless, as it won't be consuming power in the hours you are likey to be out.

lstar337

jhob wrote: »

we are looking for a simple, energy efficient solution for keeping our house adequately heated

Then forget your 'current front runners' as they will cost you an absolute fortune on an E7 tariff.

Forget direct electrical heating, it is one of the most expensive forms of heating available.

Stick with night storage. It is the only way to get sensible electrical heating without destroying your finances.

jhob wrote: »

and offering a reasonable level of control.

Quantum from Dimplex offers the most control I have seen from a storage heating system. They aren't cheap, but they do offer what you are looking for.

http://www.dimplex.co.uk/products/domestic_heating/installed_heating/quantum_energy_system/index.htm

fluffpot

I'm assuming you have no gas to the property?

You can get heaters that you can programme and control centrally - check out the Dimplex website, or give them a call, they are quite helpful

cyclonebri1

OP, your proposal will cost you a fortune as all have said.

I think you need to supply a little more info re gas supply etc

chocko

Please can anybody help me I have Dimplex CXL storage heaters and have no idea how to use them. There is two switches on the wall, An Input and An Output. On the top of the heater there is a Boost knob that goes from 1 to 9 and an Output Knob that goes from 1 to 9. At the front of the heater there is a power on and off switch with a small knob above it that goes up from 1 to 7. I have never used them in my life and have no clue how to use them. I have looked up a lot about them and am more confused now then when I started looking how to use them. Please can any body give me simple step by step instructions on what I should do as I am getting very cold now and need to learn what to do Please Help Me.

Errata

Is this any help http://www.dimplex.co.uk/assets/kb/quick_start_guides/0/XLS_and_CXL_Quick_Start_Guide.pdf

ValHaller

chocko wrote: »

Please can anybody help me I have Dimplex CXL storage heaters and have no idea how to use them. .....

Please start a new thread. It won't help you or the original poster to have your problem tangled up in this thread. Use the 'new thread' button