How to replace electric ceiling heating in a tiny flat?

Caz99

Hello,

I have a small 1 bed flat (300 sq. ft./30m squared) with electric ceiling heating which I rent out. The ceiling heating seems to have stopped working - my tenants didn't mention it and bought an oil-filled radiator, but it meant that the flat got terrible condensation around the windows and doors over the winter period (no problems with condensation in the 6 years I had lived there before).

I need to fix the heat problem before next winter but am wary of replacing the ceiling heat panels (I replaced them 5 years ago for £1200 and prices have gone up since, it seems a lot to have to spend every 5 years? Plus the ceiling heating compnay charges £200 just for a call out). I am looking at replacing it with a combination of 1 electric storage heater in the living room/kitchen and a panel heater in the bedroom (I have worked it out using online heat calculators). I need them to be as small and un-hideous as possible as the flat is small, so have been looking at dimplex.

I would be really grateful if someone knows any of the following:
1. if i change to an electric storage heater and panel heater, will that stop condensation in winter? (I am worried that the radiant ceiling heating might have been good at warming up the walls and that a replacement may not be as effective)
2. will an electric storage heater and panel heater keep my tenant toasty and warm? I had bad experiences with panel heaters when i was renting as they didn't produce enough heat - I don't want to be one of those bad landlords!
3. how do i go about finding someone to advise me on the best heating system - i need someone to come to the flat to see how tiny it is and choose the best place to put things - am i looking for a regular electrician from the yellow pages or do i need to find someone more specialist?
4. what brands of electric heater are good - i have heard of dimplex and also farho - any thoughts please?

Thank you

macman

Mixing NSH's and a panel heater is crazy-the former only makes sense on an E7 tariff with an immersion heater as well, and you don't say what the current metering is-but presumably single rate only. In which case you'll need a meter change as well.
From the point of view of your tenants', E7 is the way to go, as it's a third of the cost on cheap rate. Whether it makes sense in such as small space is another matter.
How is the hot water currently supplied?

Richie-from-the-Boro

1. If I change to an electric storage heater and panel heater, will that stop condensation in winter

- ceiling heating is the most extravagant form of electric radiant
- it, as a heating form works well, and would not be the cause of damp if the ceiling heating panels were in working order
- the cause of damp would be that (1) the heating panels were not working or more likely (2) they were not being used by you tenants because of their cost

I had bad experiences with panel heaters when i was renting as they didn't produce enough heat

- almost always the case that the minimum kWh storage heating requirements were underspecified to save on installation costs
- you only get out what you put in, if you put in a 3.4kW which is capable of storing 23.8kWh you get out 17 hours at 1.4kW + the 7 hours charge output
- so put sufficient cheap rate into the storage system to last 24 hours and you will be ok
- the damper flap must be closed during the night while its charging or the cheap stored heat will be wasted

what brands of electric heater are good

- the DuoHeat range from Dimplex only stores a maximum of 18.2kWh compared to the 23.8kWh the older storage systems hold
- but are more efficient at thermal loss than many other brands
- all the Duo range have an additional 13amp radiant heater built in so installing a 500n with a built in 500W panel heater should do for a small room

I assume the water was PartL E7. Best of luck.

Caz99

Thank you both for responding.

Macman - I do have E7 and an immersion system for the water. Panel heaters aren't my first choice but the bedroom is the type where you can just about open the door and fall into bed - no ground level wall space to put a storage heater on at all.

Richie-from-the-boro - thanks for all the info. Dimplex had recommended the Quantum heat thing but the Duo looks good and will take a look at that.

macman

If you have E7, then panel heaters will cost your tenants a fortune, as all their billing for that usage will be on premium rate, unless they are nocturnal.
Condensation may well be the result of the tenants failing to ventilate the property properly; nothing to do with a different heating system. If they were so idle that they didn't bother to inform you of the failure of the primary heating system, then it's quite possible that they couldn't be bothered to open the windows either ...

Richie-from-the-Boro

Get a cheapest E7 not E10 tariff, the cheapest tariffs have common minimum trilogy requirements :

- an e-account on-line
- direct debit
- regular online submissions of meter readings

Your CAC ± discounts + VAT ÷ 12 = monthly payment plan, this amount [ish] is paid each month of the year, it smooths out payments and you would normally start the 5 winter months with a comforting credit balance. Diligence in submitting monthly [if possible] readings will allow the lowest possible margin of overpayment and effectively enables your tenant to control the payment plan. .. .. and escape the leccy companies over exuberant and at times maniacal accounting BOT.

The Quantum is the 'daddy' of a system, I too would love it - however its cost prohibitive in a small dwelling and way too sophisticated in terms of cost v benefit. What you need is enough storage in the main living area, that's where people live 90% of the time. Panel heating in the other rooms will take care of the incidental [bathroom / kitchen / bedroom] heating needs of the rest of the rooms and are then cost effective. Panel heat instantly radiated instantly at the flick of a switch, and, when its switched off is cost zero.

A better compromise is to put a small 300n in the kitchen-or-hall-or-bathroom-or-bedroom which will store 9.1kWh of cheap E7 heat and also has a built in 0.38kW panel heater. A 500n in the living room which will store 18.2kWh of cheap E7 heat and also has a built in 0.54kW panel heater. Then a cheepo panel wall heater in the other rooms.

NOTE : Panel heaters [1] see here ~ or see [2] lots to choose from here [3]