Oil filled radiators V Electric radiators

kaggi

I am building an extension and would like to know what would be the best option for heating it (efficient and cost effective).

A friend swears by the oil filled radiators that are on wheels and aren't fitted - he thinks they are better at providing heat and are cheaper to run than electric radiators. I want to check before we finish with the electrics in the extension whether we would be better putting a couple of electric heaters on the walls for heat as it would be a nightmare to add them in after the room is finished.

lstar337

Oil filled radiators and electric radiators (I assume you mean convectors), will give exactly the same heat for the same power rating.

You can get both oil filled and convector type that fit on the wall, no need for wheels unless you want them.

Oil filled heat up a bit slower, but also cool down slower. Convector heat up quicker, but cool down quicker. No real advantage there.

I tend to prefer oil filled as the heating element is surrounded by oil, so they don't tend to smell if they haven't been used in a while.

My point is, there isn't much to choose between them.

Just make sure you don't spend hundreds on rads with super special fillings. They are a waste of money and provide no more heat than a £30 rad from Argos.

Andy_WSM

Totally agree with lstar.

If you HAVE to have electric heating, then for the small cost involved I would put dedicated power points in the right places and buy something that looks asthetically pleasing without breaking the bank.

Make sure it has a good thermostat and timer controls, fix it on the wall out of harms way.