Conservatory Heating - Economy 10 with weird boiler

LynnLegend

Hi all,

We are having a conservatory built and I am unsure how to heat it. Gas is not an option.

Our existing heating system is a weird night storage boiler called a Nightstor, as a new user I cannot post links so you will have to google in order to appreciate the system, I think it's quite clever. This feeds a wet heating system and, whilst being expensive, isn't awful. Changing our heating system isn't an option at the moment. Eventually we will be forced to go down the air source or ground source route.

My current thinking is to buy a single Night Storage Heater to put in the conservatory, but I am aware there may be other options such as a wet UHF system which comes off the main central heating. Bearing in mind I will be changing the whole heating system in 10/15 years time, the payback time may or may not be an issue.

I am aware there are plenty of threads on this subject, but no one has my wacky boiler set up!

Appreciate any thoughts.

LL.

J_B

LynnLegend wrote: »

weird night storage boiler called a Nightstor, as a new user I cannot post links so you will have to google in order to appreciate the system,

http://www.hes.co.uk/nightstor-c-250.html

http://www.miketheboilerman.com/GECnightstor.htm

Cardew

Welcome to the forum.

Much depends on how much the conservatory is used in winter, and the standard of insulation.

Personally I think people concentrate too much on running costs and not enough on the capital costs of installing heating. Simple plug-in oil filled radiators are cheap to buy and the £hundreds saved, over the methods you are considering, will pay for years of running costs.

Personally, as the conservatory is not yet built, I would look at an Air to Air heat pump. This will have the advantage of providing Air conditioning in the summer.

matelodave

I'd agree with Cardew - I reckon that an air-to-air heat pump just for the conservatory is the way to go.

They are relatively inexpensive, easy to install and the COP of 3-4 means that they'll cost a lot less to run than most other forms of heating. You'll also have the option of cooling during the summer. They will give a more controllable heat than a storage heater as well as you only need to turn them on when you need heat.

This is the sort of thing. https://www.cooleasy.co.uk/categories/easy-fit-air-conditioning/high-wall

If you don't want a high mounted internal unit then you can get a low mounted "low wall" unit like this.

https://www.cooleasy.co.uk/categories/easy-fit-air-conditioning/low-wall/3-5kw-12000btu-console-air-conditioning-unit.html

Have a trawl around to see what's available.

footyguy

On a slightly different topic, I see the latest trend for conservatory owners is now to have their glass roof (or even, perish the thought, a plastic one) replaced with a more conventional looking roof.

I understand this helps keep the conservatory cooler on sunny days, and helps considerably preventing heat loss on cold days.

Perhaps the OP should look at this option now, to avoid paying later for a replacement?

lovesgshp

I agree with both Cardew and Matelodave, that a air to air system would be the best for your needs. Aircon in the summer if required and heating in the winter. Those things will be virtually instantaneous, as against storage heaters and even a wet underfloor heating system. Cost will be a lot lower as well for the install, as well as you saving running costs.

LynnLegend

Thanks to all for your replies. Air to air isn't something I'd considered at all but looks as if it could be a big winner.

With regards to getting a "normal" roof, this was something we had considered, however as our conservatory will be enclosed on 2.75 sides, a full roof would just end up being a big room with a window at one end! I probably should have specified this in the original post!

Cardew

LynnLegend wrote: »

Thanks to all for your replies. Air to air isn't something I'd considered at all but looks as if it could be a big winner.

With regards to getting a "normal" roof, this was something we had considered, however as our conservatory will be enclosed on 2.75 sides, a full roof would just end up being a big room with a window at one end! I probably should have specified this in the original post!

Then that makes the aircon facility of an Air to Air heat pump a 'must'! - it can get unbearably hot in summer.

One tip, take steps to make access for cleaning of the 'glass' roof easier; it is almost impossible to prevent algae.