Radiator in utility room?

Irar

So I've had a plumber round sorting out where we have are radiators.. he's fitting a full central heating system. He's advising to have one put in the utility room.. which is basically a single skin brick shed/ outhouse that's been joined to the house.. It seems strange to me te even try heat this part as it has no insulation.. he says it's because it will get damp with the washer etc in there.. he even said if we get a radiator he will do it for no extra cost so can't really complain.. but it just seems a waste to try heat it. It's not had heating in there before we got the house.. but then it's just had old gas fires

xyz123

Difficult to say without a layout if that one cold room will make other rooms cold? Personally I would say if he is genuinely fitting it for free, u can buy a new radiator and ur boiler is big enough get it installed. If u don't see difference or if bill is high you can always turn it off.

firefox1956

I would have it installed.
Easier to do it now rather than in the future.
Get a TRV put on it then you can always turn it off if you want

always_sunny

I would also have it installed, then you can decide what to do.
You can turn it off and assuming the thermostat is not in that room, the fact that it'll stay cooler won't change heating pattern.

FreeBear

I would concur with the above posts - If it is "free" (you'll still get charged for the rad), have it fitted. But also consider the option of fitting insulation to the walls internally and get pipework routed with this in mind.

On the assumption that it is a small room (say 8'x8'), internal wall insulation would cost around £200 if you did most of the work yourself. Maybe another £150 to call in a plasterer.

Biggles

If this room has a door which you keep shut for most of the time, there's little to be gained by having a radiator in it, tho you can always keep the TRV set low so it only comes on when the room gets very cold.

However, if it's like my utility room (which is also an 'upgraded outhouse' now joined to the house) and doesn't have a door, then a radiator in that area will prevent that part of your house becoming very cold, which will affect your whole house.

Either way, I would do it.

And I agree with FreeBear's post above. In fact, when my outhouse was joined to the house fairly recently, I was told I had to have insulation in there to comply with building regs.