Rointe radiators

matelodave

Beware both paraffin or gas heaters, they produce huge amounts of condensation and can be a fire hazard. Paraffin also smells and you've got to find somewhere to store it. (it's not like the old days when the Esso Blue man would come round once a fortnight to top you up)

You will need to keep the place really well ventilated, not just to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning but to ensure that you don't get lots of mould everywhere.

TBH Calor gas in the size of cylinder that you could mange to handle will probably cost nearly as much as electricity on a reasonable tariff.

15kg of Butane works out at around 20p/kwh as does 1litre of paraffin. Most people pay between 13-16p/kwh for leccy if you look for a decent tariff (I pay 12p/kwh with Symbio)

Epizone

FrozenNorth wrote: »

I’ve just moved to a rented flat with all electric heating. There are Rointe radiators in the hall, bedroom and sitting room and towel rail in the bathroom. Despite being a supposedly energy efficient system, I have used 110 units of electricity in my first five days here and I cannot afford that on my pension, not to mention the carbon footprint of such usage. The radiator is off in the bedroom, 10 degrees in bathroom and hall and 14 degrees in the sitting room when I’m in there, otherwise also 10 degrees. I have replaced the curtains with heavier, longer and wider ones and have put up a curtain at the front door. I have lots of warm clothes, shawls and a hot water bottle, and I go to bed early to save on the bills. Any suggestions on how I can cut the usage? I’ve transferred my account to Bulb, so am paying a fair price for this part of the world.
I don’t use the immersion heater as there’s an electric shower and I can ferry a bucket of hot water to the kitchen for the washing up. I live in the Scottish Highlands and electricity is the only realistic energy option - not that I am in a position to change the system.
All suggestions welcome as I don’t want to have to spend my days in warm shops and libraries nor all my afternoons and evenings in bed and much colder weather for the next three months. Thank you

FrozenNorth wrote: »

Thank you for all your responses. Unfortunately, I can’t move within the area as there’s a shortage of rental properties (too many second and holiday homes) and I don’t want to move away.
Your comments have made me think about alternatives - advice on whether an oil-filled electric radiator or calor gas heater is a better option would be gratefully received.
Thanks again

How big is your flat?
I can see you have a hall, bedroom, sittingroom, bathroom (and presumably a kitchen, if separate to sitting room). Anything else? As you refer to elsewhere.
I also note the heater in the bedroom is permantently off.

What time do you usually go to bed? I note you mention early, but what is early to you, as I see you were still posting at 11:21PM.

How does going to bed, where there is allegedly no heat, save you money?

The only way to save money is:
(a) to pay less for the energy you use
and/or
(b) to use less energy

So turn all your heaters off, and only use them when required.
Having the heating on 24/7 is false economy.

If you only have the heater on in the room you need it, say for 8 hours per day (which is still a lot) that wouyld be the equivilent heat output of a 3kW fan heater being on continuously, without any thermostat cutting it off, if you really have used 110kWh in 5 days.

I mention the alternative type of electrical heater for comparison purposes only, as ALL electrical heaters are almost the same efficiency. i.e. almost 100%. In fact, a fan heater is argueably the least efficient type of electrical heater, as a small amount of energy is consumed powering the fan.

That would make any room really warm (if not hot) and toasty, especially with the heavier, longer and wider ones curtains you already have fitted.

If you have the lots of warm clothes on, shawls and a hot water bottle, you will be too hot, so plenty of opportunity to save loads, simply by reducing consumption.

Ignore the hype, and use a comparison site instead to ensure you are on the best energy deal for you.

Don't forget to check if your eligibility for WHD as indicated above.
Also it sounds l;ike you are eligible for the Winter Fuel Payment that will provide you with £100 - £300 per year.
If you receive that, you could also be entitled to cold weather payments depending on the weather.

You should then be able to maintain the heating in your sitting room at a recommended minimum of 18C whilst you are using it.

:money:

FrozenNorth

There is a small kitchen off the sitting room, but it doesn’t have any heating.
I’m usually in bed before 8pm as I’m happy knitting or reading or on my computer.
Although I need to reduce my bills, I’m also very concerned about the carbon footprint of my energy usage. I have been having some of the heating on low overnight and when out during the day as I thought that would be more energy efficient than having to heat up the place from a low temperature twice a day. We have already had three days when the temperature didn’t rise above -2 and it will be colder in January.
The biggest problem is that this is an old building (c. 1890) without insulation and the windows, although double glazed, are leaky.
I will experiment with only having the heating on in the room I am using at any one time and console myself that Spring soon comes.
Thank you very much for your help.

coffeehound

FrozenNorth wrote: »

The biggest problem is that this is an old building (c. 1890) without insulation and the windows, although double glazed, are leaky.
.

Well worth buying some tape to go over the leaks around the windows. This can make a surprising improvement.

Please don't let carbon footprint concerns affect your decisions about keeping warm and healthy.

matelodave

As CH say, let the energy companies worry about where they generate it and make sure that you don't get cold. Your carbon footprint is going to be miniscule compared with everyone else

Don't get too hung up about the cost but it's worthwhile making sure that you are on a decent tariff and monitoring it so you've got some idea of when its being used and what is using it.

Our annual average is 20kwh a day from around 8-10kwh/day in the summer to well over 40 a day in the winter although I've seen it go over 60kwh if it's everso cold.

Dont forget that you'll be using the vast majority (60-70%) of your annual consumption in the five months, November to March and only around 30% or so in the other seven months so try to get it all into perspective.

Gerry1

FrozenNorth wrote: »

I have been having some of the heating on low overnight and when out during the day as I thought that would be more energy efficient than having to heat up the place from a low temperature twice a day.

Aaaaarrrgggghh ! I can never understand why that old chestnut keeps cropping up - it's simply not true. The heat loss of a building (and hence your central heating costs) is directly proportional to the temperature difference between the inside and outside.

I suspect this popular misconception arises because people like returning home to a warm home and try to justify wasting heat and money because of this. Unfortunately it's an expensive mistake ! :doh:

The most efficient method is to fire up the heating so that the first time it reaches the desired temperature is the moment you open the front door. With a boiler that means setting the timer appropriately, advancing it as the weather gets colder. Ideally, a thermostat with an outside temperature sensor can do this automatically. Obviously, it's not so easy with panel heaters; with genuine storage heaters you have to be a weather forecaster with the input control, and you just open the flap when you get home if it's a bit chilly. With modern versions that are better insulated you can set a timer to turn the fan on.

So don't leave the heating on overnight and when you're not at home, unless it's for long periods when you need a low setting (typically 12[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]º[/FONT]C) to prevent burst pipes, condensation and mould growth.

EnergyRookie

FrozenNorth wrote: »

... We have already had three days when the temperature didn’t rise above -2 and ...

What's the closest town/city you live near?
What 3 days do you suggest the temperature never rose above -2C?

e.g. according to official records, Edingburgh Airport (as an example) recorded 19 Nov & 01 Dec as the days with the lowest high temperatures, since the summer. and both days the temperature reached +2C

FrozenNorth

‘Your carbon footprint is going to be miniscule compared with everyone else’

Yes, I’m sure it is, but if we each made a minuscule change, the total impact would be significant!

FrozenNorth

Aaaaarrrgggghh ! I can never understand why that old chestnut keeps cropping up - it's simply not true

That’s a very interesting question! I think it’s possibly a hangover from earlier days when if you let the fire go out overnight or when everyone was at work or school, it was a major task to warm the house up again. We were all able from the age of six or so to damp down the fire as we went out and get it going again when we got in. Heaven help anyone who let it go out!

FrozenNorth

I am just about equidistant from Inverness and Aberdeen (although not in between as such). At 1,000 ft above sea level, it is colder here than in Aviemore or Braemar. It was below freezing 16/17/18 November and 30 November/1 December. There’s been skiing on Cairngorm most days since 16 November.