Economical ways to heat a room?

Petriix

facade said:

Petriix said:

macman said:

Any  electric heater, of whatever kind, is 100% efficient and will cost the same to run per kWh of heat output.. 
In general, single rate electricity is the most expensive way to heat a house, about 350% more than mains gas.
It would help if you said what heating you already have installed?

This is objectively untrue. A split air to air heat pump typically achieves a COP of 4, which means that you get out 4kWh of heat for every 1kWh of electricity used.

The cheapest way to heat a room is buy burning free wood. Friction and wearing plenty of warm clothes also works, but you pay for the calories you eat. 

Which is why it is uneconomic to fit a heat pump system if the gas central heating doesn't need replacement.

It uses 1/4 the energy, but energy costs 3.5x as much, so overall a 12.5% saving on the energy bill.

It will take longer to recoup the cost than the lifetime of the heatpump- unless there is a very hefty grant towards the cost.

However, the OP is asking about heating a single room, in which case any portable electric heater is 100% efficient (well, 99.99 something if we account for a small amount of heating in the ring main outside the room)

My choice would be a fan heater with a thermostat.

I'm talking about a single room 'aircon' unit that also does heating rather than a whole house heating system. These are reasonably priced and very efficient for heating a small space rather than the whole house. 

Yes, not much difference in price to running the gas central heating - but definitely a saving - per kWh output. But all the heat goes into the single space you want to heat so it's vastly more efficient. 

ariarnia

Alnat1 said:

Invite a dozen mates round, close the curtains, close the door. Room will be around 20C in around 30 minutes.

yeah but the pizza will cost more than the gas bill

i vote move into a mid terrace where both sides prefer there heating at 25 

Alnat1

Or get the flat above the pizza shop, with your living room over the pizza oven

Astria

Petriix said:

facade said:

Petriix said:

macman said:

Any  electric heater, of whatever kind, is 100% efficient and will cost the same to run per kWh of heat output.. 
In general, single rate electricity is the most expensive way to heat a house, about 350% more than mains gas.
It would help if you said what heating you already have installed?

This is objectively untrue. A split air to air heat pump typically achieves a COP of 4, which means that you get out 4kWh of heat for every 1kWh of electricity used.

The cheapest way to heat a room is buy burning free wood. Friction and wearing plenty of warm clothes also works, but you pay for the calories you eat. 

Which is why it is uneconomic to fit a heat pump system if the gas central heating doesn't need replacement.

It uses 1/4 the energy, but energy costs 3.5x as much, so overall a 12.5% saving on the energy bill.

It will take longer to recoup the cost than the lifetime of the heatpump- unless there is a very hefty grant towards the cost.

However, the OP is asking about heating a single room, in which case any portable electric heater is 100% efficient (well, 99.99 something if we account for a small amount of heating in the ring main outside the room)

My choice would be a fan heater with a thermostat.

I'm talking about a single room 'aircon' unit that also does heating rather than a whole house heating system. These are reasonably priced and very efficient for heating a small space rather than the whole house. 

Yes, not much difference in price to running the gas central heating - but definitely a saving - per kWh output. But all the heat goes into the single space you want to heat so it's vastly more efficient. 

Agreed, I had one installed in my office - during the summer it guzzled a lot of energy but meant I could work so it was efficient use of energy.

Now it's cheaper than having the gas boiler on as it's instant heat like a fan heater but vastly more efficient.