What electric heating device should I buy?

Brie

Our house is blinking cold.  The boiler is new and working well, we do need to tweak the thermostat a bit but haven't been able to figure out how but that won't solve the problem sufficiently.  There's a def lack of insulation but no way to add any so that's a non starter.  The rads are working as efficiently as possible, have been bled etc.  Might look at redoing them in a couple of years but that won't help this week.  

I close doors to the chillier, underused rooms, I wear layers, have a blanket round me when on the computer or watching tv.  Some things are difficult to do if wrapped up so I have to put up with being cold some time.

So - what do I need to buy to keep me reasonably toasty?  Oil filled electric radiator?  Hot air blower fan thingme?  Specifics would be greatly appreciated.

Keep_pedalling

Brie said:

Our house is blinking cold.  The boiler is new and working well, we do need to tweak the thermostat a bit but haven't been able to figure out how but that won't solve the problem sufficiently.  There's a def lack of insulation but no way to add any so that's a non starter.  The rads are working as efficiently as possible, have been bled etc.  Might look at redoing them in a couple of years but that won't help this week.  

I close doors to the chillier, underused rooms, I wear layers, have a blanket round me when on the computer or watching tv.  Some things are difficult to do if wrapped up so I have to put up with being cold some time.

So - what do I need to buy to keep me reasonably toasty?  Oil filled electric radiator?  Hot air blower fan thingme?  Specifics would be greatly appreciated.

A heated throw would keep you toasty and costs pennies run. 

Brie

Keep_pedalling said:

A heated throw would keep you toasty and costs pennies run. 

I am considering those but need something to heat the room for when I can't be wearing one.  

Lorian

What the flow and return temperatures at the boiler when it's been on for some time and it still feels cold?

What's the thermostat set to and where is it located?

MultiFuelBurner

Out of interest how much energy are you using and to what temperature are you getting your property to. When you say you central is heating efficiently well that doesn't mean much if you still aren't comfortable.

Have you maxed out your heating to see if it can heat the house and at what extra cost. Is it worth it and better than buying other things for heat?

lohr500

Have you sealed off any draughty windows or doors?
Self adhesive draught excluder strip is not expensive but makes a big difference.
Rolled up towels or carpet offcuts make good draft excluders for the gaps at the bottom of doors.

Has the main room that you are trying to keep warm in got large windows with either single glazing or older double glazing? If so, consider a cheap secondary glazing kit. In my experience, even the really cheap ones with plastic sheeting on a roll and double sided sticky tape do help.

Also keep any curtains or blinds closed to act as secondary insulation.

If you have any open fires that aren't being used, block the chimney/s with rolled up newspaper or similar. Just be careful to ensure there is some ventilation though if you have any other open flame heat sources.

Try cutting back on the heat loss as much as you can before resorting to plug in haters, as generally speaking these will be the most expensive way of heating the room/s.

Alnat1

We have a small square bay with patio doors in our living room, floor length curtains with thermal lining going straight across the main part of the room. Last night living room was at 18C but behind the curtains in the bay it was 11C.

Can definitely recommend attaching the thermal linings, it's made a big difference for us.

Gerry1

Make very careful notes of all the settings for the boiler controls, thermostats, lockshield valves, TRVs.  etc so that you can restore everything to exactly how it was.  Then open all the valves and TRVs and set all the temperatures to maximum.

If a comfortable temperature can never be achieved despite the boiler running flat out and not modulating down, then the boiler is too small.

If a comfortable temperature can never be achieved but the boiler has modulated down or switched off, then the radiators are too small.

Gerry1

Avoid using instantaneous electric showers and all plug-in devices for room heating.  Daytime electricity costs four times a much as gas so the bills will be crippling.

Reed_Richards

Gerry1 said:

 Daytime electricity costs four times a much as gas so the bills will be crippling.

Can I just echo that.  Heating with electricity is very much more expensive that heating with gas so the cheapest option is likely to be to get your gas heating working more effectively.

Grumpy_chap

Brie said:

 when on the computer

You need to heat you rather than the air.
I have a heated footrest and it is very directed heating.  250W and that's the only heating I have on in the house when WFH and no-one else in.
https://www.ryman.co.uk/fellowes-footrest-with-climate-control