Electric heating in flat

NicNoc · 22 January 2020 at 8:49PM

Hi all. I'm looking for advice regarding electric heating systems. I have a traditional built 100 year old 1 bedroom flat. The heating currently is via old electric panel heaters. I am looking at letting it out and want to upgrade the heating system. I'm looking for a compromise between energy efficiency, ease of use/maintenance, and cost. I do not want to install storage heaters at this point and have been advised that updated electric panel heaters are likely the best way to go. However, reading the forums / seeking advice etc I am wondering whether I should be looking at something else?

As I currently live in the property I know that it generally retains its heat well and that the heaters would only be required as a boost in the evenings - they won't be on all day, and only needed in the winter months. The current panel heaters are easy to manage, just dated. They do give off a dry heat and I was wondering if I should be looking at electric radiators / oil filled heaters.

At the moment I am going round in circles trying to decide on my best way forward. Any advice/recommendations welcome. Currently looking at Dimplex's PLXE given past positive experience with Dimplex.

Gerry1 · 22 January 2020 at 9:29PM

As you don't want storage heaters (and presumably you don't have gas), it makes no difference because they're all equally efficient and expensive to run. Unless they're unreliable / dangerous / tatty etc, the only benefit in changing will be cosmetic.

Just avoid the notorious 'magic dust' ones !

Owain_Moneysaver · 22 January 2020 at 9:32PM

There is no substantial difference in any type of electric panel heater / oil-filled radiators / oil-free radiators / etc.

The only advantages to Dimplex PLXE are the timer options and appearance. They are still basically the same as a £30 convector heater.

Cardew · 22 January 2020 at 9:37PM

Above is absolutely correct.

Just to emphasise nothing will be more economical in the sense that EVERY electrical heater gives out EXACTLY the same amount of heat for the same running cost. They are all 100% efficient.

There are many clever adverts that imply their special heaters filled with ingredient X and coated with ingredient Y give out more heat for the money - THEY DON'T

NicNoc · 23 January 2020 at 12:07AM

Thanks for the replies. I was coming to that conclusion. My impression is that whilst equally efficient when on, it's the level of control as to when they're off/on that makes some more cost efficient than others. Or again, is this just sales talk?

However, am I right in thinking that for oil filled heaters, they give off some retained heat between turnings off/on, as opposed to convection heaters that are essentially either on/off with no remaining heat given off, when off? A more uniform heat therefore from oil heaters?

Gerry1 · 23 January 2020 at 12:29AM

NicNoc wrote: »

My impression is that whilst equally efficient when on, it's the level of control as to when they're off/on that makes some more cost efficient than others.

Yes, you'd probably make some savings with Dimplex Quantum or suchlike if they are very well insulated and don't leak heat during the night when it's not needed; they use a programmable fan to blow the heat out only when the room is occupied.

NicNoc wrote: »

However, am I right in thinking that for oil filled heaters, they give off some retained heat between turnings off/on, as opposed to convection heaters that are essentially either on/off with no remaining heat given off, when off?

Not really, with a plug in heater you don't get a free lunch. If you consume X kWh of electricity you always get X kWh of heat output overall, although some devices release it more quickly than others (e.g. a fan heater) but they won't retain it.

Richie-from-the-Boro · 23 January 2020 at 1:46AM

NicNoc wrote: »

Thanks for the replies. I was coming to that conclusion. My impression is that whilst equally efficient when on, it's the level of control as to when they're off/on that makes some more cost efficient than others. Or again, is this just sales talk?

However, am I right in thinking that for oil filled heaters, they give off some retained heat between turnings off/on, as opposed to convection heaters that are essentially either on/off with no remaining heat given off, when off? A more uniform heat therefore from oil heaters?

Gerry is correct, many controlled tests have been done and published. kWh in is exactly kWh out. Density of material say cast iron v alloy means they might release that heat at differing rates, but 2kW in = 2kW out. Whilst radiation is always better than convection (except ceilings and seagulls webbed feet).

Owain_Moneysaver · 23 January 2020 at 9:45PM

NicNoc wrote: »

However, am I right in thinking that for oil filled heaters, they give off some retained heat between turnings off/on, as opposed to convection heaters that are essentially either on/off with no remaining heat given off, when off? A more uniform heat therefore from oil heaters?

Possibly yes, but overall there would be no or negligible difference in energy consumption.

Richie-from-the-Boro · 23 January 2020 at 10:56PM

radiation is always better than convection

Convection bounces molecular heat through the air, they warm up your cat, sideboard and body eventually when cat/wood/human are warm enough they warm next thing to them. Night store, panel and underfoot would be examples. It's never an even distribution of room heating and when one of your kids your 20 degrees+ drops like stone to ?.

infrared radiation, which travels unimpeded until it hits a solid object, which absorbs the radiation and warms up. A good everyday example of this in practice is the sun – this is why when it is particularly chilly, you can still feel the warmth as the sun shines on your face.

Radiant heating is more straighline direct that convection heating, so people feel the heat much a quicker. The air around the human is still colder but you are not.Once the objects warm up they give heat to the next thing to them.

IMO my issue with these well known domestic panel heaters is they are no use to human kind because we are tucked into a high TOG warm.bed fast asleep and full rate daytime leccy costs during the day.

Cardew · 24 January 2020 at 12:00AM

NicNoc wrote: »

However, am I right in thinking that for oil filled heaters, they give off some retained heat between turnings off/on, as opposed to convection heaters that are essentially either on/off with no remaining heat given off, when off? A more uniform heat therefore from oil heaters?

However oil heaters take longer to give out heat; so they give the least uniform heat output; albeit it hardly matters.

Fan heaters give almost instant heat, and almost zero when switched off.

The bottom line is that the same amount of heat is given out by any electrical heater for the same consumption.

MovingForwards · 24 January 2020 at 7:50AM

I have an oil filled radiator in my office, a very drafty 70s building where the wind whistles through the original metal windows.

It's on a timer, so set for TWO hours before I'm due to start work, in the time it heats the section I sit in, not the whole room, even with the door closed.

It was programmed to switch off at 3pm, thinking the remaining heat would be enough to get me through the last hour, the end time was changed after a few days to when I finish at 4pm.

Sadly, I haven't been able to persuade work to let me have a calor gas fire

Have you got thick, heavy and lined curtains up? They trap heat in.

Electric heating in flat

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