Energy Efficient Heaters

mon242

Electric fan heaters cost a fortune in bills, does any one have any alternatives?

encyclopedia

If you can avoid electric heaters you should, for the heat they produce they will cost you far more then any other energy sources. Electricity costs approx 17c per Kwh during the day whilst oil works out at approx 6.5c per Kwh. Wood chip and wood pellet can cost between 2.3 and 3.5c per Kwh. If you must use electric heaters then storage heaters may be the way to go http://www.dimpco.ie/product-range/Dimplex-Domestic/Storage-Heaters. They work by consuming energy during the night time and storing it so it is used during the day. The benifits are that you are only charged the night rate of approx 8c per Kwh. This type of system is only really benificial for buildings that are well insulated. If none of the above are an option then you could consider heaters from here http://www.energyefficient.ie/energysaving/
Do you rent or own the house?

planetX

I'm renting so the alternatives above aren't possible for me. I'm thinking of getting an electric powered oil radiator, assuming it will be cheaper than a fan heater over the long-term. Hopefully cheaper than the central heating, as I can just heat one room.

Nukem

mon242 wrote: »

Electric fan heaters cost a fortune in bills, does any one have any alternatives?

Kinda need more info - are you willing to got bio, or do you want to keep with the electric?

Mike 1972

encyclopedia wrote: »

If you must use electric heaters then storage heaters may be the way to go http://www.dimpco.ie/product-range/Dimplex-Domestic/Storage-Heaters. They work by consuming energy during the night time and storing it so it is used during the day.

Storage heaters have some big flaws though.
1) Dont cope well with sudden weather changes. e.g. during Spring/Auttum there are days when one doesnt really need heating (or at least one doesnt need it on full) but one cant always predict this in advance
2) very inefficient in households which are unoccupied for a large part of the day (or where the occupant/s are prone to popping out for long periods at short notice) because the place is being heated when it doesnt really need to be.
3) Their efficency (from a conservation/emissions standpoint) is very low.

They may be okay in offices, schools and suchlike but for domestic use (unless people spend all day at home) theyre a false economy. One big bugbear I have is estate agents (particularly here in NI for some reason) who advertise a place for sale/rent and mention "Economy 7 heating" as if its actually a selling point -for most people its's anything but.:mad:

Del2005

mon242 wrote: »

Electric fan heaters cost a fortune in bills, does any one have any alternatives?

Wear an extra layer of clothing.

Del2005

planetX wrote: »

I'm renting so the alternatives above aren't possible for me. I'm thinking of getting an electric powered oil radiator, assuming it will be cheaper than a fan heater over the long-term. Hopefully cheaper than the central heating, as I can just heat one room.

Are you the OP?

If you have central heating you can turn off the radiators in the rooms you aren't using.

Mike 1972

Del2005 wrote: »

If you have central heating you can turn off the radiators in the rooms you aren't using.

Are central heating boilers not designed to run on a full load (i.e. all radiators on) and is their efficency impaired by running them with only one ot two ????

I did see a radiator onetime with one of its valves mounted near the top (easier access to switch on/off particularly if one is infirm/disabled) and wondered why every radiator isint designed like that

planetX

Del2005 wrote: »

Are you the OP?

If you have central heating you can turn off the radiators in the rooms you aren't using.

not the OP, just have the same question. Nope, in my house I can't turn radiators off, they have rusted into fixed positions:( That's why I'm trying to find a cheaper alternative - for one room.

Mahatma coat

Radiator Taps are usually on the Botom out of Convention, and it saves about a metre of Pipe.
(it also reduces the risk of someone bumping into and kinking the pipes)


if you are considering a system where you want to turn them off and on depending on what room yer in you can Retrofit Electronicaly controlled valves with individual thermostats that run through a central Control unit, hell if yer tech savy enough you can controll that unit with yer iPhone.

As for Rusted Valves, Try a Shot of WD40 and a bit of a wiggle with a viceGrip, failing that y'll have to get a Profesional, but They canfit theThermostatic controll valves for ya if yer interested, I cant remember what they cost, but if ya PM me I'll give ya the number of a REALLY REALLY GOOD Plumber;) in the South east region ( also covers Dublin)

rugbyman

i find those little heaters that can be bought for 20/25 euro with two/three "bulbs" in them are ideal for a quick heat up as you have breakfast, work at computer etc, i have no idea how much electricity they use but my seat of the pants feeling is that they cannot be too dear.

rugbyman