night storage heaters v fan heaters etc

matz · 20 Jan 2010

Hi all, I have a workshop area of 48 cubic metres where I need to achieve a constant temperature night and day. Not looking for home temperatures, more something thats pleasant to work ie warmish not hot!

Building has the insulated roofing sheets (spongey stuff between metal skins), single block walls rendered. One exterior, one party wall. Floor painted concrete, 2 double glazed windows approx 1m x 0.75m

I was thinking storage heater as its easy to use. I notice they have various BTU outputs. Need to run at minimum cost - whats the best option ie storage, fan, convector etc and what output would I need for this area?

Running cost is more important than purchase cost within reason.

Thanks in advance

martinxxxxxx · 20 Jan 2010

Is there gas available?

It is always cheaper to heat with gas

matz · 20 Jan 2010

theres no mains gas. I had LPG fired boiler in the previous place but it cost a fortune to run so not using that here! That said, maybe LPG is quite a bit cheaper than electric??

ban-all-sheds · 20 Jan 2010

Metal roof?

Does it get hot in the summer? An air-source heat pump might be the answer.

If you're concerned about running costs you need to get the place as well insulated as you can.

You should be able to tell if the insulation in the roof is working OK - do you get condensation on it?

The single leaf exterior walls can easily be improved with foil-backed Celotex/Kingspan, a bit of an air gap, and then plasterboard, or you could go for external insulation, which will have the benefits of turning the walls into thermal stores and not losing any interior space.

The floor needs consideration too - do you know how it's constructed? Could you stand (

) to lose a bit of floor-roof height?

matz · 20 Jan 2010

well ideally I dont want to go to the trouble of loads of extra insulation. The roof is one of those composite sheets so no condensing. I was rather hoping particularly with the insulated roof that the heat loss would be hugely reduced and that something simple like a storage heater would work...

ban-all-sheds · 20 Jan 2010

matz said:
Running cost is more important than purchase cost within reason.

matz said:
well ideally I dont want to go to the trouble of loads of extra insulation.

I was rather hoping particularly with the insulated roof that the heat loss would be hugely reduced

You'll be losing lots through the walls and possibly (probably?) the floor.

If you want low running costs you have to have good insulation.

and that something simple like a storage heater would work...

Have you already got a dual-tariff "Economy 7"-type supply?

matz · 20 Jan 2010

the supply is on a coin meter so is a standard tarif. I do appreciate the point about insulation but its more to do with the time involved getting it insulated than the cost. Theres absoloutely no way I'm getting bogged down in lining walls and floors as I've done this numerous times in the past and I'm sick of it

I may go for dehumidification as I've used this in the past - its cheap to run and when the damps out of the air, the rooms warmer. Maybe use heating only during the day as a compromise....

electronicsuk · 21 Jan 2010

Constant temperature day and night with a storage heater? You must be joking!

Air source heat pump is the only sensible answer where no mains gas is available, and where running costs are of concern. As the COP of such a unit can be around 1:3 or even 1:4, running costs even on peak rate electricity will be comparable to running night storage heaters on Eco7 rate, and you'll have the ability to cool in the summer as well as heat.

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night storage heaters v fan heaters etc

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