Electric panel heaters

[cullyvan]

Hello, we have decided NOT to install central heating in our flat for the moment but instead are going to opt for electrical panel heaters. We want something semi perm that can be mounted on the wall and for it to be safe and as economical as possible. We realise our electric bills will be very high this winter but are still opting for this over the huge initial output for central gas heating especially when gas costs are rising so much of late.

Now we are trying to decide what type of electrical heaters to buy. I see three main options, a standard panel heater, a radiator type that has oil inside that is heated up via electricity, and the convector panel heaters. They seem to all be about the same price. I can't seem to find any information comparing these options in terms of a) efficiency/costs to run b) quality of heat c) safety.

I'd appreciate any advise or experiences anyone has on these or any other options we've not thought of yet.

Thanks!

 

[RMS]

After reading your post i would probably go for fitting central heating

 

[cullyvan]

Thanks a lot. That's VERY helpful.

 

[breezer]

its probably becuse most have gas c/h

why not buy one of each and see which you like best?

 

[JohnD]

You might start by seeing if you can get cheap rate night-time electricity on a dual meter. If you are out of the house all day you may be wanting to keep your bedroom warm at night. Prefeably on all circuits, don't go for a separate night storage circuit if you can avoid it. Night storage heaters are more expensive and I hope you will be moving to GCH in a year or two.

Some panel heaters have removable feet so that you can choose whether to fix them to the wall or leave on the floor. I think I would go for the thinnest you can find, and wall mount them. You must have thermostats, preferable switchable power levels (1kW, 2kW, 3kW), and you will want timers. You can get heaters with built in timers but these are audible and when they go wrong you lose the whole heater. You can buy "clockwork" not digital timers very cheaply, and they have big contacts which you will need for heaters (some digital timeswitches have small contacts).

You must not take a portable heater into the bathroom

 

[Adam_151]

What about aircon? most of them can just as well pump heat the other way and unless you get one with a low efficency you'll get more heat for your electricity costs than you would converting the electricity directly into heat... plus the devices remain usful even if you later install central heating... the downside is the initial outlay, however portable systems and DIY install solutions are comeing down in price all the time

 

[Diyisfun]

If you are not in much & only want heating for short periods of time, then fan heater & convector are cheap to buy & give rapid warmth when required. If you are in a lot & need many hours of heat then you should perhaps look at electric storage if you cannot afford gas c/h. Remember c/h will add value to the property so if you are the owner it could be a wise investment.