Installing new electric heaters

[goldbyron]

My partner wants to install new electric heaters in her flat. Are there any difficulties involved in this e.g wiring or is it a straightforward job for a qualified sparky? Thanks

 

[securespark]

Is there no gas supply?

Is there a dual rate meter?

What kind of heaters?

Part P would apply, unless these heaters are direct replacements connected to an existing point.

 

[ericmark]

If one wades through the archives you will find that the ring main and 13A socket were designed for electric heating and putting some plug in heating appliance into each room would not need an electrician.

However if we move to other extreme fitting on of the Gled Hill wet storage systems is rather involved.

So can you be a little more explicit?

 

[ColJack]

so lets see, he plugs a 3KW fan heater into a double socket, that's 13A.. in every room.. so with 3 rooms he's already overloaded the ring main by 4A and has no more left for the telly, video, computer, Hi-Fi...

heaters of this kind are fine for occasional use, or for 1 room that's maybe got no other form of heating..

if you're after general heating by electric, then you would be better with a dedicated radial for each heater.

it might be worth considering Air Con as these can often be run in heating mode in the winter and will be more efficient than a straight electric heater.. ( you get 3KW of heat out for every 1KW you put in, or there abouts.. )
the added advantage is of course, cooling in the summer as well..

 

[goldbyron]

There is no gas supply - that is another story!

There are two fixed eleccy heaters - not much idea of what type. They are big, bulky, beige (thinking the 1970's here) with bricks in them running on economy 7. If that helps at all.

 

[Chri5]

So she has night storage heaters at the moment, what does she want to replace them with ?

Will you simply want to change out the 2x units or are you interested in adding more heaters, in new locations ?

There's quite a wide range

http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Main_Index/Heating_Index/index.html

Would be sensible to take a few snaps of the existing fuse board (s) so we can suss out what is going on with the existing electrical service.

 

[stem]

I would stick with night storage heaters. Storage heaters use cheaper off peak electricity which is charged at about one third of the normal rate.

If you just want new ones to replace the existing that would normally be a straight swap assuming the existing wiring is correct.

If you want to add some new storage heaters, The wiring work would involve a new radial circuit with isolator with flex outlet at each heater. You already should have an off peak supply of some kind from your electricity company for the existing heaters. But you may need a new consumer unit if there aren't enough spare ways in the existing unit.