Open plan livingroom - electric radiator

[Ashxoxo89]

Just looking for a bit of advice. I just moved into my end terrace, it has an open plan livingroom with an open staircase. I replaced both old storage heaters in the living room and kitchen. The issue is keeping heat in. I have just had the windows/doors replaced and thought this would help. To a major extent it has, as the house was so bitterly cold. However the livingroom is still pretty cold and unless i leave my new electric radiator on all day at full power, it takes ages to heat. I am all electric, no gas.

My new radiator is 2000w and the doors to the kitchen are kept closed.

Livingroom layout, - 5.6 x 3.5 metres attached layout.

Just to see if it would be worth getting another radiator and keeping it at the other side of the living room, my main one is on the wall at the porch door but at the bottom of the stairs. I dont know if it would be more effective having one at each side rather than one full power struggling to heat.

Any help would be appreciated

 

[RandomGrinch]

Hi,

I'm only a DIY'er, so no expert. I'm sure you will get some good advice soon!

But to me (and I may be wrong), one 2kW electric heater would seem woefully inadequate, even though your room size is small.

If you have any feel for gas C/H, the equivalent C/H radiator would be this size:
https://www.screwfix.com/p/kudox-pr...tor-radiator-600-x-1100mm-white-6607btu/57095

A quick experiment, could be to buy a cheap portable convector heater (about £20), and place it at various places around the room to see what difference it would make.

There may be options to further insulate etc. but that may be a matter for another day!

Good luck!

 

[Ashxoxo89]

Thank you for the reply.

I used the online calculator for the radiator and it says that one should heat 24.5 square but this doesnt take into account the open staircase. (my room is only 19.5 and i have a separate radiator in my kitchen as there are doors to separate it)

Sadly my full estate is electric and no gas, but ill maybe try your advice and see if it makes a difference.

 

[JohnD]

You say it is open plan. All the warm air will naturally rise up the stairwell to warm the spiders on the landing ceiling.

Try to prevent cold air being sucked into the downstairs rooms to replace it. Draughts will come through the floor and under the skirting boards, and round doors and windows.

The further from the stairwell you put your heaters, the more heat will stay downstairs, but it is a losing battle.

 

[RandomGrinch]

I'm also afraid I made an assumption about your house being a terrace.... and old!
Is it a relatively new-build with decent draught proofing and insulation?

 

[Ashxoxo89]

1986ish it was built, ive just had all triple glazing, new doors and porch replaced. It seems a sturdy house, my main issue i think is the pesky staircase, however i dont want to close it off as its a small living room and might make it seem closed off.

The loft is well insulated but im going to replace it eventually as well.

 

[RandomGrinch]

As above, if you don't want to compromise on the open-plan (..and given the room size, I can see why you wouldn't), then an experiment with a second heater may not hurt?

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

I replaced both old storage heaters in the living room and kitchen.

Why replace them with much more expensive to run ordinary heaters, unless you only required much less heated occupation time?

 

[Ashxoxo89]

One sadly gave up working downstairs, and i work away so needed something i could control via an app for convenience for me. Hence why i got eco ceramic wifi ones for the livingroom and kitchen. They are good value for money based on my monthly bills considering how long they are on for.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

Hence why i got eco ceramic

The 'eco ceramic' heaters are just hype to sell a more expensive product. They are no better, no worse in either efficiency or cost than oil filled electric heaters.

 

[RandomGrinch]

The 'eco ceramic' heaters are just hype to sell a more expensive product. They are no better, no worse in either efficiency or cost than oil filled electric heaters.

The one benefit of electric heating - near 100% efficiency!
(Minus a little light and sound ... and of course excluding any transmission losses etc. !)

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

The one benefit of electric heating - near 100% efficiency!
(Minus a little light and sound ... and of course excluding any transmission losses etc. !)

Well - 100% really, you get all that heat you pay for, all that varies is the internal heat delivery method - despite the hype.