plinth (kickspace) heaters in a living room? crazy idea?

[fathertobe]

Hi
Am thinking of alternatives to conventional rads for new living room (to conserve wall-space)
Looking at hydronic plinth heater(s), ie attached to central heating. This/these could potentially be very conveniently installed under a built-in sideboard/shelves unit.
This does not seem to be a conventional heating method for a living room. Does any one see any specific problems?
More specifically
1) Are they really noisy? Does having a 12V transformer for the electric reduce noise. I'm not bothered by a quiet hum but would not like a constant loud whirring.
2) I'm presuming electricity costs are minimal as the electrics are just powering the fan, not the heating.
3) Should I be looking at heat output on 'normal' function or 'boost' to ensure I am getting a powerful enough heater?
3) Can more than one heater be installed in series in the room? I think that we would need 2 med-large ones to provide sufficient heat. The room is ~60 m3 (and has 3 outside walls and a flat roof). I calculated that it requires about 3.6kw or 12000 btu.
4) Do they spread heat quickly? I would ideally be fitting it/them just one end of quite a long room. Would this leave the other end too cold?
5) Myson and smiths-env seem to be the big players. Wickes also do one: anyone tried this?

The alternative is a trench heater (which I'm thinking is essentially the same technology just different shape/orientation) but we would have to build a step to provide the trench, so not as convenient at all.

Thanks

 

[mogget]

I have a Smith's fan convector in my front room, and my parents have a Myson kickspace.

I should say that I'm a householder not a professional.

...plinth heater(s)...
1) Are they really noisy? Does having a 12V transformer for the electric reduce noise. I'm not bothered by a quiet hum but would not like a constant loud whirring.

It's about the same as a reasonably quiet fan heater, when not on boost mode. I don't know about the 12v version.

2) I'm presuming electricity costs are minimal as the electrics are just powering the fan, not the heating.

I think the fan is about 30 watts in mine.

3) Should I be looking at heat output on 'normal' function or 'boost' to ensure I am getting a powerful enough heater?

You should size the heater based on its output in normal mode.

3) Can more than one heater be installed in series in the room? I think that we would need 2 med-large ones to provide sufficient heat.

You can install more than one heater in the same room, but they should be in parallel, ie each heater should have its own flow and return.

4) Myson and smiths-env seem to be the big players. Wickes also do one: anyone tried this?

Both Smiths and Myson are good quality. I've noticed that Wickes own brand products can vary in quality so it might be a gamble.

Hope that helps.

 

[fitz1]

i fitted skirting board heating last year. It looks the same as 5 inch skirting board and gives 500 btus per m.

 

[Whitespirit66]

How about a tall vertical radiator instead. There are some quite striking designs with good heat output available these days.

Eg http://www.screwfix.com/prods/62690...Rail-Radiator-1762-x-650-x-89mm-2368-BTU-694W

 

[muggles]

How about a tall vertical radiator instead. There are some quite striking designs with good heat output available these days.

Eg http://www.screwfix.com/prods/62690...iator-1762-x-650-x-89mm-2368-BTU-694W[/QUOTE]

I'd hardly call less than 700W a 'good output'...