Cheapest way to heat a house?
Discussion
The OH has asked me to ask my 'PH Friends' if they can suggest a cheap way to heat our home. Some background:
Modern, small, two bed semi. Electric only, so uses crappy storage heaters and a faux fireplace with a fan heater in it as well as a wall mounted fan heater in the kitchen. Last winter's quarterly bill was £721 even though we used the heating sparingly. I abhor being cold but I can't face my half of another bill like that, what with being on a piss poor salary. The OH says she'll pay more than half (her take home is more than double what mine is) but I don't want her to.
Critically the place is rented so we're looking at getting some 'efficient' free standing heaters ... just which ones?
Modern, small, two bed semi. Electric only, so uses crappy storage heaters and a faux fireplace with a fan heater in it as well as a wall mounted fan heater in the kitchen. Last winter's quarterly bill was £721 even though we used the heating sparingly. I abhor being cold but I can't face my half of another bill like that, what with being on a piss poor salary. The OH says she'll pay more than half (her take home is more than double what mine is) but I don't want her to.
Critically the place is rented so we're looking at getting some 'efficient' free standing heaters ... just which ones?
Andehh said:
In all due seriousness....thick jumpers, good thermal ski socks, slippers, dressing gowns and 13.5tog duvet + blanket on top etc etc.
I'd seriously consider this if it wasn't for the inevitable damp, mildew, etc. problems that would arise and subsequent respiratory complaints.Andehh said:
draft excluder? Thicker curtains?
The existing curtains are pretty thick and remember, it's a rental property, so can't really justify buying new curtains for the place!The immersion heater isn't to blame. Typically I switch it on when I get home from work and off again when I go to bed. I follow this pattern all year round but the shocking bills only crop up when we use the storage heaters and fan heaters.
Basically the heaters are as follows:
Lounge: One large storage heater and one fan heater masquerading as a fireplace.
Hallway: One small storage heater.
Kitchen: Fan heater mounted on wall.
Bedroom 1: One large storage heater.
Bedroom 2: one medium sized electric heater.
Bathroom: One heated towel rail.
The storage heaters, electric heater in BR2, and the fan heaters are the only things that are on during the months when heating is necessitated and this is when the big bills come in. Typically the storage heaters are never set to higher than '3' on the input.
Basically the heaters are as follows:
Lounge: One large storage heater and one fan heater masquerading as a fireplace.
Hallway: One small storage heater.
Kitchen: Fan heater mounted on wall.
Bedroom 1: One large storage heater.
Bedroom 2: one medium sized electric heater.
Bathroom: One heated towel rail.
The storage heaters, electric heater in BR2, and the fan heaters are the only things that are on during the months when heating is necessitated and this is when the big bills come in. Typically the storage heaters are never set to higher than '3' on the input.
hornetrider said:
Sounds like a s
t house with just storage heaters. You say it's a rental - move.
Not that easy - we have two cats and finding landlords who'll take pets is in a completely different league where challenges are concerned. We don't really want to move either - aside from the crappy heating it's pretty much perfect. The development is in the best part of town, my neighbour (now retired) worked in the same industry as me and also spent some of his time behind the wheel of a racing car, landlord is actually very good - you never know what you're going to get but this guy is great. The only way would be down from here - I just want to know if there's a way of warming it up inexpensively! All the houses on the development are electric only. Some are mews houses and some are flats. For some reason the whole development was classed as flats and as such the developers were only allowed to install electric.t house with just storage heaters. You say it's a rental - move.longshot said:
It will be the electric fan heaters that will be eating the juice.
That's what we believe as the huge winter bill came after we'd been using the one in the kitchen quite a lot to dry the washing. It's mounted on the wall pointing downward so was ideal if you put the washing on a rack underneath it. The previous quarter we'd not been using it but had been using the storage heaters and that bill wasn't so terrible.longshot said:
Is the immersion heater just for hot water?
If so, why is it on all night?
Because I can't get up in the middle of the night to turn it on or off and we want it on for the cheaper phase of the dual rate cycle. Besides, the immersion heater isn't really an issue. We use it the same way all year round so if it were contributing in any significant way to our costs the summer bill would be scandalous too.If so, why is it on all night?
Edited by MitchT on Wednesday 1st October 18:39
Yes, they only charge up over night. Thing is though - we don't set them high enough to get the house anywhere near warm enough or they'd cost a fortune and, as they only charge up over night and discharge through the day there's not much heat available on an evening. We need to find something efficient that heats the house up as and when we need it. The OH said she's been told about some oil filled free-standing radiators which were supposed to be good, but I'd rather ask on here for anecdotal evidence about the effectiveness of them than rely on marketing spiel that's designed purely to make me part with my cash.
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