Low energy/cost heating
Discussion
Does anyone here have any experience of owning or fitting low energy heating?
I have been asked to look into a low cost/energy heating system to be used in an old stone Cornish cottage. I will only be used at weekends and holidays and the owner would like a heating system that can just tick over and stop the cottage getting cold as it’s not particularly well insulated and can get a bit damp.
My thoughts are on some kind of storage heating maybe or an efficient radiator of some sort. I have trawled through brochures and the internet but would to hear some firsthand experience.
Another idea would be the use of SV or solar thermal to provide the heat or energy but may be an issue as the property is in a Conservation Area.
Thanks
I have been asked to look into a low cost/energy heating system to be used in an old stone Cornish cottage. I will only be used at weekends and holidays and the owner would like a heating system that can just tick over and stop the cottage getting cold as it’s not particularly well insulated and can get a bit damp.
My thoughts are on some kind of storage heating maybe or an efficient radiator of some sort. I have trawled through brochures and the internet but would to hear some firsthand experience.
Another idea would be the use of SV or solar thermal to provide the heat or energy but may be an issue as the property is in a Conservation Area.
Thanks
Have a look at Dimplex EPX panel heaters and the associated controller. I'm just installing a small system into a Granny Annex we are building (I live remotely, and the Annex is all electric based). The controller allows me up to 4 zones and for each zone I can set to ON/OFF/5 deg less than ON/5 deg above zero (frost protection).
Very simple to install and cheap to buy, which will help offset the costs of using standard electricity. I paid less than £1000 for the controller, 3 x 2kW radiators, 1 x 1.5kW radiator, an auxillary control unit and a heated towel rail with remote therostat control. The towel rail accounted for a third of those costs! Each panel radiator has it's own stat, and communications to them is via a pilot wire. There is an option to use mains borne communication but this requires an addition unit in each radiator panel.
Have a look here http://www.dimplex.co.uk/products/domestic_heating...
and http://www.dimplex.co.uk/products/domestic_heating...
and I bought them from here http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Manufacturers/Dimplex/...
Hope that helps, Dimplex have a presales department to discuss options available to you.
davidy
Very simple to install and cheap to buy, which will help offset the costs of using standard electricity. I paid less than £1000 for the controller, 3 x 2kW radiators, 1 x 1.5kW radiator, an auxillary control unit and a heated towel rail with remote therostat control. The towel rail accounted for a third of those costs! Each panel radiator has it's own stat, and communications to them is via a pilot wire. There is an option to use mains borne communication but this requires an addition unit in each radiator panel.
Have a look here http://www.dimplex.co.uk/products/domestic_heating...
and http://www.dimplex.co.uk/products/domestic_heating...
and I bought them from here http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Manufacturers/Dimplex/...
Hope that helps, Dimplex have a presales department to discuss options available to you.
davidy
Deva Link said:
If something existed that met your spec then everybody would be using it.
If the place is getting damp then it needs ventilation as well as heat.
Ventilation is in hand as as part of some work being done on the property but we are talking about very old cottage by the sea that will be left empty for long periods of time and a small budget. There are a quite a few products out there that claim to be what I am looking for but I have yet to have any first hand experience with any of them and I dont just want to pic somthing out of a brochure.If the place is getting damp then it needs ventilation as well as heat.
DavidY said:
Have a look at Dimplex EPX panel heaters and the associated controller. I'm just installing a small system into a Granny Annex we are building (I live remotely, and the Annex is all electric based). The controller allows me up to 4 zones and for each zone I can set to ON/OFF/5 deg less than ON/5 deg above zero (frost protection).
Very simple to install and cheap to buy, which will help offset the costs of using standard electricity. I paid less than £1000 for the controller, 3 x 2kW radiators, 1 x 1.5kW radiator, an auxillary control unit and a heated towel rail with remote therostat control. The towel rail accounted for a third of those costs! Each panel radiator has it's own stat, and communications to them is via a pilot wire. There is an option to use mains borne communication but this requires an addition unit in each radiator panel.
Have a look here http://www.dimplex.co.uk/products/domestic_heating...
and http://www.dimplex.co.uk/products/domestic_heating...
and I bought them from here http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Manufacturers/Dimplex/...
Hope that helps, Dimplex have a presales department to discuss options available to you.
davidy
The diplex products are one of the things I have been looking into. Have you used these before or have you been recomended these also. As for the Solar, it probably is a long shot as winter is when the heating will be needed the most as it will be empty most of the winter season and that is when the background heating will be needed the most.Very simple to install and cheap to buy, which will help offset the costs of using standard electricity. I paid less than £1000 for the controller, 3 x 2kW radiators, 1 x 1.5kW radiator, an auxillary control unit and a heated towel rail with remote therostat control. The towel rail accounted for a third of those costs! Each panel radiator has it's own stat, and communications to them is via a pilot wire. There is an option to use mains borne communication but this requires an addition unit in each radiator panel.
Have a look here http://www.dimplex.co.uk/products/domestic_heating...
and http://www.dimplex.co.uk/products/domestic_heating...
and I bought them from here http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Manufacturers/Dimplex/...
Hope that helps, Dimplex have a presales department to discuss options available to you.
davidy
Not used them yet, but am installing them before end of August. My electrical contractor rates them though.
I also have solar hot water heating on my main house, this can work very well during the winter, but you need sunny days, on grey overcast days, you are lucky to raise the water by a couple of degrees!
I also have solar hot water heating on my main house, this can work very well during the winter, but you need sunny days, on grey overcast days, you are lucky to raise the water by a couple of degrees!
I would concentrate on removing the sources of damp. Heating is for people. Ignore any adverts for efficient electrical heating. They are scams. I'm sure I saw one on the PH site the other day. All electrical heaters have the same efficiency.
Edited by herewego on Friday 5th August 19:54
herewego said:
I would concentrate on removing the sources of damp. Heating is for people. Ignore any adverts for efficient electrical heating. They are scams. I'm sure I sure one on the PH site the other day. All electrical heaters have the same efficiency.
It is the case, as with a lot of the properties in the area that when they are lived in they are ok but tend to get a bit damp when left for long periods. The property doesnt really have a serious damp problem at all. What Im after is some sort of heating that will not cost the earth to keep the place from getting too cold and make the house feel like it hasnt been left empty.A split system air sourced heat pump may be the answer - it would certainly have the lowest running costs.
Something like a 4kw unit should be around a thousand pounds installed.
If the cottage is very near the sea the outdoor unit would need more protection from the salt.
The unit would use about 1kw an hour when running.
Something like a 4kw unit should be around a thousand pounds installed.
If the cottage is very near the sea the outdoor unit would need more protection from the salt.
The unit would use about 1kw an hour when running.
MonkeyMatt said:
herewego said:
I would concentrate on removing the sources of damp. Heating is for people. Ignore any adverts for efficient electrical heating. They are scams. I'm sure I sure one on the PH site the other day. All electrical heaters have the same efficiency.
It is the case, as with a lot of the properties in the area that when they are lived in they are ok but tend to get a bit damp when left for long periods. The property doesnt really have a serious damp problem at all. What Im after is some sort of heating that will not cost the earth to keep the place from getting too cold and make the house feel like it hasnt been left empty.Gassing Station | Homes, Gardens and DIY | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff