Heating a small cottage (with electric rads)

thebeeb

I have a client who recently purchased a small 2 bed cottage holiday home. The heating system is fair sub standard. It has a stove with a back boiler which heats only 2 (single) rads. Each rad is in a bedroom. The client said that that the heat output from the stove is quite poor (its located in the main living room area). I'm assuming this is a result of it heating the two rads but they also said the rads are warm but not enough to heat the room to a sufficient standard. I would reckon the Rads are approx 20+ years old.
They have asked me for advice as to how to improve the heating of the house. I'm leaning towards electric radiators.

The two bedrooms would be approx 25m(squared ) and 12m (sqauared). The living area is approx 20m(squared)

Suppose the two questions I would ask is

Can the rads be upgraded for a better heat output?

And what electric wall rads are on the market that would be cost efficient to run but with a good heat output at the same time.

Tia

Atlantic Dawn

Oil fired boiler is likely the way to go. Electric rads would be the worst possible option on the face of the earth for an old cottage unless they were not fans of money.

Darc19

Atlantic Dawn wrote: »

Oil fired boiler is likely the way to go. Electric rads would be the worst possible option on the face of the earth for an old cottage unless they were not fans of money.

I'd disagree. It's a holiday home. Very little heat required in summer and just a small amount when they use it off season.
Cost of installing oil would be quite expensive.

I'd look at these guys https://www.smartelectrics.ie/ and see if this is suitable. Temperature can be set and it has a seven day timer.

Stoner

thebeeb wrote:

Can the rads be upgraded for a better heat output?

Yes, maybe look at the pump too. You should be able to heat two rads and that room with the right stove.

Sometimes the stat can up a bit high, you'd nearly need coal in the stove to get the heat moving to the rads. I'd try lowering the stat and get the rads warm earlier so that there is heat in the rooms for longer, yes it wont be piping but maybe look at that.

You need a good fire to heat the rads with those stoves

Better rads would kick the heat out better but you need the heat to be there in the first place.

thebeeb wrote:

And what electric wall rads are on the market that would be cost efficient to run but with a good heat output at the same time.

Well in a well insulated space a standard rad, there's an online calculator on the dimplex website, but I'd guess 1 KW for the 12 square and 1.5 to 2KW for the larger room, but check it yourself,


You can put storage heaters in too, but they are not suitable for bedrooms


There are oil filled panel heaters, they hold the heat in a bit better.

Dimplex is a good site to look at

It's an expensive way to heat a house, but effective in a holiday home

thebeeb

Thanks everyone for the advice so far.

Yes storage is typically big and bulky but I thought there might a modern slick alternative available.

I think their main concern is the dampness in the house. E.g. they stayed there last week and were complaining to me about the dampness on the bed clothes etc (even in the height of summer) told them I'll try and have it sorted for the coming months.

I'm presuming its looking like storage heating

Stoner

You can get a controller to keep the room just above the dew point say 12 to 14 degrees

They they have a timed boost that you press on the unit

Used in student accommodation and hotels to keep the bills down and to keep the condensing/ water droplets in check.

About 100 each, you only need a very basic panel heater then.

The boost is timed, maxed at about 2 hours so it can't stay on for ages and also wont dry people up in their sleep

It's very difficult to sleep in a room with storage heating in it.

gctest50

thebeeb wrote: »

............

I think their main concern is the dampness in the house. E.g. they stayed there last week and were complaining to me about the dampness on the bed clothes etc (even in the height of summer) told them I'll try and have it sorted for the coming months.
..........

A dessicant dehumidifier will work at lower temperatures :


https://www.buyitdirect.ie/p/meaco-dd8l-junior-8l-desiccant-dehumidifier-with-humidistat-for-up-to-5-bed-house-2-year-warranty-dd8ljunior

autumnalcore

Definitely dehumidifier, otherwise when you arrive for your holidays the first few days the heat will drive the moisture in the fabric of the house into the air inside the house and the whole house feels clammy, then it will condense on everything cold when the heating goes off.

I would have recommended a meaco until ours melted the filter grille due to blocked filter a couple of months ago despite supposedly having a sensor to detect blocked filter, a thermal fuse and thermistor temperature sensor. I wouldn't leave one unattended now.