Heating Options

Englishman · Feb 7, 2015

Cut a long story short, housing association property, won't put a rad in small kitchen due to only viable space being where it would block a washing machine in. Now, looking at cost effectiveness, and due to the space being only about 6sq metres, I'm thinking a small panel heater will be best, just to take the chill off, rather than dealing with ufh, but heating systems are not really what I deal with much, so looking for ideas.

And hello stalker.

Leesparkykent · Feb 7, 2015

Plinth Heaters - PlumbNation
https://www.plumbnation.co.uk/site/plinth-heaters/
Rating: 7.7/10 - ‎5,373 votes
Smith's Space Saver SS3 Fan Convector - Kitchen Plinth Heater. £134.07. View ... Myson Kickspace 500 Hydronic Fan Convector (Inc White Grille). £163.01.

what about one of these.

Tidy Max · Feb 7, 2015

Panel Heaters

I have used these before mate, products are decent and good customer service.

Englishman · Feb 7, 2015

Not looked at plinth heaters tbh, running cost is more important than purchase cost, when looking at roughly 8 hours use a day, at least, it ain't difficult to double electricity costs.

I've been looking at that site as well max, all coming down to running costs though as they're a young family only paying about £70 a quarter so adding £30 a month ain't gonna be great for them.

Am even thinking of moving their washing machine point, as it wouldn't cost them anymore really for me, and it assume a rad would be cheaper but that's obviously for them, I'm just trying to explore options as I've never added supplementary electric heating to gas like this.

ruston · Feb 7, 2015

As above , particularly the plinth heater , but if pipes and space are a problem consider a curtain heater , some are reasonably priced.

Leesparkykent · Feb 7, 2015

Englishman said:
Not looked at plinth heaters tbh, running cost is more important than purchase cost, when looking at roughly 8 hours use a day, at least, it ain't difficult to double electricity costs.

I've been looking at that site as well max, all coming down to running costs though as they're a young family only paying about £70 a quarter so adding £30 a month ain't gonna be great for them.

Am even thinking of moving their washing machine point, as it wouldn't cost them anymore really for me, and it assume a rad would be cheaper but that's obviously for them, I'm just trying to explore options as I've never added supplementary electric heating to gas like this.

You can get hydronic plinth heaters that connect up with the flow and returns of the heating circuit and has a fan on it to push the heat out and won't cost much to run, electric only and also dual ones.

ruston · Feb 7, 2015

Posted at same time , plinth heaters are wet , only electrical part is the fan.

Curtain heater may use a bit , but may save on labour and materials.

Englishman · Feb 7, 2015

From what I've been told, the housing association use a firm associated with BG, and they didn't want to put a rad in from the start. It was all booked and the the installer got a call on day saying the washing machine had to be able to be pulled out "straight" not just got out, so that was their get out clause. They're family friends so I want to try and do cheapest things for them in long run.

Flow and return tees were made in boiler cupboard for the kitchen rad but capped off and we're probably talking about maybe 15m of pipe all in.

They have an old socket, blanked off, but has a conduit feeding into it from loft so power will be easy enough to link over for an electric panel, just have reservations about running costs.

Leesparkykent · Feb 7, 2015

My thinking is wet plinth heater =more expensive to install but cheap to run, panel heater= cheap to install but expensive to run so in theory the plinth heater will pay for itself in the long run compared to the panel heater.