New Landlord - 2 Bed Flat - Zero Heat !

[Hudson]

Ok, I am in the process of buying a 2 bed flat that has only an electrical supply (ie no gas to the property). It was built in the 1970's with the Economy 7 type storage heaters, but they (over the years) have all broken and been got rid of. The heating currently in the flat (along with the tenant) is simple convector heaters and fan heaters..... not great.

So i am a little unsure what to fit, do i go down the original route and simply get more up to date storage heaters (hopefully with a combi function so it stores and is a convector heater as well)..... or do i do '' something else '' ??

Are there any alternatives to what i am suggesting.... ie just get better convector heaters for the whole flat and get rid of the cheap ones the current owner/landlord has fitted, if fitted is the way to describe putting a plug in a socket !

Thanks

 

[ProDave]

Do you still have a dual rate feed (Economy 7)? and two consumer units?

Presumably all the old storage heater wiring is in place? Probably only 2 or 3 storage heaters in that size flat.

I would resurrect the storage heating. It's going to be the cheapest form of all electric heating. Best to swap over to the Economy 10 tariff if you can as that gives a mid day boost.

Alternatively if you want to spend some serious money, I would go for a heat store electric boiler and radiators. But that's going to be a few thousand so install from scratch. but it will give you "normal" central heating but all electric.   Unlike "real time" electric boilers, these heat the heat store tank only on the cheap rate periods (they work best with economy 10) but the heat can be released to the radiators at any time.

 

[Hudson]

Cheers for that, i will look at the items in the link and i think your right about maybe .... simply keeping with a decent storage system, not too sure what kind of system (ie consumer units) are there, i have not had that good a look, but i think it will still have the original '' plumbing '' in the flat.

 

[binky]

I have seen them in the wholesalers and they look pretty good

http://www.rointe.co.uk/rointe-system.html

.....look being the operative word. They are v expensive oil filled panels with some slightly fancy controls for which they make some big claims. Wouldn't bother with the expense and fit ordinary night stoarage heaters or a combination of NSH and convectors for some instant heat

 

[SLIPSHOD & SLAPDASH]

.....look being the operative word. They are v expensive oil filled panels with some slightly fancy controls for which they make some big claims. Wouldn't bother with the expense and fit ordinary night stoarage heaters or a combination of NSH and convectors for some instant heat

I have always wondered why they claim how far more efficient and cheaper to run these are over other electric heaters. Its only a fancy case. 

 

[binky]

they claim the controls are more efficient so control room temperature in a more accurate way, but as has been dicussed many times, thermal mass in thermal mass. They probably are a bit better than standard rads, but they are so expensive by comparison that I wouldn't bother. It's also interesting that for Green Deal recommendations, these do not feature and NSHs do. As the GD is all about efficient cost effective technology, it would suggest therefore that these aren't brilliant. In my opinion a fan assisted convection heater would probably be more effective, the fan stirring the air, and airflow past temp sensor makes it more responsive, but ultimately, getting leccy on the off-peak is cheapest option

 

[Hudson]

Thanks guys, i am trying to source some decent used NSH and i have just got a really mint condition (used) Valor Metropolish fire, lovely looking and a decent price. So just need to find the storage heaters now. Cheers for all the help.

 

[binky]

unlikely to find NSHs second hand, people who have got them are usually stuck with them - the great gas conversion finished years ago

 

[Steve3948]

Councils with refurb projects will strip out regardless. So all heaters out and new in, I've seen heaters less than a year old being stripped out, good market for selling on.

 

[utterlyfab]

Ok

 

[utterlyfab]

Ok

 

[roys]

utterlyfab you are utterly annoying