| Advantages and Disadvantages | | | | noise of the fan can be irritating though, and if this |
| Electrical heating is clean, compared with forms of | | | | is a consideration, it is better to use convector |
| heating which involve combustion, e.g. gas, oil, coal, | | | | heaters. |
| etc. There are no fumes or flues associated with | | | | Convector Heaters |
| it. It is usually cheaper and easier to install than | | | | Again ideal for top up heating, but slightly slower, |
| other forms, either in a new build, or in an existing | | | | bigger and more expensive to buy than fan |
| house. It can conveniently be used as 'top up' | | | | heaters. They can be floor standing or wall |
| heating, where gas or other other central heating | | | | mounted. They are almost silent though, except |
| is used as the main form of heating. Many (but | | | | for the fan operated ones, which don't seem to |
| not all) electrical heaters are portable and respond | | | | have any advantage over the smaller and |
| quickly. | | | | cheaper fan heaters. |
| It is generally more expensive to run, although | | | | Panel Heaters |
| the relative costs compared with, say, gas | | | | These are very slim wall mounted heaters. They |
| depend on local conditions and costs at any | | | | occupy a large wall area. They usually don't have |
| particular time. | | | | a thermostat, so are on all the time. |
| The running costs of electrical heaters will be high | | | | Oil Filled Radiators |
| if the heater has no thermostat, and is left on for | | | | These look like conventional central heating |
| long periods, unless it is a low wattage heater. | | | | radiators. There are flat ones that can be wall |
| Thus only use a high power heater, without a | | | | mounted, and wider ones, on wheels, so that |
| thermostat, if it is just to be used to heat up a | | | | they can be moved to different rooms. They are |
| room for a short time, then switched off. Plug-in | | | | slower to respond than fan or convector heaters, |
| thermostats can be used to provide an external | | | | but some people prefer their lower temperature |
| temperature control for the heater. Many heaters | | | | over a bigger area. |
| have 'frost watch' settings, which only switch the | | | | Tubular Heaters |
| heater on if the temperature goes to freezing, | | | | These are tubes, varying in length from about |
| making them a useful precaution against burst | | | | 350mm to 2000mm (1' to 6'). They are usually |
| pipes. | | | | wall mounted. They are very low wattage (about |
| Many heaters have built in timers allowing them to | | | | 150W per metre) and don't have a thermostat. |
| be switched on and off automatically at pre-set | | | | They are normally used in greenhouses, animal |
| times. You will pay extra for this, and often it is | | | | cages, airing cupboards, behind fridges and |
| cheaper to buy a 24 hour plug-in timer to use | | | | freezers in outhouses where it gets too cold for |
| with the heater. | | | | the fridge to operate normally, etc. |
| The main forms of electrical heaters are: | | | | Bathroom and Toilet Heaters |
| Underfloor Heating | | | | In a bathroom, the heater must either be |
| This consists of electrical heating cables laid under | | | | operated by a pull cord switch, or externally, from |
| floors. (Pipes containing hot water heated by gas, | | | | another room. The latter would usually be a wall |
| or another fuel, are another form of underfloor | | | | mounted panel heater (these can be supplied with |
| heating.) I would only consider this in a new build. | | | | towel rails to dry towels as well). The former |
| The cost and disruption of installing underfloor | | | | could be a downflow fan heater or radiant heater, |
| heating in an existing property is considerable. | | | | mounted on a wall near the ceiling, for which |
| Storage Heaters | | | | wiring would have to be installed, or heat/light unit, |
| These are fairly large heaters, wall mounted, | | | | replacing the existing light fitting. 250W heat/light |
| which use off peak (cheaper) electricity during the | | | | bulbs can also be put into an existing light unit |
| night, and store the heat to release it slowly | | | | (without using a shade), to give some heating. |
| during the day. Special wiring and off peak meters | | | | Electric Fires |
| must be installed, and the electricity supplier must | | | | These can vary from the cheap radiant fires, or |
| arrange for you to be put on an 'off peak' tariff. | | | | the more recent halogen heaters, to expensive |
| It is an option to consider if central heating is | | | | coal, log or flame effect fires, often used as a |
| required and gas or other fuels are not available. | | | | focal point for a room. The latter commonly |
| It is probably the cheapest form of central | | | | combine radiant and convection heating. |
| heating to install, but can be expensive to run. It | | | | Other Electrical Heaters |
| does not respond quickly to sudden changes in | | | | Air curtains, plinth heaters, etc. usually employ |
| temperature. If there is a sudden cold spell during | | | | natural or forced convection, designed to fit in a |
| the day, it will not be until the following night that | | | | particular location, such as above a door or in a |
| adjustments to the heating will take effect. | | | | plinth. Ceramic and quartz heaters usually employ |
| Fan Heaters | | | | a mixture of radiant and convected heat, and are |
| These are cheap, small, portable and heat up | | | | often more powerful than conventional domestic |
| quickly. They are ideal for top-up heating. They | | | | heaters, making them useful in industrial |
| can also be used, in summer, as fans only. The | | | | applications. |