Convector heaters to panel heaters?

[supercold]

Hi all!

I have recently moved into a 2 bedroom flat that doesn't have a 'proper' central heating system. We have plug in convector heaters but these literally only heat you if you stand directly in front of them, so aren't really much use for heating the rooms! I have spoken to an electrician and he has suggested that we could get rid of these and wire in some 2kw electric panel heaters instead but I just want to check first before I spend my money that these are likely to be better than the heaters we currently have? As I understand it, panel heaters will have a fan in so will circulate the heat better?

Before anyone says anything, I am completely aware that electric heating is rubbish and expensive but that is the only option I have so commenting on how useless it is won't do anything constructive! I'm in the process of pestering the managing company to let me have a wood burning stove but I imagine the chances of them letting me have that are slim, so in the mean time I think I need to invest in some electric heating!

Thanks!

 

[OwainDIYer]

Panel heaters don't have fans in; if you want fans you need fan heaters or turbo convector heaters which have a fan in.

What are the ratings of the existing heaters? Should be on a plate on the side/base. No point in replacing a 2kW panel heater with a 2kW convector heater; there will be no improvement.

If the heaters are 'plug in' why is there no fixed heating system; even if it's electric, fixed space and water heating should be on dedicated circuits back to the consumer unit.

Depending somewhat on your lifestyle (and the house) you may be significantly better off with storage heaters and an Economy 7 heating tariff.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

But I doubt that the place is wired to accommodate that.

Oh look - here's another POS landlord who doesn't care about the running costs his tenants face, as long as he can get the place on the market cheaply:

//www.diynot.com/forums/electrics/electric-wall-panels-good-place-to-buy.382094/

 

[supercold]

Panel heaters don't have fans in; if you want fans you need fan heaters or turbo convector heaters which have a fan in.

What are the ratings of the existing heaters? Should be on a plate on the side/base. No point in replacing a 2kW panel heater with a 2kW convector heater; there will be no improvement.

If the heaters are 'plug in' why is there no fixed heating system; even if it's electric, fixed space and water heating should be on dedicated circuits back to the consumer unit.

Depending somewhat on your lifestyle (and the house) you may be significantly better off with storage heaters and an Economy 7 heating tariff.

Thanks for the reply.

There isn't a rating on the current heating units, they're just hung on the wall and plugged into a socket and were like that when we bought the flat. Just to mention, I'm not replacing panel heaters with convector heaters, but the other way round - I'm looking to replace the convector heaters with something better.

I don't know why there isn't a fixed heating system, I just bought the flat like this. There are old sockets and some sort of circuit that were previously for storage heaters but it appears the previous owner removed these, disconnected the sockets/circuit and replaced the heaters with convector heaters instead. Not quite sure why!
We have an electric water boiler which is on a dedicated circuit but no dedicated heating. The flat is old and hasn't really had any work done to it since the 1950s so we're steadily updating it, hence trying to install some form of central heating!

I've been lead to believe that storage heaters won't work for my lifestyle, as my partner and I are out all day, which is when the heaters would be releasing the stored heat? We need something that will heat the flat up in the morning and in the evening. It holds heat really well, so we only need the heating on for an hour or so at a time, we just need something that will actually release enough heat to get the flat warm, as it will then stay that way for quite a while. The problem we're having is that the convector heaters aren't warming the flat up at all, just lightly toasting the air in front of it! I don't want to spend loads only to find out the new things we install are just going to do the same. If panel heaters won't be much better than the convector heaters, is there something that would be better?

Ban-all-sheds - not sure what POS landlords have to do with anything, but if you're insinuating that I'm one of them, I can inform you that I'm an owner occupier and have no intentions of that ever changing.

 

[OwainDIYer]

If you want something that blows hot air, then get a fan heater or a convector with a 'turbo' function eg
http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumber/4152246.htm

This is 3kW and has a timer
http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumber/4151955.htm

I'd suggest just getting one and seeing if you like it before refitting the house. If it's your only heating and you're out during the day then look for one with a timer so you can have the flat nice and toasty for when you get back in.

 

[supercold]

If you want something that blows hot air, then get a fan heater or a convector with a 'turbo' function eg
http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumber/4152246.htm

This is 3kW and has a timer
http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumber/4151955.htm

I'd suggest just getting one and seeing if you like it before refitting the house. If it's your only heating and you're out during the day then look for one with a timer so you can have the flat nice and toasty for when you get back in.

Thank you!