Liquid Filled Electric Radiators

[Skavenger]

Hi;

I have just moved back into my old 1930's terraced house and the first thing I want to do is warm up a few cold areas. I need some info / help with buying and installing liquid filled thermostatic timer controlled radiators.

We had central heating fitted about 10 years ago but never put a radiator in the kitchen or the bathroom, both of which are old extensions to the original house.

In a related post on here I believe when I was planning the kitchen (still not done) someone recommended to fit liquid filled electric radiators rather than to add radiators to the existing central heating system based on the fact that they can be operated independently rather than having to put the whole central heating on just to warm / dry a towel.

Can someone recommend a make / model to suit my needs for a kitchen and a bathroom?

Many thanks

 

[45yearsagasman]

Poor idea. Why not extend your system and make it a separate zone under its own controls.

 

[Skavenger]

Poor idea. Why not extend your system and make it a separate zone under its own controls.

Several reasons:

1. Simplicity.
2. Speed.
3. Current boiler restrictions.

Even if I do expand the current system (which would take some time) I would like to resolve the situation as soon as possible.

Trying to get a tradesman in my area to do my bathroom proved virtually impossible and getting one to install a couple of extra radiator would be futile I am sure.

According to my spouse who was around when British Gas installed the boiler and central heating they said we could only fit one more radiator onto our existing system? The boiler is over 10 years old and has a slight leak and may need replacing so the quick fix, although not the best, would be to install a towel radiator in the bathroom and kitchen?

 

[Burnerman]

Oil filled radiators cost a fortune to run....also I believe (but not certain) that wall mounted rads have to be run off their own spur i.e hard wired?
John

 

[45yearsagasman]

I'll get my coat.

 

[Madrab]

The most efficient and cost effective idea is 45's IMO.

I appreciate that there are complications to that idea and that you are looking for a quick fix but the output of a towel rad will be hard pressed to heat any reasonable sized space, especially with towels draped over it.

If an electric heated solution is the only option then convection heating is really the only viable option for space heating in areas classed as 'special' (usually 'wet' areas - kitchen and bathroom) and you can only site them in specific zones within that area and they need their own protected wiring circuits but could not be used for towel warming. So depends on what's important, heating towels or heating the space.

Another option is electric ceramic rads but they can be expensive to buy.

 

[GavThePlumber]

.... so the quick fix, although not the best, would be to install a towel radiator in the bathroom and kitchen?

No, that is a terrible idea.

Surly your first priority is to fix the leaking boiler

 

[JohnD]

bear in mind that energy from electricity costs about three times as much as energy from gas.

If you ever intend to turn these heaters on, you will regret it when the bill comes in. This year, next year, and forever.

 

[RigidRaider]

Having just done it in a cold room my advice would be to dry-line the whole area with battens, Kingspan and foam-backed board then re-skim and decorate. You won't regret it.

 

[Skavenger]

Looks like my quick fix seems to be the least favourable!!!

The boiler was fitted aprox 10 years ago by British Gas and currently has 4 radiators upstairs and only two downstairs?? I'm no expert but that does not seem many??

We have a 3 bedroom end of terrace house which has a small hall /entrance / stairs where 1 x small double rad is fitted, 1 x lounge / diner (two rooms knocked into 1) with only 1 x radiator fitted. A kitchen and conservatory with no heating. On the first floor there are three bedrooms each with a radiator, no radiator on the landing but there is one fitted in the small landing area between the separate toilet and bathroom. That's it.

Attached are 2 x pictures of my existing boiler (sorry no name or make) from the replies it would best (if poss) to add some extra radiators? 1 in the kitchen, 1 in the bathroom and if the boiler will accept more 1 more in the lounge / diner and poss 1 on the main landing? Will this boiler be able to take more radiators?

If i were (dont shout) as a quick fix over the winter before we go for the medium term option, fit a couple of pre filled electric rads, there is already a power supply in the bathroom currently used for a redundant electric fan heater and in the kitchen there is a free hard wired power supply which was going to be used for a TV. The power in the bathroom I believe is separate however not sure about the kitchen, i'll check with my father in law as he fitted it.

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• Skavenger
• 4 Dec 2013
• 1

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• Skavenger
• 4 Dec 2013
• 1

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[JohnD]

have you got cavity walls?

yours appears to be a combi boiler.

If it has enough power to run a shower, it has more than enough power to heat an average house.

 

[Madrab]

Looks like one of the old Worcester Bosch CDI units that British Gas rebadged but they came is several flavours and would need to check the rating plate to know what size it is in KW's. Even then, if it's the 24CDI then it should easily take another couple of rads.

You would need to find out what rating the boiler is and what size/type the rads are that are installed at the moment to calculate the available capacity. There will be a plate inside the boiler with lots of info on it, like serial number etc, it will have the boiler rating on it in KW's.

As far as installing a couple of electric towel rads, just make sure the supply is adequate to cover the power rating of the rad elements, though should be ok as most can run off a 13amp socket

 

[Skavenger]

Having just done it in a cold room my advice would be to dry-line the whole area with battens, Kingspan and foam-backed board then re-skim and decorate. You won't regret it.

My bathroom is very small, just wide enough to fit a bath and a small sink, it also has a low ceiling. How much wall space will I loose using the method you suggest?? The Kingspan and foam backed look like they will add quite a width, what size batten and do you also need some kind of breathable membrane against the wall?

It has 1 x wall which is westerly (we are an end terrace) and gets the worst of the weather. The second wall has a window so not a lot of area to insulate?

The room is very cold (no heating) and the walls run with water in the winter when showering / bathing, most of the wall area is tiled which seems to retain the cold?

The bathroom is located above the kitchen which is a small cavity brick built extension to the original house. The bathroom has a flat roof (probably little or no insulation). The bathroom is split internally into a separate toilet and separate bathroom. I was contemplating eventually removing the dividing wall which would help if I dry line and insulate the internal walls?