Heating a garden office
Discussion
I've got a garden room that's insulated and has electric underfloor heating. The underfloor heating is a bit rubbish so I'm looking to add some form of storage heater. Given it's electric and I have an EV tariff that gives me cheap overnight rates, I'd rather have something that I can "charge up" overnight and release during the day. Any recommendations please? It's got its own consumer unit so can either be plug-in or hardwired, and an app to control when it uses the electricity would be useful please.
AyBee said:
I've got a garden room that's insulated and has electric underfloor heating. The underfloor heating is a bit rubbish so I'm looking to add some form of storage heater. Given it's electric and I have an EV tariff that gives me cheap overnight rates, I'd rather have something that I can "charge up" overnight and release during the day. Any recommendations please? It's got its own consumer unit so can either be plug-in or hardwired, and an app to control when it uses the electricity would be useful please.
In the time-honoured PH tradition of suggesting something other than what you asked about have you considered a heat pump airconditioning unit? then you can heat & cool the room with the same unit & they are relatively efficient. Mr Pointy said:
In the time-honoured PH tradition of suggesting something other than what you asked about have you considered a heat pump airconditioning unit? then you can heat & cool the room with the same unit & they are relatively efficient.
Exactly what I was going to say. I think those rooms can be hot in the summer so this could be very handy. I had my house done last year and it's been greatMr Pointy said:
In the time-honoured PH tradition of suggesting something other than what you asked about have you considered a heat pump airconditioning unit? then you can heat & cool the room with the same unit & they are relatively efficient.
Wasn't even aware these existed, will take a look.What is the underfloor electric heating in? If it's encased in a lump of concrete (i.e. "high thermal mass") then just running the electric underfloor heating overnight should work pretty well as a storage heater?
If the heat dwindles too fast then yes storage heaters could work well, that's what they are designed for. If you need "more" then look at all the previous posts on "mini-split" AC units.
If the heat dwindles too fast then yes storage heaters could work well, that's what they are designed for. If you need "more" then look at all the previous posts on "mini-split" AC units.
AyBee said:
Nezquick said:
Surely the answer to this is just an oil filled, plug-in radiator? They cost pennies to run and will heat a small office fairly quickly.
How long do these typically last, i.e. in the depths of winter, would it last me all day without having to use peak electricity?John D. said:
Its not a storage heater. It lasts as long as you turn it on, but they are quite efficient I believe. Cheap and cheerful to buy in the first place. Thats what I'd do.
Electric resistance heaters are all the same efficiency- 100%, same efficiency as a panel heater, oil filled but just results in a more even and lower temperature surface. They don’t cost pennies, they literally cost 3x what gas costs.Rough101 said:
John D. said:
Its not a storage heater. It lasts as long as you turn it on, but they are quite efficient I believe. Cheap and cheerful to buy in the first place. Thats what I'd do.
Electric resistance heaters are all the same efficiency- 100%, same efficiency as a panel heater, oil filled but just results in a more even and lower temperature surface. They don’t cost pennies, they literally cost 3x what gas costs.Rough101 said:
Electric resistance heaters are all the same efficiency- 100%, same efficiency as a panel heater, oil filled but just results in a more even and lower temperature surface. They don’t cost pennies, they literally cost 3x what gas costs.
Yup!But a fan heater is effecive at warming the air quickly.
Cost effective for a half-hour job in the workshop.
Heating garden buildings is not cheap, unless they are small and very well insulated.
AyBee said:
I've got a garden room that's insulated and has electric underfloor heating. The underfloor heating is a bit rubbish so I'm looking to add some form of storage heater. Given it's electric and I have an EV tariff that gives me cheap overnight rates, I'd rather have something that I can "charge up" overnight and release during the day. Any recommendations please? It's got its own consumer unit so can either be plug-in or hardwired, and an app to control when it uses the electricity would be useful please.
What you're asking for is an electric storage heater of which loads of options are on the market. However, wanting to fit in with the PH rules of suggesting something that you haven't asked for, then may I humbly suggest an IR panel. The reason being that it will just heat the static object it is aimed at so for warming a human at a desk they can be remarkably efficient even on peak rates. I have one of these in my very poorly insulated single-brick walled office (essentially a garage conversion)
https://www.mylek.co.uk/mylek-ecoluxe-1kw-electric...
It has three different heat settings and costs up to about 25p hour at max setting at peak rates.
I have it on a Hive smart plug to come on at 7:00am and by the time I get into the office at 8:00am, it’s usually warm enough. I then knock the setting down to minimum (using the handy remote) which then costs about 10p per hour. Has its own thermostat, so turns off when it gets warm enough.
I guess in the coldest winter months, it’s costing me a couple of quid a day, but if I wasn’t WFH, I’d still be spending £15 a day on diesel to get to work, so I see it as a bargain
https://www.mylek.co.uk/mylek-ecoluxe-1kw-electric...
It has three different heat settings and costs up to about 25p hour at max setting at peak rates.
I have it on a Hive smart plug to come on at 7:00am and by the time I get into the office at 8:00am, it’s usually warm enough. I then knock the setting down to minimum (using the handy remote) which then costs about 10p per hour. Has its own thermostat, so turns off when it gets warm enough.
I guess in the coldest winter months, it’s costing me a couple of quid a day, but if I wasn’t WFH, I’d still be spending £15 a day on diesel to get to work, so I see it as a bargain
DonkeyApple said:
What you're asking for is an electric storage heater of which loads of options are on the market. However, wanting to fit in with the PH rules of suggesting something that you haven't asked for, then may I humbly suggest an IR panel. The reason being that it will just heat the static object it is aimed at so for warming a human at a desk they can be remarkably efficient even on peak rates.
I have a quartz IR radiant heater, under £20 on ebay and quite effective for 800 Watts.Proper H directors will be kept warm by either their servers or their secretaries?
My mate who works from home in his 'cabin' has a small wood stove, which at least deals with the junk mail.
DonkeyApple said:
What you're asking for is an electric storage heater of which loads of options are on the market. However, wanting to fit in with the PH rules of suggesting something that you haven't asked for, then may I humbly suggest an IR panel. The reason being that it will just heat the static object it is aimed at so for warming a human at a desk they can be remarkably efficient even on peak rates.
Again, something I hadn't considered. I guess my main question is whether a storage heater will last me all day if charged up overnight or are they a false economy and it'll still need to use power during the day?AyBee said:
Again, something I hadn't considered. I guess my main question is whether a storage heater will last me all day if charged up overnight or are they a false economy and it'll still need to use power during the day?I've not looked into the performance of storage heaters since learning they were total crap in about 1970.
They tend to give out heat overnight so the heat that's left for the day s not such a bargain.
To be fair, I grew up in a badly modified stone cottage in a cold place, insulation wasn't heard of back then.
None of us have any idea how many kWh it would take to keep your office shack warm.
The idea does not break the laws of physics.
I know of some self-build loons talking about heat stores, but I think they are considering a few tonnes of water in a tank under the building.
It's probably great if you can get close to passivhaus insulation.
The other issue is what tariff can you actually get for cheap heat input overnight?
Personally, when I was WFH, I liked to think I was earning enough (and saving enough on commuting!) to use a fan heater as much as I wanted.
A couple of quid a day keeps a small room toasty for 8 hours?
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