Heating a home office

[Huge]

If my recent experience (having just demised the thing) is anything to go by, run a Sun Ultra 2 and big disk array as a file server in the same room. It'll be nice and toasty then.

[Andy Wade]

Electric storage heater(s) perhaps. Much maligned, but simple and cheap to install and very effective in well-insulated buildings of high thermal mass.

Night-rate electricity on British Gas 'click energy' 2-rate tariff is currently 2.091 p/kWh +VAT (Eastern region, price varies around the country).

Possibly, since your building seems to be well-insulated but low thermal mass. Supplement the storage heater with and electric fan, convector or radiant heater - take your pick.

Solar thermal with vast interseasonal heat store...

[AJH]

I'd think the reversible air conditioners that have been mentioned, presumably they become a better investment as electricity prices go up compared with resistance heaters.

Well the air con thingies will be most effective when there is only a small temperature differential between inside and out. A small wood burner for really cold days, mind ashing out can be dusty so computers' filters may suffer.

In your locale also consider a 5kW(t) pellet stove, there are some about used now. They're about as noisy as a standard PC, so not much good in a quiet domestic environment. There are a few associated problems but mine runs OK on 50:50 mixture of surplus barley or wheat and wood pellets.

AJH

[marvelus]

No just the water vapour.

[Andrew]

Thanks Andrew, and everyone else, for the responses. Most illuminating, although it was actually hot air I was after:-) Quick discussion with my better half pointed out the presence of an old, ugly but serviceable wood-burner in the lean-to. Provided I can get a cheap bit of chimney, I think that might be my answer...

[tony sayer]

In article , Andrew writes

Mind CO fumes with a too cheap chimney;!....