Conservatory Heating. Radiant v Convection Heaters.

[Ed]

I have a small conservatory, 3m x 4m and am looking for the most effective way to heat this during the day and maybe keep a minimum temperature especially at night.

For me, extending the gas-fired central heating system into the conservatory is not an option, so I am looking at electrical heating.

From what I read, it seems that the choice lies between convection heaters or radiant heaters. What experiences do people have with these forms of heating? Are there really significant differences in terms of the effectiveness of these types of heaters. Is one type definitely preferable to the other? Would anyone change from convection to radiant or vice versa?

There are a lot of new brands on the market, so would welcome advise on what is currently available.

Thanks, Ed

[Chris J Dixon]

ISTMT, in answering these questions, a great deal depends upon exactly what use you are intending to make of this conservatory. Is occupation regular or occasional? Will you be sitting there for extended periods. Are you using it for tender plants?

Radiant heaters can make it feel much warmer, in a localised area, than the same energy dissipated more generally by a convector.

Assuming a fairly low level of insulation, heating only when required may be a more economical proposition.

Chris

[Arfa Daily]

My conservatory is quite well insulated, but it still struggles to keep warm. I have it connected to the central heating. OTOH, I have an extension on the side of the house, which it wasn't practical to extend the CH into, so I put in a storage heater that 'charges up' on the night-time cheap(er) Economy 7 tariff, or whatever they call it now. I have the input control down on only 1 or 2 unless it's very cold out, and it provides heat all day at a fairly low cost. It only takes on heat as required, so if it's warm out, like it is today, it won't radiate much heat out during the day, so won't need to take on much tonight. The internal automatic flaps and heat conserving measures are a lot more sophisticated now, than in the old days of these heaters. I bought mine from a mate's shop, and he had a catalogue with all the models in (it's a Newlec) and there was a calculator chart to work out which was the most suitable one for your application. Might be worth a toddle down to your nearest electrical wholesaler to at least have a look ?

However, if you just want occasional heat, then 'heating only when required', may be the way to go, as Chris suggests. My personal preference for a quick warm up and reasonably economic ongoing heat, is a good quality fan heater, with a decent 'stat on it. For 'just keeping the chill off' heat, tubular low power heaters such as are used in greenhouses, might be an option.

Arfa

[Ed]

So. you reckon that Radiant are best?

[dennis]

Air source heat pump?

[Toby]

For an energy efficiancy point of view, an air-conditioner that has a reverse capability to heat thwe inside.

They are more than 100% energy efficiant, but cost more to buy and install, but you then have cooling in the summer if you need/want it.

Toby...

[Appin]

The message from Chris J Dixon contains these words:

It seems to me there are two requirements here:

1. Reasonable background heat at night and when not being used
2. Immediate heat when being used.

If this were a case of starting from scratch, I'd use underfloor heating from the existing CH sysem for the background heat -- the point being that the smooth, even heat allows you to get by with much less total heat input.

For the immeidate heat while it's being used -- definitely radiant infra-red heat.