Lay My Hat

I am currently buying a small 'barn' with PP for conversion in Wales.

There is no mains gas, and no exterior space for oil, so looks like I am stuck with electric heating.

What options are there?

Thanks

Rointe radiators are excellent!

Stayed in a converted barn that has them and they were great. Get the models that allow you to control them from an app on your phone. They are eco friendly, have open door / window sensors so if lazy guests just open a window when they are too warm the radiator turns off and you don’t pay to heat the universe.

They also have movement sensors on them which again turn the radiator off or down when guests go out for the day.

I was so impressed we actually changed our oil fired central heating system to these radiators in January this year. They look nice as well, and very quick and easy to fit.

A ground source heat pump with underfloor heating. No radiators so furniture layout is much easier. Expensive to install, but unbelievably cheap to run. Hugely energy efficient (as long as your insulation is up to scratch).

A much cheaper option from an installation point of view would be electric underfloor heating, but this would only be cost-efficient if your insulation/draft-proofing is absolutely top-notch.
You'd probably also need to look at a ventilation system.

Hope that helps!

Nuthatch wrote:A ground source heat pump with underfloor heating. No radiators so furniture layout is much easier. Expensive to install, but unbelievably cheap to run. Hugely energy efficient (as long as your insulation is up to scratch).

A much cheaper option from an installation point of view would be electric underfloor heating, but this would only be cost-efficient if your insulation/draft-proofing is absolutely top-notch.
You'd probably also need to look at a ventilation system.

Hope that helps!

Another vote for a ground source heat pump, although I believe that air source are now much better than they were some years ago and could be worth a look - much cheaper to install. Check out renewable heat source grants for both.

zebedee wrote:Rointe radiators are excellent!


I was so impressed we actually changed our oil fired central heating system to these radiators in January this year. They look nice as well, and very quick and easy to fit.

Unfortunately Rointe heaters do not do well on the EPC as they count the same as an electric room heater. If you then need to improve the EPC for example sale or change to permanent let, you have to change to night storage. https://www.electricradiatorsdirect.co. ... c-ratings/

Something to think about;
How much land do you need for heat source pump? I know the answer depends, but it is stated that there is "no exterior space for oil". That really needs clarifying, but at face value there is not a great deal outside space.

CSE wrote:Something to think about;
How much land do you need for heat source pump?

Enough to sink a borehole for a GSHP, none for an ASHP.

If there's no space for oil, surely, there can't be room for ground source ... can there.

All electric heaters are cheap to buy and expensive to use.
Don't be fooled by the magic heaters with 'moon dust' in them - 1Kw of electricity will give out 1Kw of heat whether you use a simple £20 heater from Argos or a £500 (?) Fishler (for example) one.

Ask on the MSE forums, they will advise better.

J B wrote:
All electric heaters are cheap to buy and expensive to use.
Don't be fooled by the magic heaters with 'moon dust' in them - 1Kw of electricity will give out 1Kw of heat whether you use a simple £20 heater from Argos or a £500 (?) Fishler (for example) one.
.

I beg to differ. Take a look at the Rointe D series. They are very low energy to run but provide excellent heating.

Re Newtimbers point about the EPC, well I’ve never been that impressed with EPCs. That article was written in 2018. I think it would be subject to challenge if I actually wanted an EPC. My property is 270 years old, solid stone - no cavity anything, a proper cottage but highly desirable in terms of saleability.

greenbarn wrote:

CSE wrote:Something to think about;
How much land do you need for heat source pump?

Enough to sink a borehole for a GSHP, none for an ASHP.

I thought the space required for machine access needed to to sink a borehole is larger than siting an oil tank.
Personally, still waiting for confirmation from the OP on further details.

To clarify, whilst the property has a double garage, the perimeter of the building is the extent of the property.

Thanks,

zebedee wrote: Re Newtimbers point about the EPC, well I’ve never been that impressed with EPCs. That article was written in 2018. I think it would be subject to challenge if I actually wanted an EPC. My property is 270 years old, solid stone - no cavity anything, a proper cottage but highly desirable in terms of saleability.

A poor EPC does effect house prices. Just google it. I know EPCs aren't accurate, but people shy away from properties with poor EPCs not only because of the perceived high heating costs but also because they fear that regulations may be brought in to require sellers/buyers to improve the EPC when the property is sold.
You can choose who you like to do the EPC so you cannot challenge it - only choose another company to see whether they can improve the EPC. The EPC software now gives better EPCs for solid walls, but not for electric radiators as they use expensive day-time electric rather than economy 7.

Having been present for the EPC for my own stone house I agree that they are a bad joke.

It was pure guesswork and woefully inadequate to cope with a complicated building like mine.

However they are a legal requirement to sell. I believe that in Scotland they are also now a requirement for holiday lets and I think in England and Wales if you charge for heating separately.


Edit - just looked at the cottage one

It recommends cavity wall insulation - we have solid stone walls

It recommends a condensing boiler - we have one!

It recommends a room thermostat - yup have one of those and radiator thermostats too

PV panels to heat the hot water - hard with a combi boiler

Tomsk wrote:To clarify, whilst the property has a double garage, the perimeter of the building is the extent of the property.

Thanks,

Thanks for the conformation.
No land? Where are your guest going to sit outside? Is it going to be suitable for let?

Cymraes wrote:
Edit - just looked at the cottage one

It recommends cavity wall insulation - we have solid stone walls

It recommends a condensing boiler - we have one!

It recommends a room thermostat - yup have one of those and radiator thermostats too

PV panels to heat the hot water - hard with a combi boiler

You need to get someone else to do the EPC. The modern ones want internal wall insulation, floor insulation, solar panels and wind turbines!