Our boiler is on the blink so I’ve got to make a trip up to the retail park to keep uor blood warm until the service guy can get the part required for tomorrow… would I be best buying a small oil heater? Or a fan thing on a timer? I’ll need two – one for the toddler’s room and one for the living room.

I can see halogen heaters, convection heaters and oil filled radiators. Not so keen on fan heaters.

Thanks

A pity you’re not in Lancashire or you’d be welcome to borrow our two Delonghi oil-filled radiators, which are excellent. Affordable too.

I’d just get a couple of convector heaters. I have 3 oil filled heaters but I can’t for the life of me understand what advantage the have over convectors. They’re both electrc so 1kw of electricity = 1kw of heat.
oil filled rads take longer to heat up and longer to cool down so they are less able to react to a thermostat.

I think the point is that oil filled rads are giving out heat for a duration after the electric has switched off, and therefore are slightly more economical in a situation when you want it on for a longer period at a lower background heat – say in an extension or outbuilding.

Our boiler is on the blink so I’ve got to make a trip up to the retail park to keep uor blood warm until the service guy can get the part required for tomorrow.

Same thing happened to us yesterday morning, boiler needs a new fan and part won’t be delivered until tomorrow.

Luckily its not that cold but the engineer offered us heaters but I have a couple anyway – so put an oil filled one upstairs and a small fan heater downstairs.

Halogen heaters are rubbish in my opinion. And rather than heat the rooms, heat the hallway and leave the doors to the rooms open.

Who’s your contract with as they shouldn’t be leaving you without a source of heat?

I’ve got two DeLonghi oil filled ones – Dragons maybe? – they’re very good. 10yr guarantee too.

We’ve had ours for years. I nearly threw the first one away after I picked up my baby son and he barfed over the controller, which went flash bang. I went out and bought a new one then a couple of weeks later tested the broken one…. and it worked fine!

Halogens are good for heating a thing- I have a big one in the garage which keeps me warm even though the garage is leaky and baltic. But it’s useless at heating spaces. Small fans are usually noisy though.

Maybe a convector would be the best for the job? Quick heating, pretty good value. Not that efficient but it’s not a long term job.

Lidl had electric radiators for sale when I was in on Sunday.

At least they are cheap and I had the same problem, now they heat up the workshop.

Yeh small fan heaters are noisy but they’re great for instant heat. I have one in the garage so I can switch on after a ride if my feet are numb. Oil filled radiators give a nice unstuffy heat but take a while to warm up.

Maybe a convector would be the best for the job? Quick heating, pretty good value. Not that efficient but it’s not a long term job.

I’d agree. We have 2 convestors packed away in the mancave for such emergencys, but a DeLongi Oiler which is switched on in the winter AM for the morning if I have bikes to fettle with…

oil filled rads are giving out heat for a duration after the electric has switched off

Yes, but they take longer to start giving off heat as they’ve got to heat the oil first.
I’m not saying they’re bad (I wouldn’t have 3 otherwise, plus I one one as the sole heating for my office), I just don’t know what the advantage is [… so why pay more]!

edit: they are potentially a bit safer I guess as there’s no exposed element.

If your toddler is actually toddling around then you need to think about their safety – an oil-filled radiator might be the safest choice.

Dan, granted I’m probably the best part of an hour from you, but I’ve an oil filled rad you can borrow no probs.

Knock yourselves out with info:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oil_heater

yeah but unless little_dan can use a screwdriver to get inside there’s not a lot he/she can do. All heaters get hot, that’s how they work!

Wow. The old OED wouldn’t have had that much information, would it?

I looked at that kryton – no discernable advantage over convector (indeed I’d rather have a convector fall on my foot). Less controllable and no more efficient.
I’ll still keep using mine though!

I’ll keep using mine too, on the basis I can’t drop and important nut/washer/bolt down the front of it. 😳

🙂 Thanks for the offer nobeer (still not sure what your name is!). I borrowed a fan one from a mate and bought a convection heater from Argos for £24, which I think I’ll cheekily return tomorrow once the boiler’s fixed! I’ve got a wall socket timer unit so I’ve stuck it into that in the wee guy’s room (he’s still in the cot and can’t jump out, yet) to come on a couple of times in the night. But yes, it’s not really that cold at all.

Wife and I both got a shower yesterday, don’t seem too smelly today though a hot shower would be nice! The only real hassle is this screws up tomorrow’s trail digging plans as I’ll need to be home!

We don’t have a heating maintenance plan; I’ve always been happy to use a local guy for anything like this and it invariably works out better. BG and other companies do callouts and minor repairs within the contract price but when it comes to buying new parts their price list isn’t exactly reasonable! Plus they’re all too keen to condemn boilers to give them a nice grand commission on a new unit.

Thanks for the replies

I’ve got a wall socket timer unit

Erm, I’m fairly sure they are not designed to take those loads, take it out or at least check it before leaving it in a room with junior.

Oil filled radiators are quiet and safe? I think so anyway.

I spent last winter in a caravan in a remote bit of Scotland with one for heating. Most nights I was too hot. I was certainly never cold. Drafts things caravans are too. Lots of ventilation.

Just tough it out my boiler has been broken since i bought the place.