I want to fit a radiator in my conservatory to keep the edge off the cold.

Bolting it to the wall is easy, getting hot water to it less so. There’s no radiator on the other side of the wall so I can’t plumb it into the existing heating loop but the main water pipes from the boiler are on an adjacent wall. Can I take a loop from the return feed, or divert the return feed through the new radiator?

Psst, what about something like a Delonghi Dragon oil filled radiator with timer. Used one of these for years and not heating the convervatory when we aren’t using it.

Conservatory hearing should be independently controlled so you can’t just add a rad to the house heating.

That is another option, yes.

Currently using a 2Kw convection heater when it’s really cold to stop the dog and cat freezing but it’s not cheap to run. Are oil filled more efficient?

@nickjb is that for efficiency or building regs?

Tubular greenhouse heater?…

https://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Main_Index/Heating_Index/Tubular_Heaters/index.html?ad_position=1t3&source=adwords&ad_id=393345827971&placement=&kw=greenhouse%20electric%20heater&network=g&matchtype=e&ad_type=&product_id=&product_partition_id=&version=finalurl_v3&gclid=CjwKCAiA8K7uBRBBEiwACOm4d4fdxeWuS4FLl8uzwkmEW9QImD5ZusUM-RAOk0z1LkWqYTa2kROMYRoCPvUQAvD_BwE

Yeah a oil filled heater would be better i say.

Also have a look at infrared heaters, they meant to be good and cost effective.

is that for efficiency or building regs?

For efficiency reasons you shouldn’t and for building regs reasons you mustn’t

Do building regs actually allow heating in a conservatory?

Rather a tangent to the OPs question, sorry.

Another vote for a DeLonghi dragon with timer. Very very good rads.

For efficiency reasons you shouldn’t and for building regs reasons you mustn’t

Why?

What’s wrong with a rad in an indoor room?

Way more efficient than an electric heater. Just bob on a TRV and turn it on when you need it.

For efficiency reasons you shouldn’t and for building regs reasons you mustn’t

My house – I’ll put a radiator or any other heating device wherever the f… I want to!

Thats my answer to the OP’s question

Thats my answer to the OP’s question

And probably the answer to why the environment is screwed

Way more efficient than an electric heater.

Really? More than 100% efficient? 😈

Do building regs actually allow heating in a conservatory?

Yes, but it must be an independent system that can be controlled separately from the rest of the house.

If I put a TRV on the rad won’t it restrict the flow of water back to the boiler?

I would have thought I’d need some sort of bypass valve on the return feed?

And probably the answer to why the environment is screwed

Yeah, let’s put in a big electric heater, that’ll be better for the environment than plumbing into the already running central heating system. 🙄

If its for pets, then maybe just get a small infra red lamp? The sort of things you put above pens to keep young farm animals warm.

Heating an entire conservatory will be nigh on impossible. But making a corner of it feel warm for the animals is easy (and probably 200w rather than 2kw).

Yeah, let’s put in a big electric heater, that’ll be better for the environment than plumbing into the already running central heating system.

Way to miss the point. Both are bad (although I would argue that electric is actually better, but only in a ‘would you rather be punched in the head or the nuts’ kind of way). How about don’t heat a room without insulation.

Yeah, let’s put in a big electric heater, that’ll be better for the environment than plumbing into the already running central heating system. 🙄

Your argument is as valid as arguing the electrical option is preferable as the power station is already running.

The argument for something like a greenhouse heater in a kennel / igloo is it’s a very small electrical load heating a small space, Vs a ~1KW CH convection heater attempting to heat an insulated space. The reason the regulations wont allow you to do that is if you just leave it on all day like most people do with their CH, it will run all day as it will never warm up.

If it’s purely for the dog/cat I’d put an electric mat in for them to lie on.
Heat goes directly into their bodies so is very efficient and costs pennies to run.
Like this
https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.co.uk%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F350761354125

Currently using a 2Kw convection heater when it’s really cold to stop the dog and cat freezing

Our dogs sleep outside all year in a stable.
They have a thick memory foam bed with vetbed in top of that.
They love going to bed!

We use vetbed for both but the dog doesn’t sit still for very long and it’s usually screwed up in the corner of her crate every morning.

I asked a friend who is a plumber about doing this for our unheated garage where the boiler is situated. He felt it was not a good idea as the system was not designed for it and old. He didn’t say it wouldn’t work thought. This may help you make a decision.

I use an portable oil convection heater.

Do building regs actually allow heating in a conservatory?

Yes, but it must be an independent system that can be controlled separately from the rest of the house.

Is this recent? I have been in a few house with radiators plumbed in to the CH system. Does the thermostatic valve count?

Op is an infrared heating panel an option? There’s various options from folks such as suryaheating.co.uk and fancy pretty ones from the likes of jigsawinfrared.Com

it will run all day as it will never warm up.

Only if the thermostat is in the conservatory.

Your argument is as valid as arguing the electrical option is preferable as the power station is already running.

That makes no sense at all.

If it’s cold enough to need to heat the conservatory then the heating will probably be on. Adding another rad will add very little to the amount of energy being used by the boiler. An electric heater big enough to heat a conservatory will use a huge amount of electricity.

‘would you rather be punched in the head or the nuts’

well? Which is it? Head or nuts?

As for the op: I wouldn’t do it. Regs say you can’t. And if you ever move house, and have spend money undoing it you’ll wish you hadn’t.

Heated mats fit the pets sound best to me.

Adding another rad will add very little to the amount of energy being used by the boiler.

No

An electric heater big enough to heat a conservatory will use a huge amount of electricity.

Yes

Those IR heaters look to be a good bet and a lot less hassle.

Is this recent? I have been in a few house with radiators plumbed in to the CH system

Not very new. Not very enforced unfortunately. Plus you have this to deal with:

My house – I’ll put a radiator or any other heating device wherever the f… I want to!

Adding another rad will add very little to the amount of energy being used by the boiler. An electric heater big enough to heat a conservatory will use a huge amount of electricity

To heat the conservatory to x temperature will take exactly the same amount of heat regardless of the source…. But electric is 100% efficient while the boiler/Central heating system is not…. By a long way.

An oil rad will be much cheaper than having the central heating drained and new pipework and radiator fitted.
Plus an oil rad can be unplugged and removed during the 7-8 months it’s not required and can be relocated in house if necessary.

An oil rad can be, roughly, set to acheive a certain room temperature whilst the c/h rad realistically can’t without a smart trv.

it will run all day as it will never warm up.

Only if the thermostat is in the conservatory.

Surely this?

You cannot put a radiator in line in the return. It will not work properly. Radiators are plumbed in parallel not series

If it’s cold enough to need to heat the conservatory then the heating will probably be on. Adding another rad will add very little to the amount of energy being used by the boiler. An electric heater big enough to heat a conservatory will use a huge amount of electricity.

You are aware of the first law of thermodynamics?

Surely this?

Yup, although if you live with someone who believes the thermostat should be set to 28C then in reality the trv’s close first!

In a one pipe system radiators are in series…..

True but when did you last see one?

3 yes ago we bought a house with a rad in a conservatory. was mentioned on survey as against regs. that’s it. indemnity policy transferred with sale.

no rad doesn’t stay on all day. do people know how thermostats work?

as for cost to remove. it would take me about 20 mins to drain system cut the pipe and put 2 stopends on then remove rad. hardly expensive

as for the environment yes ideally we wouldn’t have s heated consverstory however, there are plenty of worse things, like people driving hours to get to work every day or taking several flights a year.