redfrock Posted November 11, 2007 Share Posted November 11, 2007 We have a rather enormous conservatory attached to our bungalow (17ft x 12ft) - very basic though. It had been put onto the house by the previous owner just over a year before we bought it - by a cowboy it would seem, but that's a story for another time When we moved I really wanted a dining room and the conservatory was the next best thing. Trouble is it is bitter out there as it hasn't got any heating. We can't put a radiator in there - not because of planning regs, although that is a problem, but one that could be overcome - but because of the way our heating is plumbed in. I also want to be able to dry my washing out there as now part of the menagerie are in the lounge i can't put the airers up (nor do I really want to). The washing I did on Thursday is still wet and is going to have to be rewashed because it has been damp for too long and has developed that certain aroma So I need some ideas for an economical but effective method of heating it. I was wondering about buying an oil filled rad and leaving it on very low most of the time to keep the chill off, and just turning it up when we are having dinner out there. I have always had a dining room table and I am really hating eating of my lap every night .... especially if there is gravy involved Advice much appreciated! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craftyhunnypie Posted November 11, 2007 Share Posted November 11, 2007 Hi - we have an oil filled radiator in our hall & it keeps it lovely and cozy. Takes the chill of the draught from the front door & airs the stairs & landing too. Or what about a small jet engine calor gas heater. You can give it a blast, then turn it off. They have some compact ones in B&Q. Or maybe one of those dimplex fake log burner heater things that look like little black stoves? Or fill full of chickenalia & clutter & you have less room to heat!!! Emma.x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted November 11, 2007 Share Posted November 11, 2007 Do you have a wall where you could fit a real log burner? We were looking at them yesterday and were amazed at how efficient they were - they lit the one we liked and it was so hot within a few minutes! Some of them now burn so efficiently that they have a neutral carbon footprint. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chelsea Posted November 11, 2007 Share Posted November 11, 2007 Do you have a wall where you could fit a real log burner? lesley took the words out of my mouth, I would LOVE a log burner and some of the small ones arent really that expensive and it would chuck out a lot of heat! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted November 11, 2007 Share Posted November 11, 2007 There are some absolutely super contemporary ones around now - ours will be our Christmas present this year....... and next year's and the year after.......... or, we could rob a bank Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinnamon Posted November 11, 2007 Share Posted November 11, 2007 We design & fit conservatories as a business. so............... 1 - Is it double glazed? 2 - Which direction does it face....north/south etc? 2 - Is it wood,metal or UPVC? A good soloution,if you don't mind a bit of work,would be underfloor heating, which is really great. We have it in our bathroom & if & when we move will put it throughout our new home. Oil filled rads are good, but as conservatories are mostly outside walls & obviously have lots of glass,it may take a lot to get the base temperature up. You can also get heat retaining glass,which can be pretty good. Let me know about the glazing & facing & I may have a few more ideas wink: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janty Posted November 11, 2007 Share Posted November 11, 2007 We have underfloor heating in the conservatory underneath ceramic floor tiles. We also have two electric radiators but we seldom use them as the underfloor heating is so toasty. Well worth the investment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted November 11, 2007 Share Posted November 11, 2007 an electric rad, some are really funky Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
layla Posted November 11, 2007 Share Posted November 11, 2007 Well i have to agree with cinnamon.We have a huge conservatory and have underfloor heating in it ...and basically we live in it, all year round. Ours is gas underfloor heating (hot water). I wish we had roof blinds though gets baking in the summer but can't afford them . I think if you have radiators it gets v expensive to keep heated. Hugs Layla xx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
little chickadee Posted November 11, 2007 Share Posted November 11, 2007 We've got one of those convector heater things. They are so efficient that we put it on 10 minutes before the mealand when we go in it's nice and warm. (We use our badly built conservatory as a dinding room too) It wouldn't hep with the washing idea, but, we've got ours in the room on a really good airer from lakeland. It takes most of our washing aprt from the towels which we put on radiators. Because of the clever design, all the washing hangs away from each other www.lakeland.co.uk Ref 21084 It normally gets dry pretty quickly out in the conservatory. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redfrock Posted November 12, 2007 Author Share Posted November 12, 2007 Thanks for all the replies. I knew I could rely on you lot! Emma - it already is filled with chickenalia! We have all the animal feeds (in storage boxes) and aubiose and medibed out there as it is the only place to store it! Cinnamon - it is the lean-to variety, north / north east facing, UPVC, with approx 2ft brick wall roound the bottom, a 25mm square honeycomb roof (put on amazingly badly - we have had to seal it, because the gap between roof and window was apparently for ventialtion!!! As for the guarantee - what guarantee....). The floor is tiled. At the moment cash is non-existent so we need a stop gap solution. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted November 12, 2007 Share Posted November 12, 2007 There are some absolutely super contemporary ones around now - ours will be our Christmas present this year....... and next year's and the year after.......... or, we could rob a bank My stove is the best thing I ever bought, especially on cold nights like last night. It's far more efficient than an oipen fire and burns really hot, so the whole room and most of the house is toasty in no time. If you don't have a chimney there, you can usually get them fitted with an outside flue. I get all my wood for free and scrounge from skips, so it costs me next to nothing to run - just a few Homefire stove nuggets to keep it in for longer. I can also boil a kettle on the top and roast potatoes inside...oh, and toasting marshmallows..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chicken Licken Posted November 12, 2007 Share Posted November 12, 2007 I will be lighting my rayburn in about 1 hour for the overnight heat - Go for a wood burner - you can pick them up relatively cheaply on ebay or even try on freecycle and they are said to be carbon neutral (unlike my elderly rayburn. There is something very comforting about wood burners. Also when traditional fuels get hyper expensive (and they will do in our lifetimes as they run out and China needs more and more fuel) you will have a source of heat in your drafty conservatory that you could noil a kettle on at the least and plumb into the radiators if push came to shove!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinnamon Posted November 12, 2007 Share Posted November 12, 2007 I can vouch for woodburners too, which re great for us as we get so much free wood to burn. They heat up a house amazingly well, & would give you that nice dry heat that you will need in a north facing conservatory, to stop it getting all drippy inside. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prongs Posted November 12, 2007 Share Posted November 12, 2007 We have an electric heater for the conservatory, plug it in, turn it on, and it's warm in a couple of minutes. Apart from that it's always good if it's double glazed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...