Buying guide
Portable Heaters
Things to consider when buying a portable heater
Portable heaters are great for keeping the chill off a room in the warmer seasons when it's not quite cold enough to put on your heating, or are ideal to use in a pinch if your heating starts playing up in the depths of winter. But considering what type of heater to purchase can quickly become overwhelming. This handy guide will help eliminate the jargon and help you decide what heater is best for you and your family.
Where are you going to use it?
Where you are planning on using your portable heater will determine which type to purchase. For example, if you intend to use it in a garage or workshop, you will require a more robust product that has a dust filters like those incorporated in the RUG3TS. But for small bedrooms, a compact heater like the Eco Chico is ideal. If you’re after a heater for general use in living areas, you have a wide choice of all around heaters: fan and ceramic, convectors and radiators.
What type of heat do you want?
There are three main types of heat produced from portable heaters: fanned, radiant and convected.
Fan heaters draw air over a heating element quickly by using a fan to then propel the warmed air out. Radiant heaters create rays of energy that convert to heat once it hits and is absorbed by the body or object, similar to the warmth you feel from the sun, whereas convector heaters heat up the air around you and push it out into the room. The optimum heat type for human comfort is actually a blend of 80% convected and 20% radiant heat, so look for a heater that features a mixture of both technologies like our oil-free eco portable radiators.
Preparing your home heating this autumn
As the year rolls around once more it is time to welcome the autumn season and all that it will bring with it; leaves changing from shades of green to reds and browns and yellows, the migration of all kinds of birds and Halloween (and even Christmas) decorations starting to appear in the shops. As summer ends, autumn signifies the waning of the year.
Piping Hot – preventing burst water pipes in freezing weather
Chris Stammers, product marketing director, Dimplex
With rapid freeze/thaw cycles in the weather striking the UK there is a real threat of damage to household pipework. Whether a homeowner or a landlord you should be aware of the state of pipework and the potential impact of a burst pipe.
Part two: Fuel poverty in electrically heated homes
Around 2.2million households in the UK are electrically heated, which accounts for 8.5% of all homes. This includes storage heating (1.7million), direct acting heating systems (0.5million) and heat pumps (less than 0.1million). In total, 16% of electrically heated homes in England and 50% of electrically heated homes in Scotland are living in fuel poverty - a total of 454,480 households.