Heating

Advice on boilers, radiators, central heating systems and keeping your home warm and energy efficient.

Portable Heater Advice

29th November 2024

Portable heaters are useful for adding a little extra warmth in individual rooms or spaces, without the cost of heating the whole house. Choosing the right kind of heater will help you to heat your space most effectively, and at the lowest cost.

Oil-filled radiators

These use electricity to heat oil that is sealed inside the radiator. The oil retains heat, even after the unit is turned off, keeping it warm for longer

Efficiency: Highly energy-efficient for regular, prolonged use; they are slow to heat up but remain warm for longer after switching off.

Best for: Small to medium-sized rooms where you need consistent heat for a few hours.

Extra features: Built-in thermostats and timers allow precise temperature control.

Convector heaters

Convector heaters warm the air in a room through convection, circulating warm air upwards.

Efficiency: Quick to heat rooms and provide even heating but lose efficiency in draughty spaces. Stop heating the room as soon as they are switched off.

Best for: Medium to large rooms that need to be heated up quickly.

Extra features: Some models have built-in thermostats and timers prevent overheating.

Ceramic heaters

These use electricity to heat ceramic plates, which radiate warmth. Some include a fan to distribute the heat.

Efficiency: Heat up quickly and use energy efficiently for short-term heating. They are compact and lightweight, making them portable and easy to position

Best for: Small rooms where quick heat is needed.

Extra features: The models with oscillation ensure even heat distribution.

Infrared heaters

These emit infrared radiation to directly heat objects and people, not the surrounding air.

Efficiency: Extremely efficient as no energy is wasted on heating unused air. They provide instant heat with no warm-up time.

Best for: Small spaces, draughty areas, or personal use where targeted heating is ideal.

Fan Heaters

Fan heaters blow air over a heating element, distributing warm air quickly. They are compact and inexpensive to buy.

Efficiency: Effective for quick bursts of heat but not suitable for prolonged use due to higher energy consumption.

Best for: Immediate warmth in small spaces.

Extra features: Some have thermostats to prevent excessive energy use.

Halogen heaters

Halogen heaters emit radiant heat using halogen-filled bulbs, similar to infrared heaters but often at a lower cost. They provide low energy consumption compared to fan heaters or convectors and the bulbs are replaceable, which means that the heater will last.

Efficiency: Focused heating with minimal energy loss to surrounding air.

Best for: Small spaces or individual use.

Which portable heater is best?

The right portable heater depends on your specific needs. For sustained use in a room, choose an oil-filled radiator or ceramic heater with a thermostat. For rapidly heating a small space, fan heaters or halogen heaters may be better, and for energy efficiency and eco-friendliness, infrared heaters provide targeted warmth with minimal energy waste.

If you have central heating that is not working as well as you would expect, don’t forget to book your boiler service! For more advice and information, follow Trust a Trader on Facebook or X.

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Looking for more heating advice?

Find clear, practical answers to common heating questions, helping homeowners understand everyday issues, know what checks they can carry out safely, and when it is best to contact a qualified professional.

What is the difference between a combi boiler and a system boiler?

A combi heats water straight from the mains on demand - no cylinder needed, which makes it compact and ideal for smaller homes or flats. A system boiler works with a hot water cylinder, storing a ready supply that can serve multiple taps or showers at once without the pressure dropping - better for larger homes with more bathrooms. There's also the conventional boiler, which needs both a cylinder and a cold water tank in the loft - common in older properties. A heating engineer can help you figure out which suits your home best.
Is an air source heat pump right for my home?

Heat pumps pull warmth from the outside air (even when it's cold) and use it to heat your home and hot water. They work best in well-insulated homes, ideally with underfloor heating or larger radiators that work well at lower temperatures. In draughty or poorly insulated properties, the benefits are more limited. The Boiler Upgrade Scheme currently offers a grant of up to £7,500 towards installation, so it's worth getting a professional assessment to see whether your home is a good fit before committing.
How often should a boiler be serviced?

Once a year, by a Gas Safe registered engineer. It keeps the boiler running safely, catches small issues before they become expensive, and is usually a condition of the manufacturer's warranty. Some home insurance policies require proof of regular servicing too. If you're not sure when yours was last done, book one before winter - better to find out before you're sitting in a cold house!
Why is my radiator cold at the top but warm at the bottom?

This issue is almost always trapped air. Bleeding the radiator - using a radiator key to release the air - usually sorts it, and it's one of the few heating jobs you can safely do yourself. If bleeding it doesn't work, or if several radiators are having the same problem, it might be a pressure or pump issue. Worth getting a heating engineer in to have a look.
What are the signs my boiler needs replacing?

Keep an eye out for: frequent breakdowns, energy bills going up without using more heat, unusual noises (banging, kettling, or whistling), a flame that's yellow or orange instead of blue, and any visible leaks or rust around the unit. If your boiler is over fifteen years old and ticking any of those boxes, replacing it is usually the more economical choice - modern boilers are significantly more efficient.
Is underfloor heating worth it and do I need a professional to install it?

For a new build or a big renovation, underfloor heating is often a great investment - it heats rooms more evenly than radiators and can be more efficient, especially alongside a heat pump. Retrofitting in an existing home is more of a job, and how worthwhile it is depends on your floor types and how much disruption you're happy to deal with. Either way - wet or electric - it has to be installed by a qualified professional.
Why does my boiler keep losing pressure?

Some pressure drop over time is normal, but if you're topping it up regularly there's usually a cause: a small leak in the system (which isn't always easy to spot), a pressure relief valve that's releasing water, or air in the system after bleeding radiators. Topping it up via the filling loop is fine as a short-term fix, but if you're doing it more than a couple of times a year, it's worth getting an engineer to look into why it keeps happening.

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