heating

We don't have central heating, but we have a log burner and push around gas heaters, we are considering putting in a solid fuel range with back boiler to run radiators but that is some way off yet.  I have been reading up on paraffin heaters which I've not seen since I was a child and thought that they were a thing of ancient history,  but I see a lot of spanish houses have them.  Has anyone got experience of using these  and even more important what price is paraffin in spain at the moment. 

I would not advise the use of paraffin heaters. They produce condensation and noxious fumes that cause chesty coughs. The not so well off  French use them a lot because the fuel in France is relatively cheap. However if you enter a French home you know immediately they have a paraffn heater inside.

Agree with Mickyfinn - your health isn't worth the modest saving.  I reckon most forms of portable heaters have draw backs, except perhaps the oil filled radiator type.

Every year there's usually a few debates on EOS regarding heating.  It depends on your circumstance and lifestyle, but for me a full gas fired system takes some beating.  It's a whole lot simpler and cleaner than log burners - these might be a bit cheaper to run, but when you add on the extra cost of the regular re-decoration costs which become necessary log burners might end up more expensive.

probably oil central heating seems to be the most popular.

Relying on oil filled radiators would be very expensive.

Gas cylinders may make full central heating impractical.

Some say air conditioning   Heating units  are efficient and cost effective, 

Neater heaters are becoming very popular , and are supposed to use less electricity than conventional electric heaters.

Thank you for the comments I'm looking into neater heaters at the moment and have emailed the brit lads but now had a reply as yet but I think im going to import an aga type range with a back boiler to run up to 8 rads.....maybe?

If you have several neater heaters, make sure the potencia is sufficient , or the electric will keep going off.

Hi campasol yes that may be my undoing as my potentcia is only 3.3 now for another brainwave I have seen adverts for pellet burners with back boiler any one tried these and how do pellets come and at what cost. I know I am a bit of a pain but in my very late 50s so only get one chance and want to get it right

If you have seen adverts, why not give them a call and ask them?

Smart arse I have contacted them but all you get is the bull sh1t I would like to know what real people have experienced

No need to be rude!

Ha ha I love your posts

Over the last few years we have installed a woodburning stove with a back boiler and a 500 litre heat accumulator.  That provides us with domestic hot water and central heating in winter.  This summer we added solar thermal to the system as well so we have plenty of hot water in summer months.  We tried to find a woodburner with a build in back boiler in Spain but at the time couldn't find anything so sourced everything in the UK and transported it out ourselves.  Last winter we found the identical woodburner and boiler in a shop locally so they are now appearing in Spain.

Casperruby...

We used to have a log/wood burner (built in as there was a chimney in the finca we rented.) It changed our lives! It heated the bedroom as well as the corner of the living room where it was situated.

We had a 1/2 lorry load of wood delivered at the start of each winter (cost Eu120) and that usually lasted us the winter. (Only once did we have to do a top up when it was particularly wet/cold one year.) 

We are now living in a terraced town house and like most, it has damp issues. We have just bought a pellet burner. (I think it is 6.6kw?) The sacks of pellets (15kg) costs Eu4.50 and I have been told it uses around one a week. The major investment of course is the set up cost. They cost around Eu995, plus tubing and installation (so you could get up to Eu2,000 easily!) We were very lucky to buy a second hand one (used one winter only) for half of original cost.

Will let you know how we get on with it. (The only electricity being used I understand is the timer to drop the pellets that then burn.) Looking forward to less mess/humping big logs! 

(I think if we were here long term/it was our property we might have looked at a back boiler version, but we are only house sitting for the owners.) 

Susan, you have posted that you have paid and installed a heating appliance in someone else's property, you have previously posted that you and your partner had recently purchased a village property, I'm very confused.  

If I were you, I would not buy them, because their operation is not as reliable and there are few craftsmen who specialize in paraffin heaters. If I were you, I'd leave the old radiators in, but if they ruin the look of your room or apartment and you want to replace them with new ones, then I advise you to look at the range at radiator outlet, they have very interesting options that fit the new interiors well, and not that expensive. Save money at radiator outlet