Central heating or oil filled radiators

[xxxJess123xxx]

As we all are, I’m trying to keep costs down.
I havnt had my heating on yet, we are in a well insulated first floor flat so are wedged in which I think helps
For example, it’s 19.5c in front room and I have had my windows open for an hour this morning to clear out the condensation (we suffer badly with this, always have)

thinking to when we do need to start putting some heating on, do you find central heating works out cheaper than oil radiators when it’s just starting to get chilly?

2 kids, a little dog, South east, work from home

thanks all!

Use your smart meter
but tbh it’s about value for money as well
we can have the fire on all day it’s £5
£8 let’s us heat the whole house with it spending £3 more

I don’t have a smart reader as such. I can do meter readings, that could work

If you have condensation issues then I would strongly recommend you look into getting a dehumidifier. Condensation is not good for your house and if it causes mold to grow then it's bad for your health too. They don't cost much to run and the dry air they pump out is warm, so there's that benefit too. We always had loads of condensation and I thought it was normal and just something that happens in winter, but the difference with having a dehumidifier is massive.

Oil-filled radiators are electric, which is generally more expensive than using gas. I would experiment with turning off radiators in room you're not using.

Depends on the type of central heating, if it's gas then it's cheaper to run than oil filled electric radiators.
Might be worth considering a dehumidifier for the condensation, they work well, you don't lose heat (money) to the outside like opening windows and the small amount of power they use will contribute a little to warming the room.

@MotherofPufflings - snap

Can anyone recommend a good one? Every room has condensation and we just clear it every morning opening the windows.
would I not need one in every room? I have an air con unit that apparently does have a dehumidifier function.

im talking top to bottom dripping windows.

its gas central heating yes x

Gas is much cheaper than electricity, so use the central heating, regulate the temperature in rooms using the trv's (or just partially close the valve if you haven't got trv's). If you've got a programable thermostat, set times and temperatures to fit your life. You are correct that condensation is a ventilation problem, thick curtains can help, trickle vents need to be open, use the extractor fan in the kitchen, check the one in the bathroom works (it should run when the light is on and ideally run for 5 minutes after). A window vac is good for mopping up condensation, if you use a cloth you then need to dry the cloth which promptly puts the water back into the air ready to condense on the windows.

yes, I have thick blackout curtains and all vents are on. We have those Unibond 360 dehumidifiers in every room but unsure they do much.
I have one of those Kercher window sucker things that I use alongside windows open every morning.
Its 19.7 still so we are a while away from heating thankfully x

Lots of people recommend Meaco dehumidifiers. I've got a Daewoo one which was cheaper and works very well too. Different models are recommended for different size rooms/houses so it will depend on your house. We find that it's generally bedrooms that are worst in the morning because of people breathing in there all night!

I would also try and reduce the amount of moisture getting into the air in the first place - drying laundry on an airer without a dehumidifier is the absolute worst thing IME. Also make sure that you're using extractor fans after showers, or open the window afterwards. If you're cooking pasta, vegetables etc then turn the extractor fan on if it vents to the outside and if it doesn't then open the window to let the steam out.

Agree with the dehumidifier suggestion. Damp air feels colder.

Are you making sure you put lids on pans, keep bathroom door shut after showers, using a squeegee to wipe down the shower (or your window vac).

We always suffered more in flats than houses. Harder to sir right through and your living and sleeping spaces are closer together.

Central heating is cheaper to run unless you just need to heat one small space e.g if working from home.

We had a Meaco Arete dehumidifier which was brilliant. Now we've moved from the UK, we have a cheaper model (only 16l rather than 20l) and costs twice as much to run. So, check the running costs as well as the initial outlay. Damp air costs more to heat, so it makes sense to deal with that and then use gas central heating. Heavy lined curtains is a low cost way to lower heating costs, especially if bought second hand.