You’ve considered the thickness of the log cabin walls, deliberated over insulating the roof and floor and thought about double glazing as ways to retain heat in your cabin – you may like to read my blog How to Insulate a Log Cabin for advice on this.
It’s now time to consider what heating to use to keep your cabin nice and toasty, especially if you are planning to use it all year.
Whether you are running electricty to your cabin or not, there are a variety of heating options you can consider.
Heating Options with Electricity Supply
Electric convection heater
Good at heating air quickly.
- Many come with a 24 hour timer function and thermostat to maintain a comfortable temperature.
- Can warm the air much quicker than radiators.
- Relatively cheap to buy and install.
- Free standing or wall mounted.
Electric radiator
- Uses an electric element inside that heats up.
- Can be linked to a thermostat and timer.
- Less temperature control than convection heaters and slower to heat up.
- Wall mounted.
Electric oil-filled radiator
Oil retains heat and the radiator will therefore stay warm long after it has been switched off.
- Can be linked to a thermostat and timer.
- Low cost with no installation.
- Choice and designs more limited than wall-mounted electric heaters.
- Slow to heat up so best used on a timer.
- Free standing.
Electric fan heater
Ideal for circulating heat.
- Gives instant heat by passing air over a heat element that is blown out of a vent.
- Can use up a lot of energy so worth keeping an eye on amount of time used.
- Portable or fixed.
Halogen heater
Powered by electricity.
- Halogen elements not electrical coil provide the heat elements.
- Energy efficient and durable.
- Can be a little more pricey than some electric counterparts, however the running costs are cheaper.
- Portable.
Underfloor heating
- Great for providing an even heat to all of the cabin and not just a localised spot.
- Uses a mesh element which is cut to size and fitted below the floor.
- Will need additional floor covering – any maintenance problems would involve this having to be lifted.
- More expensive to install than heaters.
- Installation must be carried out by a suitably qualified person such as an electrician (not an average DIY job).
Heating Options Without Electricity Supply
Log Burning Stove
Quick to warm up and great at retaining heat.
- Very energy efficient.
- Ambient and cosy.
- Can be expensive to set up, however running costs are low.
- Installation must be done professionally by a HETAS engineer.
- A carbon monoxide alarm is a must with a log burner.
Solar Powered Heater
- Solar panels on the roof enable water to be heated which is fed through to a single radiator.
- Very economical.
- Environmentally friendly and safe.
- It is also possible to have solar PV panels professionally installed. This enables electricity to be generated which can be used for the electricity powered heating options described above.
And for added warmth, don’t forget rugs, curtains and carpets.
