I'm considering buying a diy conservatory but I don't know whether to go for a full height ( with solid panels at the bottom ) or a dwarf wall model. Is there much difference in how they keep warm etc.

Also what do you do about power points and heating devices in a conservatory with full height panels as I guess they can't be mounted on the panels themselves.

Andy

"pike" wrote in message
news

I'm considering buying a diy conservatory but I don't know whether to go
for a full height ( with solid panels at the bottom ) or a dwarf wall
model. Is there much difference in how they keep warm etc.

If you are tight for space as I was then bottom panels give quite a few
extra inches. The difference in insulation is not really significant when
you take all the glazing into account.

Also what do you do about power points and heating devices in a
conservatory with full height panels as I guess they can't be mounted
on the panels themselves.

I fitted floor mounted convectors, Jaga I think. For power I fitted sockets
to the existing wall and just ran trailing outlets round the perimeter.
Easily hidden and more
than adequate for the likely loads.

Jim A

"pike" wrote in message
news

I'm considering buying a diy conservatory but I don't know whether to go
for a full height ( with solid panels at the bottom ) or a dwarf wall
model. Is there much difference in how they keep warm etc.

Also what do you do about power points and heating devices in a
conservatory with full height panels as I guess they can't be mounted
on the panels themselves.

A dwarf wall will give you a window ledge.

I'm considering buying a diy conservatory but I don't know whether to go
for a full height ( with solid panels at the bottom ) or a dwarf wall
model. Is there much difference in how they keep warm etc.

It depends on the style of property. A full height with solid wood lower
panels looks very good on most period properties, whilst modern houses might
prefer a dwarf wall model, although a full height version can look good on
any age, really.

In any case, if doing it diy, then a full height model is much simpler.
There's no wall to build.

Is there much difference in how they keep warm etc.

That depends on the panel construction. The baltic pine wooden panels are
quite good insulation, whilst some uninsulated uPVC panels could be quite
poor. Others might be insulated, and thus beat wood.

Also what do you do about power points and heating devices in a
conservatory with full height panels as I guess they can't be mounted
on the panels themselves.

That depends. With the wooden panels, these can be mounted very easily. It
is more difficult with uPVC. When heating conservatories, remember a few
things.

(a) Specify double glazing for the windows
(b) Specify double glazing (or at least triple wall polycarbonate) for the
roof.
(c) If extending central heating, ensure it acts as an independently timed
zone.

As for the type, electric heating will be extortionate to run. It is better
to extend the central heating. In a conservatory with limited wall space,
there are several technologies that can help and you should consider. These
suggestions all run off a wet central heating system. They all require their
own zone. If this is impractical, they can still have a zone valve and
programmable thermostat, but they will only work when the house zone is
calling for heat as well.

Underfloor heating:

Pros: Pleasant warmth to feet, without overheating head, no wall space
needed. Quiet.
Cons: Relatively expensive, slow to respond, so must be turned on for long
period before effective, limited maximum output might not cope with
exceptionally cold conditions. Difficult to fix in case of leak, especially
if buried in concrete.

Skirting heating:

Pros: No wall space needed. Quiet. Can provide topup to underfloor to ensure
effectiveness in cold weather.
Cons: Skirting might not suit conservatory panels. Limited maximum output.
Relatively expensive.

Fan convectors:

Pros: Very rapid warmup, suited to boost heating 10 minutes before intended
room use. Ideal for dining room use or other intermittent usages. Massive
heat output well in excess of that required to maintain temperature in
exceptionally cold conditions. Rapid response leads to greater energy
efficiency, as you can heat only when occupied.
Cons: Requires some wall space (either above door using hiline, or on low
wall, using loline). Can be noisy. Moderately expensive.

Radiators:

Pros: Simple. Cheap. Quiet.
Cons: Uses large amounts of wall space to achieve acceptable output.

Christian.