Heating / cooling for brick built garden office

[Spreadsheetman]

I’m buying a place that has a brick-built garden room/office and looking for a heating solution with the option to cool, although I doubt I’ll do that much cooling. Place is 3m x 2.5m with a pitched tile roof and upvc double-glazed windows and door in one 3m side.

 

From a quick look around, something like a 2.5kw split aircon system (Toshiba/Panasonic etc.) would be more than enough and these are pretty cheap. Plus  there are wifi interfaces for them that would allow me to control the temp from the house so I could pre-warm/cool when I plan to spend time in there.

 

Does that sound like a viable plan?
 

I was a bit surprised to see that the kit can’t be ordered without naming a f-gas installer. How do I go about finding one? I can only seem to find commercial aircon companies, no independents or small outfits near me (North Norfolk). I only want someone to pipe it up and gas it, not a worthwhile job for a large company.

[Conor]

Is it insualted? If so what type?

[Spreadsheetman]

6 minutes ago, Conor said:

Is it insualted? If so what type?

Can’t tell. It’s brick+block, plastered inside, but no way of knowing what is in the cavities, if anything.

 

If I haven’t done anything about it before winter (lots to do on the house) then some temperature logging kit and a fan heater should allow a good approximation of the losses to be calculated.

[Marvin]

Hi @Spreadsheetman

 

@Conor has picked up an important point about insulation which hopefully you will only have to buy once and it will not need servicing, it will keep you warmer in the winter and cooler in the summer.

 

@Nickfromwales has commented before on this sort of thing. Sometimes insulating well can avoid having to buy a big / complicated heating system. 

 

One of our bedrooms will use about 300w to heat when it's -8C outside. I produce about 70 watts working at the desk so not much left.

 

Good luck

 

M