A new heating system for Stokenham parish hall

Visitors to the parish hall in Stokenham will know the sensation in cooler weather of having the tops of their heads grow uncomfortably warm under the glowing red heaters positioned high on the walls.

Now over two decades old, the installation has by general agreement reached the end of its life, and work is in hand to replace it with something more suited to the twenty-first century.

Because the hall (and the adjoining kitchen and Wesley Smith conference room) has no existing infrastructure of radiators and pipework, any replacement heating system needs to be self-contained and relatively quick and straighforward to install. This leaves two obvious candidates: an updated ceiling-mounted infra-red panel heater network; and an air-to-air heat pump installation. Both systems have their adherents and detractors among the Parish Hall Committee and to break the deadlock it has been agreed that Stokenham parish council will fund an independent survey to recommend the most appropriate way forward.

Future upgrades include a proposed solar PV and battery installation that will enable load-shifting to off-peak electricty rates, which should significantly reduce the hall’s electricity bill. Watch this space!