ThermaSkirt installed in a modern open-plan living room with floor-to-ceiling glazing
Electric Heating

No pipes. No plumber. Just warmth.

ThermaSkirt e is a direct electric infrared heater that looks like a skirting board. It connects onto a standard fused spur, warms the whole room from the perimeter, and works just as well in a garden room as it does in a 5-bed retrofit. Two profiles, three styles, endless finishes.

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Why electric ThermaSkirt

Infrared warmth. Mains electricity. Nothing else.

100%Efficient at point of useAll energy becomes heat
20–30 minRoom-to-temperature timeFrom cold start
5 yrElement warrantySelf-regulating cable
CE Marked
EN 60335-2-30, LVD
Made in Britain
Manchester manufactured
BSRIA tested
Independent UK test lab
LOT 20 compliant
EU ECO Directive
The simple electric alternative

Warmth where pipework can't reach.

Not every room has access to central heating pipework. Garden rooms, loft conversions, extensions and apartments often need an independent heating solution. ThermaSkirt e provides it, without the bulk and dust of traditional electric heaters.

Instead of a hot box on the wall blowing dusty air upward, ThermaSkirt e radiates gentle warmth from the skirting board around the entire room. It heats objects and people directly, creating a comfortable environment without drying the air or circulating allergens.

  • Garden rooms and annexes
  • Loft and garage conversions
  • Apartments without wet heating
  • Solar PV households
  • Off-gas-grid properties
  • Extensions without pipework access
How it works

Infrared, from the skirting board up.

Behind each length of ThermaSkirt e is a self-regulating heating cable in contact with an aluminium radiant panel. Switch it on, and the whole face of the skirting gives off far-infrared radiant heat, warming the walls, floors and furniture directly rather than pushing hot air around the room.

All it needs is a 220–240V switched fused spur from an electrician. The lengths are cut to size, snap onto wall brackets, and run on a room-by-room digital thermostat. Or any 16 A smart thermostat you already own. No transformers, no wiring centres, no pipework.

Decarbonisation case

Decarbonising as the grid does.

The Future Homes Standard removes new gas connections from new-build housing and accelerates the move to all-electric heating. Direct electric paired with rooftop PV, battery storage and time-of-use tariffs is now a viable primary heating spec for well-insulated new build and deep-retrofit housing, particularly where heat-pump siting, acoustic constraints or water-loop coordination would dominate the M&E effort.

ThermaSkirt e is 100% efficient at the point of use, with a low-embodied-carbon construction (75% recycled British aluminium extrusion, PTC cable, no refrigerants, no compressor, no annual servicing requirement). As the grid decarbonises the carbon factor of the heating output drops automatically, with no plant replacement and no rip-out cost.

No boiler? No problem.

Future-proof by design.

New-build gas boilers are being phased out, and the grid is getting greener every year. Electricity is the fuel the UK is heading towards, so a home heated by ThermaSkirt e gets cleaner automatically as the grid decarbonises: no new kit, no replumbing, no rip-outs. It's also 100% efficient at the point of use, which means every watt you pay for turns into heat in the room.

The Range

Two profiles, three styles, endless finishes.

The electric range mirrors the wet one. Two profiles, three styles, endless finishes. Pick the profile that suits your rooms, choose between uncapped, traditional torus or softer ovolo styling, then pick any RAL colour for the finish.

Standard Electric

Deco BMe2

Up to 20m per circuit

Our slim-line electric profile. Plugs into a 13A fused spur and runs up to 20m per circuit. Perfect for smaller, well-insulated rooms.

Download Deco BMe2 technical data sheet (PDF)
Deco BMe2 BMe2 profile, Square Edge
BMe2115mm / 4.5"

Square Edge

Uncapped finish
  • Simple, stylish square edge
  • Ideal for modern apartments
  • Our slimmest electric profile
Deco BMe2 BMe2TS profile, Torus Capping
BMe2TS160mm / 6¼"

Torus Capping

Traditional finish
  • Classic torus moulding
  • Ideal for renovation & restoration
  • Also available in wet
Deco BMe2 BMe2OV profile, Ovolo Capping
BMe2OV160mm / 6¼"

Ovolo Capping

Sealed, wipe-clean finish
  • Sealed, wipe-clean top capping
  • Softer profile for period interiors
  • Also available in wet
High Output Electric

Deco BMe3

Higher outputFor larger rooms

Taller electric profile with increased output. Designed for larger rooms, colder properties and spaces that need a bit more warmth per metre.

Download Deco BMe3 technical data sheet (PDF)
Deco BMe3 BMe3 profile, Square Edge
BMe3170mm / 7"

Square Edge

Uncapped finish
  • Clean, minimalist look
  • Suitable for poorly insulated rooms
  • Our tallest electric profile
Deco BMe3 BMe3TS profile, Torus Capping
BMe3TS210mm / 8¼"

Torus Capping

Traditional finish
  • Classic torus moulding
  • Matches period properties
  • Also available in wet
Deco BMe3 BMe3OV profile, Ovolo Capping
BMe3OV210mm / 8¼"

Ovolo Capping

Sealed, wipe-clean finish
  • Sealed, wipe-clean top capping
  • Softer profile for period interiors
  • Also available in wet
The electric math

Cheaper to run than you'd expect.

Flat-rate electricity at 24p/kWh makes any electric heater look expensive on paper. But almost nobody running ThermaSkirt e is paying flat-rate. Here's what the numbers actually look like with the tariffs and kit most households now have access to.

Flat tariff

Standard single-rate

24p/kWh

The on-paper worst case. In practice very few households are still on a flat single-rate tariff, and ThermaSkirt e’s power-modulating controller pulls average consumption below rated wattage whenever the room is hovering near setpoint.

Time-of-use

Economy 7 or similar

5–15p/kWh overnight

Off-peak electricity overnight charges the thermal mass of walls and floors. Infrared warmth is retained for hours, so the room stays comfortable well into the day without the meter ticking at peak rate.

Cheapest to runSolar + battery

Solar PV + home battery

<13.6p/kWh blended

Free daytime generation plus a 15kWh battery charged at 5.6p/kWh off-peak brings effective cost below gas or a heat pump on a standard tariff. Quietly one of the cheapest ways to heat a well-insulated home.

Figures based on typical 2025 UK tariffs. Your energy usage will depend on insulation, room size and tariff choice. ThermaSkirt e also has a power-modulating PCB that runs at 50% power when hovering near the room temperature setpoint, so real-world energy consumption is much lower than rated wattage.

See what it would cost in your home
In real homes

See it in place.

ThermaSkirt installed in homes across the UK. The electric and wet versions share the same profiles and finishes, so the end result looks identical: a skirting board that happens to be warm.

Explore by room
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Installation

Electrician in, skirting on.

ThermaSkirt e is a dry, one-trade install. An electrician brings a fused spur to each room, the skirting lengths snap onto brackets, and the cables are safely housed behind them. Most rooms are finished in a day.

  1. 01

    Free design

    Upload a sketch, get a heat-loss calc, cable-grade spec and room-by-room quote.

  2. 02

    Electrician first

    A qualified electrician runs a 220–240V fused spur to each room and fits a Type C 30mA RCBO.

  3. 03

    Snap-fit skirting

    Brackets to the wall, lengths clip on, cables thread through, covers clip on top. No wet trades.

  4. 04

    Switch on

    Pair with any smart thermostat. Room-by-room control from day one. 5-year element warranty.

Electrician + DIY

Do the fitting yourself

An electrician handles the fused spur; a competent DIYer handles the skirting, brackets and cable threading using our detailed instructions and install videos. Most of the labour is joinery, not sparking.

See the DIY guideFull install

Use a registered installer

Prefer to hand the whole job over? Our UK-wide network of registered installers can spec, deliver and fit the system end-to-end, including the electrical side.

Find an installer near you
Frequently Asked Questions

Everything you need to know

Do I need an electrician to install ThermaSkirt e?
Yes, for the supply side. A qualified electrician needs to run a 220–240V switched fused spur to each room (usually via a dedicated ring main like any electric heating system) and fit a Type C 30mA RCBO. Once that's in place, the skirting itself can be fitted by a competent DIYer using our instructions and install videos, or by any tradesperson. There's no plumbing work at any stage.
How much does it cost to run compared to gas?
On a flat single-rate tariff (~24p/kWh), electric heating is more expensive per unit than gas. But almost nobody running ThermaSkirt e is paying flat rate: Economy 7 and time-of-use tariffs drop to 5–15p/kWh off-peak, and solar PV makes daytime heating effectively free. ThermaSkirt e also has a power-modulating PCB that runs at 50% power when hovering near setpoint, so average consumption is lower than rated wattage. For a well-insulated room on off-peak electricity, running costs can be close to (or lower than) gas.
Can I pair it with solar PV and a home battery?
Yes. ThermaSkirt e is one of the best partners for solar and battery storage. Free daytime generation heats the room and charges the thermal mass; a 15kWh battery charged overnight at 5.6p/kWh keeps that going through the evening. Blended cost typically works out below 13.6p/kWh — cheaper than gas or a heat pump on a standard tariff.
Does it work on Economy 7 or time-of-use tariffs?
Yes, and it's designed for them. Infrared warmth is retained in walls, floors and furniture for hours after the heater switches off. That means you can charge the room overnight at off-peak rates and stay comfortable through peak hours without running the meter. All major time-of-use tariffs (Economy 7, Economy 10, Octopus Agile, etc.) are supported.
Will it work with Hive, Nest, Tado and other smart thermostats?
Yes. ThermaSkirt e switches like any electric heater, so every major smart thermostat works: Hive, Nest, Tado, Drayton Wiser, Heatmiser. You get full scheduling, remote control, and per-room zoning.
Is it a fire risk if something covers it?
No. ThermaSkirt e uses a self-regulating heating system that physically cannot exceed its maximum temperature, even when fully covered. If a sofa, curtain or piece of bedding sits against it, the covered section simply reduces its own output. There's no thermal fuse to fail and no risk of ignition from paper, clothes or soft furnishings resting on top. That's a fundamental difference from most panel and convector heaters.
Can I put furniture right up against it?
Yes. Unlike panel heaters, ThermaSkirt e is designed to have furniture placed directly against it. The self-regulating system adjusts output automatically in covered sections, and because heat still radiates from the rest of the perimeter, the room stays evenly warm.
What's the maximum run length per room?
On a 13A fused spur, the standard BMe2 profile runs up to 20m per circuit and the higher-output BMe3 runs up to 15m. Most rooms fit comfortably inside that. For larger open spaces you can run two circuits from separate spurs, and we'll spec the layout as part of your free quote.
What size fuse and RCD do I need?
A 13A switched fused spur per circuit, protected by a Type C 30mA RCBO. Your electrician handles the calculation as part of the install. We provide full electrical specs and wiring diagrams with every quote.
Is it LOT 20 compliant?
Yes. Since January 2018, electric heaters sold in the UK and EU must comply with LOT 20 of the ECO Directive. DiscreteHeat offers LOT 20 compliant control options as standard, so the system meets the efficiency requirements out of the box.
Is it safe for children and pets?
Yes. ThermaSkirt e runs at a low surface temperature, sits flush at floor level (so no sharp corners or sticking-out edges to bump into), and the self-regulating cable can't overheat. RoSPA data shows radiators are responsible for the majority of impact injuries in under-5s and over-65s; ThermaSkirt eliminates that risk.
What's the warranty?
Five years on the heating element, which is a self-regulating system with no consumable parts. We've been making ThermaSkirt e since 2017 with more than 10,000 systems installed.

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Ready to see ThermaSkirt e in your home?

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