Upgrading to Electric Central Heating

[cotopaxi]

Hi all,

I recently got some helpful advice from the forum about reasonable costs for replacing old fashioned panel heaters
with Economy 7 night storage heaters.

An electrician suggested me this other solution as he said that Economy 7 night storage heaters are old technology:
Electric Combination Radiator System, provided by this company:
http://www.electric-heatingcompany.co.uk/index.php/ehc-panel-heaters/
These run off an Economy 10 electricity tariff and provide preferential off-peak rates and times.

A third option suggested to me was also to install radiators provided by this company:
http://www.economy-radiators.com/electric-radiator-advice.html
In this case the heaters would not require any new wiring and connect to the existing points and supply. These new technology heaters use less power they say. So in other words they don't use special Economy 7 or Economy 10 tariffs but the radiators themselves are much cheaper to run, and the advantage for the user is that they get heating when they want it - i.e. they don't have to have stored it from earlier.

Considering the electric tariffs shown in this table: http://www.economy-radiators.com/electric-tariffs.html
(Economy 7, Economy 10, standing order, not standing order) and the cost of the actual panel heaters (and possible new wiring if going for Economy 7 or Economy 10 ones) and looking into the future what do you think would be the best way forward?

A) Economy 7 Night Storage (old fashion) Radiator System
B) Economy 10 Electric Combination Radiator System
C) The solution provided by the company www.economy-radiators.com which uses the existing wiring and there won't be any need of installing a new meter

I'd be grateful for any opinions you have. I'll be away for the next week and so will see any replies on my return so thanks in advance for any input...

 

[ban-all-sheds]

These new technology heaters use less power they say.

How can they?

I'd love to see an explanation from them about what the "old technology" heaters do with some of the energy they consume if they aren't turning all of it into heat.


http://www.google.co.uk/search?q="economy-radiators.com"+site:www.diynot.com

http://www.google.co.uk/search?q="electric-heatingcompany"+site:www.diynot.com

what do you think would be the best way forward?

Electricity is a lot more expensive than gas.

If you must use it for heating then air-source or ground-source heat pumps are best.

 

[cotopaxi]

Thanks I will look at the links but am about to go now ...

Just to clarify it is a very small rented property so I don't want to make a huge upfront investment so I just want something that will be more attractive to potential tenants than basic panel heaters.

Many thanks.

 

[OwainDIYer]

£254 for a 500W panel heater?

They *are* basic panel heaters; they can't be anything else by the laws of physics.

If the likely tenants (young professional etc) is likely to be out during the day, then avoid storage heaters and fit panel heaters with thermostats and timers.

If family or old people who are in during the day then storage heaters are more effective, but watch the surface temperatures.

 

[SimonH2]

We have storage heaters at work, they are f***ing sh1te. I can see how the vendors claim their heaters are more efficient - we often have to open windows to let heat out because the controls on the storage heaters are so carp. That's the main issue - the heater will be equally efficient at turning lecky into heat, but control will be so much better that you'll need/waste less heat.

Obviously it's hard to justify spending a lot of money when you aren't going to be paying the bills, but you will find that any clued up potential tenant will know that electric heating is costly to run and they will want the rent to reflect that. Ie you can expect to get a lower rent to offset the higher running costs.

Have you looked at what options are actually available ? Is gas a possibility, or just not available ? While it would cost for installation, the running costs could be "a lot lower".

On the upside, electric heating is simple and reliable - tenants do get a bit ratty when it's a combi boiler (spit) and it keep breaking down.

 

[bernardgreen]

you will find that any clued up potential tenant will know that electric heating is costly to run and they will want the rent to reflect that. Ie you can expect to get a lower rent to offset the higher running costs

That is definately true if you want quality tenants who will look after the property. Those tenants who don't care about running costs ( often because the bills are paid by housing benefit ) will not care about looking after the house either.

If there is no gas supply in the area it can be economical to use tanked gas for heating as the increase in rent will pay back the installation in about two to three years. ( based on rental properties in a nearby village that does not have mains gas )

And future repair costs are lower if you avoid the complexity of a combi boiler,

 

[SimonH2]

you will find that any clued up potential tenant will know that electric heating is costly to run and they will want the rent to reflect that. Ie you can expect to get a lower rent to offset the higher running costs

That is definately true if you want quality tenants who will look after the property.

Which is definitely the market I'm in.

And future repair costs are lower if you avoid the complexity of a combi boiler,

God yes, a combi would be boiler of last choice for me.
[rant]Not just reliability either - a bast**d compromise of a boiler that's grossly oversized for heating (and hence rubbish), while at the same time being grossly undersized for a decent hot water supply (and hence rubbish if you don't want to plan your baths an hour in advance), prone to failure (with no backup options). They are only popular because a lot of people don't know any better, and plumbers love them because they are less work to fit than a proper system.[/rant]
This is what I did in my flat - time will tell how well it works, but the boiler hasn't shown a single problem now the combi stuff isn't being used.

 

[cotopaxi]

Thanks.
Gas is not an option for me for a variety of reasons

The choices therefore that I have - apart from gas (which is not practical and very costly) are to upgrade to the night storage heaters economy 7 shown above (A) or options (B) and (C) above suggested by other electricians.

If you can give me feedback on what you would go for among (A), (B) and (C) above if you had to do that in a potential rented flat/house it would be appreciated. I'm only after electrical advice - I appreciate all the issues about what is attractive to different groups of tenants...

I'll be off-line for a week so will see any replies on my return.

Thanks!

 

[cotopaxi]

Sorry forgot to add that obviously I also welcome any other non-gas options apart from (A),(B),(C) above...

Thanks!

 

[phatboy]

I have a variant of E10 - E8, which works in much the same way - 3 warm-ups per day.

I think its fine, in fact I removed a Gas combi when I moved in and fitted storage heaters.

 

[EFLImpudence]

in fact I removed a Gas combi when I moved in and fitted storage heaters.

You removed gas central heating, which comes on only when needed and is cheaper, in favour of storage heaters, which use power whether needed or not.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Check his earlier posts where it becomes clear that gas is more expensive than electricity on Jersey...

 

[JohnW2]

If there is no gas supply in the area it can be economical to use tanked gas for heating as the increase in rent will pay back the installation in about two to three years. ( based on rental properties in a nearby village that does not have mains gas )

If it is an enforced choice between LPG and electricity, then that's probably just about true, but LPG ain't cheap. I'm 'forced' to use it and IIRC the last time I did the sums, it was costing something like 9p per kWh - probably closer to electricity than (mainland) natural gas prices.

Kind Regards, John

 

[EFLImpudence]

gas is more expensive than electricity on Jersey...

I did not know that. Thanks.

Probably not advisable in Edinburgh.

 

[phatboy]

You removed gas central heating, which comes on only when needed and is cheaper, in favour of storage heaters, which use power whether needed or not.

As BAS says, electricity is the cheaper option here in Jersey,

However I do not really agree that storage heaters use power 'whether needed or not' - they are thermostatically controlled just like gas, so only come on when needed.

I personally have a distrust of gas, probably for no good reason, but
I always worry about potential explosions!