Installing a new shower- gas or electric?

I'm getting a new bathroom fitted with a bath and a separate shower cubicle. I have a gas combi boiler. The fitter who came to quote recommended an electric shower. I was surprised by this as I thought everything would run off the gas.

He said the installation would be easier and quicker, requiring less pipe runs. That means cheaper, although the electric showers cost more than the thermostatic mixer for hot water from the gas. He said we would have an different power source should the boiler fail.

I'm conscious that electric power costs about twice as much as gas and both power bills are rising.

Can anyone please advise me on whether to consider electric?
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Comments

  • We were told the opposite, but I think that may be because the plumber didn't want to touch any electrics! Anyway, he recommended a mixer shower, and I would tend to agree, depending on the layout of your bathroom. Our mixer shower is brilliant, and has really good pressure, unlike a lot of electric ones which I find a bit dribbly! I would always go for a mixer in the future. Hope this helps.
  • zebidee1
    zebidee1 Posts: 991 Forumite
    I'm in a similar situation. Although I think a shower linked to our boiler would be more powerful, it really bothers me that we would be putting all our eggs in one basket and if the boiler failed we would be showerless for days until we got someone out, unless we wanted to pay emergency prices.

    We had no heat or hot water for a time once before when we had boiler issues and it was an absolute nightmare but we did have the electric shower so we could still wash ok.

    Our plumber says we should get a power shower and not an electric one and my OH agrees but I'd rather have an electric purely because of the supply thing. I'd hate to be with no hot water at all if we had problems again.

    I suppose it depends on your family and lifestyle as to how much of a problem it would be if your shower wasn't working. It's a big problem for us so practicality over possible cost differences wins outright. Ideally I would like both, to cover all eventualities, lol.

    Tbh, I dont think the cost is a big issue anyway, the shower is only in for a short time and costs pennies either way.
  • catt_2
    catt_2 Posts: 356 Forumite
    Thanks for your thoughts so far.....

    I should also mention that we are planning to move house in the near future.....so which would buyers prefer?

    We wouldn't want to install anything that would put buyers off.....

    Would buyers see an electric shower as the benefit of an alternative source of hot water or does this imply that the gas boiler is unreliable.....
  • zebidee1
    zebidee1 Posts: 991 Forumite
    I dont think they would necessarily think much of it either way tbh. :confused:

    I think the shower itself is the important thing, not what powers it. As long as a house has a shower (especially a new one) , it's a tick on the list. Perhaps some people would have preferences but it wouldn't be enough of an issue for someone to say ' I like your house but you dont have the right kind of shower I'm looking for'..........imo. ;)
  • Vincenzo
    Vincenzo Posts: 526 Forumite
    A shower run off a combi boiler is far superior! While it is nice to have a backup electric shower in the house, I would certainly not want to use one regularly. The flow rate will be much lower.
  • tabath
    tabath Posts: 493
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    Vincenzo wrote: »
    A shower run off a combi boiler is far superior! While it is nice to have a backup electric shower in the house, I would certainly not want to use one regularly. The flow rate will be much lower.


    Explain to me how the flow rate for an electric can be less than a combi when the electric will be plumbed straight off the mains cold feed?

    Oh and btw I am a gas/plumber corgi reg.

    I'd always have a electric shower as well, if you get a decent one , a mira there will be no difference in the flow.
    Starting MB- looking for Raf offers.

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  • tabath wrote: »
    Explain to me how the flow rate for an electric can be less than a combi when the electric will be plumbed straight off the mains cold feed?

    Oh and btw I am a gas/plumber corgi reg.

    I'd always have a electric shower as well, if you get a decent one , a mira there will be no difference in the flow.


    Good evening: :confused: ...take a look at Section 2... http://www.bathroom-academy.co.uk/pdf/showercontrols.pdf Are you saying that a typical electric shower provides a superior flow rate to a thermostatic mixer shower running off a combi? Both systems run off the mains cold supply... between a 10.8 kw electric shower ( v.high powered unit) and a Vaillant Ecotec Plus 837 (flow rate 15.2 l/min at 35C) the electric will have superior performance??? Have to say I would not have an instantaneous electric shower in my home for reasons of economy and performance. Flow rate stats for the Mira Vie as an example can't compare. http://www.mirashowers.com/onlinecatalog/pdf/p1088848_w2.pdf
    BTW, my OH is a plumber/CORGI...over 30 years in the business. Vincenzo made a valid point IMO.

    Canucklehead
    Ask to see CIPHE (Chartered Institute of Plumbing & Heating Engineering)
  • Depends on the flow rate of your mains cold water, if you have good flow rate then i would go for mixer valve.

    As someone posted earlier, the problem with electric showers is that the flow rate out of the shower can be slower if the KW size is not sufficient, cold water comes out of the shower slower it has longer to generate heat required so pressure seems slower. Higher the kilowatt the faster the water can go through the shower (better flow rate).

    As for cost, if you are not replacing any other part of the bathroom then the installation cost maybe higher as the installer will have to run a hot feed to the shower, however you will have to run an electric cable back to the consumer unit for an electric shower (if there is not one already). Electric showers are not more expensive than mixers you can pick either one up for £60-£70 or as much as £200-£300 depending on what you want to spend.

    Another Corgi Plumber
  • I would also go for the thermostatic mixer fed from the combi, cheaper running costs and better flow rate, no wiring needed.
    The only advantage of the electric I can see is the back up if the boiler fails, as mentioned in the original post.
    I can't see the problem with the plumbing as the hot pipe needs to be put in for the bath anyway.
  • Tud
    Tud Posts: 6 Forumite
    Personal preference - a shower run off the combi boiler. Went from a 9.5kw electric shower to one run from straight from the 28kw combi. Light years worth of difference in performance and flow.
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