Replacing old electric heating system

michty6 wrote: »

Thanks Richie/Happy. It seems that the best option will be to get the best possible electricity set-up and plan we can, for just now, and by the end of the winter we will probably know if this is suitable going forward. Then we can make the decision on any further necessary upgrades and a potential GCH installation in time for next winter.

I am getting Hydro to get rid of the prepaid meter and put in an actual meter - when they do this I will make sure it is E7. Once this is done (unfortunately my early research suggests I have to wait), I can then compare E7 tariffs that are available...

All cheapest tariffs have common minimum trilogy requirements :

- an e-account on-line
- direct debit
- regular online submissions of meter readings

Your CAC ± discounts + VAT ÷ 12 = monthly payment plan, this amount [ish] is paid each month of the year, it smooths out payments and you would normally start the 5 winter months with a comforting credit balance.

Diligence in submitting monthly [if possible] readings will allow the lowest possible margin of overpayment and effectively enables you to control the payment plan .. .. not their, at on occasions, over exuberant and at times maniacal accounting BOT. This is very particularly the case if you are a new customer in a new dwelling. They will for example have the CAC + inflation costings from the previous owner of your mums flat, but not your mums actual lifestyle use of energy.

NOTE : """ EDIT: (#22) Also found out off-peak is""" that's not an E7 tariff its an E10 or THTC tariff. Generally, even a competent MSE tariff warrior will have difficulty getting an advantage between providers on the E10 & THTC because the minuscule few who provision that tariff are almost cost identical. The only way to defeat those restrictions is to move away from E10 & THTC into the E7 area. Anticipating this - is also the reason I suggested in #21 a combination storage heater.

michty6 wrote: »

Here is what I'm thinking, let me know if this sounds overboard or about right. I want to try and get this done and get it right first time:

- Modern storage heaters with automatic charge control for all rooms (except the bedrooms, living room).
- Combination storage heater for the living room (since this is where most of the time is spent during the day).
- Just normal simple electric heaters for the bedrooms, since these will only be on mostly during the night on the cheap E7 tariff anyway.
- A new insulated hot water cylinder, with thermostat controls (current one doesn't have these) for the electric immersion heater.

Any idea of any good companies that could do this sort of thing (in Perthshire, Scotland)?

If it was my home that's the exact decision I would come to, I don't know the layout and □ of your home but a serious dual where you spend your time a serious non-dual where it will warm most rooms, always on internal walls, the second non-dual best placed on the 'other side' of your living room wall if that can be done. At the point of install you have the golden opportunity to fit additional insulation behind the new heaters, a microporous insulation panel being a good investment. Then any switch-able panel types for kitchen / bedrooms / bathrooms etc.

A new cylinder should be partL direct with two heating elements like this one and should, determined by family size / hot water consumption be at least and bigger than the one you have if it will fit the space, this to take advantage of the cheap 24/365 hot water and avoid having to use the upper twice the price + immersion heater element.