Which heating system without gas supply

Lostinvegas

Hi this is a first time post so go easy. I have done a search and cannot find the answers I am looking for but if there is a past thread on this subject please direct me to it.

I have just bought a house at auction and its in need of complete modernisation. It is a 2 bed end terrace, Its located in a village so there is not gas main for over 500 metres (I checked this before I made a bid). Currently the house has coal fires downstairs and electric fan heaters upstairs.

Ideally I want to put a central heating system in that also heats water. I am going to put in additional loft insulation and double glaze the whole house, at the moment the house is about as inefficent as you can get when it comes to retaining heat.

I don't plan on living here for too long as I work all round the world so this is an investment as well as somewhere to live while I am on a short term contract in the area. I would like whatever I install to increase the re-sale value of the house but also to be a cost effective solution.

I have been looking at electric central heating and oil fired boilers. Some of the other houses in the village have gas tanks in their gardens and have gas delivered but the tanks look a bit unsightly.

I have some experience building and renovating houses but have never been in a situation where there is no mains gas supply.

Any advice or links to companies who supply such systems would be gratefully received.

TIA

Chris

WhiteHorse

Mega-insulation is certainly a must.

As regards fuel, gas is usually the first choice. You should get a quote for piping in, but it will probably be very, very high. That said, it would increase the value of the property - expenditure set against value increase might make it worth it, depending on the market and how quick you want to sell.

Rural properties are often oil, which is now horrendously expensive and set to rise further. Unregulated prices too. Calor is very similar. You could look at propane, but that's not as cheap as it was either. All these are now popular targets for theft.

Coal is now quite pricey and can be difficult to get in some areas. Wood is a possibility, but can be expensive and supply variable, depending on area.

If you have the space and the funds, alternative energy sources are definately the way to go. Unfortunately an old terrace is not likely to be any good for that.

On balance, I would first see if the other property owners would be interested in splitting the cost of getting mains gas piped in to the road.

Lostinvegas

I don't think piping in is an option, I got told it would be lots just for them to come out and do a quote, it might be worth it though but I suspect with the nearest gas main being over 500m away its not going to be cheap. I don't think a wind turbine would be possible, solar panels might be an option. There is a raw fuels depot about 200 metres away, I have cycled past it a few times, they have piles of coal there, I might pop in and ask what else they supply.

Cardew

WhiteHorse wrote: »

If you have the funds, I would look very seriously at alternative sources as this is definately the way to go. Underground perhaps, certainly a big wind turbine if the property could stand it. Solar panels too, banked on the ground perhaps to maximise output. Water would be ideal, but you may not have access to that.

Solar produces nothing at night and precious little in winter. Also what happens when the wind isn't blowing!!!

Oil is both expensive to run and install.

Frankly these days you have little choice but electrical heating if you can't get gas.

Air Source Heat Pumps(ASHP) are both expensive to install and the performance can be very disappointing if you go for a CH system(air to water) The air to air are cheaper but also have drawbacks.

You are left with storage or non-storage heating.

Frankly I wouldn't go for a CH system but just panel heaters with thermostats/timers; much cheaper to install if you avoid the stupidly priced 'systems' advertised.

Lostinvegas

Thank you for the reply Cardew, I have read some of your other posts and you seem to know what your talking about.

In your opinion then these electric powered wet central heating systems are a waste of money?

The thing that worries me about putting panel heaters in is it will put off future buyers.

Its a difficult one I knew this was going to be my biggest problem but its also probably why I got the house so cheap at auction.

Can you recommend a good place to buy panel heaters?

LabLover

My friend just got something installed in her 3 bed. She has a huge water tank in her cupboard and all the heaters run off this water tank. The heaters are the same as the ones I have (im gas ) she had to have the boiler installed by Scottish Power or British gas as i think its a fairly new technology but basically its a hot water system powered by electric. The heat can be controlled the same as gas and her electricity is on a special tariff so its priced similar to gas. But she basically has a massive water tank that runs her heaters.Im not sure if Im making much sense but hopefully someone else will come along with the technical term for what im describing.

spinningsheep

Biomass seems to be very popular at the moment, running on woodchips or pellets, I think I have seen stoves that look like a modern woodburning stove but runs on these pellets, that self feed from a hopper above and run the heating & hot water too, so looks pretty in the lounge/kitchen with a cheerful flame, but way more efficient than a boiler stove. You may even be able to get a grant towards the cost if it's renewable energy

Cardew

LabLover wrote: »

My friend just got something installed in her 3 bed. She has a huge water tank in her cupboard and all the heaters run off this water tank. The heaters are the same as the ones I have (im gas ) she had to have the boiler installed by Scottish Power or British gas as i think its a fairly new technology but basically its a hot water system powered by electric. The heat can be controlled the same as gas and her electricity is on a special tariff so its priced similar to gas. But she basically has a massive water tank that runs her heaters.Im not sure if Im making much sense but hopefully someone else will come along with the technical term for what im describing.

That appears to be electrical CH using a large tank(thermal store) that is heated overnight on a cheap rate tariff and the hot water pumped around the system during the day.

Not cheap to install and tank is huge to retrofit. You pay extra for daytime electricity(17 hours). That said cheaper than conventional electrical heating.

Cardew

Lostinvegas wrote: »

Thank you for the reply Cardew, I have read some of your other posts and you seem to know what your talking about.

In your opinion then these electric powered wet central heating systems are a waste of money?

The thing that worries me about putting panel heaters in is it will put off future buyers.

Its a difficult one I knew this was going to be my biggest problem but its also probably why I got the house so cheap at auction.

Can you recommend a good place to buy panel heaters?

Not a waste of money, but expensive to install - piping, radiators etc.

The waste of money is some of these systems that purport to have 'magic' gel or clay etc and their adverts imply that they can heat a room to 30C costing only 0.1p an hour;)(well you get my drift!)

Plenty of websites will sell panel heaters.(Dimplex etc) They look good, are easy to install and a lot cheaper than a 'wet' electrical heating system to purchase.

It is easy to have controls for timing, temperature even remotes.

Lostinvegas

I will have a look at those heaters.

I had a look at Biomass and its very expensive.

I am going to have a look into an electric central heating system with a thermal tank. I just think for future re-sale it might be better to have a system like that because buyers will be put off by it just having electric heaters, even though the running costs will still be the same.

I have read a few of these magic heater claims, its had me :rotfl:

I might pay for National Grid to do a quote on the cost of connecting up to the gas but I cannot imagine it will be cheap.

LabLover

Thanks for clearing that up Cardew. Im one of those people that only ever remember half a story or the punch line of a joke. Im sure my friend bought her heaters for trade prices through plumbing centre which saved a fortune. This bit im not to sure about i "think" the massive tank and installation was done at set price from british gas or one of the big companies but i think she needs to stick with that company for a set period of time. I may be wrong but I remember her telling me it cost in total £2500 , which I didnt think was that bad for a 3 bed house.