anyone got electric central heating?

dancing_star

I'm buying my first property, a 2 bed flat. There's no mains gas in the building, and it's currently got electric storage heaters. I've had these in previous properties and to be honest they've been rubbish.

A friend of mine recommends electric central heating via pipeless electric radiators. I've looked at a few different brands online. My friend says she pays about £40 a month to heat

However I've just read a Which report which says that electric radiators can be expensive to run.

Am now confused... I would prefer the convenience of adjustable radiators over storage heaters. But I'm now worried I'll be paying an arm and a leg.

has anyone here had experience of electric radiators? Are any brands recommended?

Thanks.

wee_plumb

Not the answer to your original question but an alternative to consider.

I live in a one bed flat with no gas, I replaced my storage heaters with a wet electric central heating system. The boiler is electric powered as opposed to gas.

Was installed a few years ago and can't remember the exact price but think it was around the 2K mark.

Just as convenient as gas i believe. I pay £80 per month for my electricity.

If you were considering installing a gas system then i don't think it's that much more expensive to do this.

HTH.

Cardew

dancing_star wrote: »

I'm buying my first property, a 2 bed flat. There's no mains gas in the building, and it's currently got electric storage heaters. I've had these in previous properties and to be honest they've been rubbish.

A friend of mine recommends electric central heating via pipeless electric radiators. I've looked at a few different brands online. My friend says she pays about £40 a month to heat

However I've just read a Which report which says that electric radiators can be expensive to run.

Am now confused... I would prefer the convenience of adjustable radiators over storage heaters. But I'm now worried I'll be paying an arm and a leg.

has anyone here had experience of electric radiators? Are any brands recommended?

Thanks.

We should be quite clear that there is no more expensive way of heating a property than by electricity on a 'normal' 24/7 tariff.

Storage heating and hot water on a an Economy 7 tariff is generally cheaper, but has disadvantages in that storage heaters(particularly the older models) tend to leak heat during the day and run out in the evening. Plus of course you pay a premium for the other 17 hours electricity.

The advantage of plug-in electrical heaters is they are flexible and have low(virtually zero) maintenance costs.

It really is important to appreciate that all electrical heating is 100% efficient and a £10 fan heater gives out exactly the same heat for the same running cost as any other electrical heater costing £hundreds.

Thus people should ignore the claims of many manufacturers who imply their electrical heating system somehow produces more heat for your bucks than cheaper systems - they simply can't and don't.

rogerblack

wee_plumb wrote: »

Not the answer to your original question but an alternative to consider.

I live in a one bed flat with no gas, I replaced my storage heaters with a wet electric central heating system. The boiler is electric powered as opposed to gas.

Does this use a storage tank, to heat only on economy 7?

wee_plumb

rogerblack wrote: »

Does this use a storage tank, to heat only on economy 7?

No I don't think so.

It works the same as gas central heating except it's powered by electric.

I heat my water differently with an immerser (sp?) as and when I need it.

rogerblack

wee_plumb wrote: »

No I don't think so.

It works the same as gas central heating except it's powered by electric.

I heat my water differently with an immerser (sp?) as and when I need it.

Then it's going to be exactly as expensive to run - but _considerably_ more expensive to install compared to oil-filled rads that plug into the wall.

Retire

What I don't understand is why do you think it would be cheaper to install a boiler and radiators, then heat the cold water by electricity to pump around your house, rather than heat the house directly with a few oil filled radiators or even a 1 or 2 bar electric fire?

Or even an electric convector heater?

dancing_star

hi, thanks to everyone for the replies.

I am not really considering wet electric central heating as I can't afford to get a lot of work done on the property. It's a 2 bedroomed flat, and I don't think the insulation is that great to be honest, the EPC gave it a poor report.

It currently has old storage heaters and I guess my options are to replace them with either more modern storage heaters or with electric radiators.

I was leaning towards electric radiators after my friend recommended them. I work full time and am only in during the evenings, by which time storage heaters have leaked out most of their stored heat!

But then I've read about how using electric to heat the flat at peak time is the most expensive way of heating, and I'm confused.

Any advice about either option gratefully received. I don't have a lot of spare cash and can't afford to spend much more than about £1500 on replacing the five heaters.

Thanks!

HalloweenJack

what about a Fan Assisted Storage Heater?

dancing_star

thanks, I had looked at fan assisted storage heaters, they tend to be quite expensive I think?

What attracted me to electric radiators is that I could program them exactly when I want, eg the ones in the living room for evenings, the bedroom one for last thing at night and first thing in the morning, the bathroom and study ones I'd probably just turn on as & when needed. I can't see storage heaters being that flexible, I'd probably waste loads of stored heat.

HalloweenJack

as cardrew said - electric provides 100% - doesnt matter where it comes from the output is the same - just storage heaters can keep the heating longer...


possibly

http://www.dimplex.co.uk/products/domestic_heating/installed_heating/storage_heaters/fan_assisted_fxl_range/index.htm

although cost could become and issue - oil filled rads to boost maybe then?