Gas Central heating vs storage heaters - pls help!

etting

Hi,

I own a 2-bed maisonette with an old style convection storage heater that I have never switched on. I had an electrician round last week who said it looked a bit dodgy and wouldn't be worth getting it serviced as it would cost £200-300. It could even be pre 1974 and therefore have asbestos as the heating bricks.

At the moment I have no heating in the house apart from two 2kw electric oil heaters. I have water storage heaters upstairs used on an economy 7 tariff. My house isn't cold - but the heaters are needed to take the chill off the place!

The question is: Do I put in gas central heating (c£3,000) or do I put in two storage heaters and change the circuit boards (c£1,500).

I got my house a bit cheaper due to the fact it didn't have gas central heating - but I'm unsure what the best option is...

Any advice would be great!

kondormid

Just out of interest, is you maisonette a small house or multiple floors with someone else living above or below you or shop. You never know if it is a small house someone might come up with a solar, wood burning suggestion ect.

I have gas central heating, my parents have economy 7. You stated that your house was cheaper due to no gas central heatiing system, so obviously you understand that installing one would up the value of the house.

My parents are both retired and at home all day almost every day. Storage heaters are actually quite good for them as they kick out heat all day and they are now all electric and do not have to worry about annual gas servicing costs or standing charges. I know energy companies claim not to have standing charges but usually they have very expensive rates for the first batch of units used, which is not really that different to having a service charge to most people. Like you my parents heat their water on economy 7.

I have just fitted a digital programable thermostat to my gas central heating system and it allows me to program 5 different temperatures for each single day, I also use thermostatic raiator valves which helps control individual radiators so mine wins in the control department. The boiler also controls my hot water, no need to pre-heat a tank of water, just turn the tap and wait little while and hot water comes out so again very little waste there.

If you are in most of the day and would consider (or have) an electric cooker then you mght want to look bit closer into the storage heater all electric as it might save you money getting rid of the gas bill and servicing costs. It is also easier and cheaper to produce greener forms of electricity. Solar panels and wind turbines keep getting cheaper to install and become more common while at the same time gas reserves get rarer and more expensive it is looking a strong possibility that electricity will be a lot cheaper than gas in the future. So if you are thinking about keeping your house for a long time that might factor in.

If you are out most of the day, could not consider getting rid of the gas cooker and may want to sell your house in the near future then I would look closer at gas central heating.

I believe in all reality there is no real right or wrong answer to this, and it comes down to personal preference. Try to think of the advantages/disadvantages of both and use that to make your decision. At the moment we live in a time when gas heating seems to be the most desirable. I have to admit I love my gas central heating. But in the distant longer term future I doubt that gas central heating will be as cheap as electric or should that be electric will not be as expensive as gas? I am not sure and the result is the same anyway.

Do you think you could find a name or serial number of the storage heaters you already have, or maybe upload a photo somewhere as it might help identify them. If they do not contain asbestos then you might find it easier to have them serviced/tested.

CFC

Gas all the way IMO! Apart from anything else, if you sell the house you'll have to sell it cheaper as it has no CH.......

Swipe

You can buy two new storage heaters for next to nothing. Why do you need to replace the circuit board? You could use the existing wiring for the new storage heaters.

etting

I have old style circuit boards and the electrican recommend I get them changed..

He also quoted £1k for two new on the wall storage heaters and fitting.

etting

ps. Currently I have one very large convection storage heater that is about 5 foot tall in my understairs cupboard with only one air vent leading into the front room... I currently only have one electric oil heater upstairs on the landing, meaning the two bedrooms are pretty nippy!!

Swipe

etting wrote: »

I have old style circuit boards and the electrican recommend I get them changed..

He also quoted £1k for two new on the wall storage heaters and fitting.

He would say that though wouldn't he? here's an example how much money he's making on those two storage heaters;

http://www.snhtradecentre.co.uk/fires-fireside-accessories/electric-heaters/sunhouse-storage-heaters/

If you can pick any up yourself in your local area you can buy them for £20 - £30 or probably even get them for free on freecycle.

kondormid

I personally do not know what your electrician is refering to either. Does he mean the electricity panel that feeds the storage heaters when economy 7 comes on at night I wonder?

What was his reason for wanting to change the cicuit board/s ? I would certainly get other quotes as it seems a bit suspect to me that he is really mounting on charges for things that do not need doing and are cheap to buy. I suppose the first question to ask is where did you find the electrician?

etting

He said that the circuit board is an old style unit. he has quoted £430 inc labour and parts to supply and fit a 17th edition split load MK consumer unit and RCD consumer unit for off-peak, as well as a single RCD to feed off exisiting off peak circuits...

The cost of the storage heaters x2 is £550 for parts and materials and £400 labour... 1 3.4kw heater a 2.5kw heater... He'd need to fit one downstairs, and one upstairs - taking the feeds off my off peak electricity feed.

macman

'Water storage heaters'?
What are they?

etting

Sorry - my terminology may not be 100%...

I have an emersion heater and copper hot water tank (heated over night at off-peak rate)