Contemplating switching to all electricity

Battleaxe44

http://www.qssupplies.co.uk/bathroom-furniture-shower-taps/26215.htm

Now this could fit in with the look if we went for a re-instal of the gas c.h.

bob_bank_spanker

This appears to have turned into an interior design thread, however I can only echo the excellent advice you have been given by other contributors: electricity costs more than gas.

I appreciate having a gas bill to pay must seem as a shock to someone who has never had it as a heating source, but if it was a great con and there was money to be had by getting rid of it, I'm sure the British public would be queueing up to have their GCH systems replaced. They aren't.

Battleaxe44

BBS, as I said I am contemplating switiching and yes it does appear I have turned it into an interior decorating exercise.

Seriously though I am thinking long term and options available. I checked the gas bill that caused this conversation and it was way over the top than the same quarter in the previous year, the only thing different the appalling winter and we went away for the month, and we switched to an all electric kitchen, so to me it does not add up, apart from the winter, even then the heating was kept at the same temperatures. The other main difference, different gas meter.

From today's postings there is going to be discussion this evening when DH comes in. I am also going to get an independent survey done on the house regarding the gas installation. I know DH was going to talk to one of the other engineers he does consutltancy work for and seek some opinions from his colleagues.

macman

You still haven't posted your annual kWh consumption on each fuel, which would give us a much better handle on your actual usage. The daily consumption on a quarterly bill does not reveal very much.
As far as I can see, your gas bills are not that high (though you are wasting money buy not using a decent online discount DD tariff). The average dual fuel tariff is now north of £1,300 pa. Since the heating and hot water account for the majority of your usage, the extremely long and cold winter is undoubtedly the main factor in your higher gas bills-we've all had them.
I am bemused as to how you think that any form of electric heating can be cheaper than gas, since the only figure that's relevant is the kWh unit rate. Yes, you could just heat a couple of rooms using cheap convectors, rather than switching on your CH, but in that case you are not comparing like with like.
Since most of our electricity is generated from gas-fired plant (now and in the future), how can electricity ever become relatively more competitive?

Cardew

Battleaxe44 wrote: »

Cardew thank you. it was just an example I found to show what we are thinking of installing.

it is NOT this brand. We have budgeted £400.00 per radiator, as we want something that fits with the remodelling we have done. This house was built in 1964 and we are taking it into the 21st century with the most energy efficient fittings we can. the radiators installed at the moment are nasty looking and short of ripping them out and replacing with more modern ones, I am at my wits end.

I am only trying to reduce the gas bill one way or the other.

As I said before the electricity was high because we had builders in for the whole quarter using the power and some of this quarters consumption.

The one thing I don't want is portable heaters in every room, I am looking at something that will be asthetically pleasing as well as cost efficient.

We have discussed a new boiler rather then the one we have and replacing with more modern radiators if gas central heating is the way to go, but I don't want to go to this expense and find we have even higher gas bills...

I am not trying to compare my bill with anyone elese's it is hores for courses. I was asking should I go electric and in the long rin would it be cost effective.



I come from a culture where gas is not a fuel option and we run reverse cycle aircionditioners in the summer and winter have under floor heating, but I cannot compare my sister's electricity bill to mine as we are different countries and different pricing. in saying that, combined fuel bill for winter is higher than her summer bill running a five bedroom fully airconditioned, all electirc house in the middle of a Texan summer. it is horses for courses.

You asked for advice, and every poster, bar none, on this thread has said your idea of changing from gas CH to electric radiators is just a non-starter from a cost saving perspective.

If you want another independant opinion call the Energy Saving Trust - a free Government sponsored organisation.

Your sister has a Air Source Heat Pump(I have the same on the other side of the USA). However if comparing that to the UK, you might as well also compare it to the heating in Russia which is often heavily subsidised(even free) by the State.

sheffield_lad

heating a house by electric over gas is MADNESS

A typical all electric property (single rate), costs around £700 per year compared to gas.

If you go ahead with this you will not only have a higher bill but your property will also be colder.

I know folk who do this (self disconnect from the pp gas meter), it always ends up the same way a huge electric bill with the bill payer claiming the meter is faulty.

Battleaxe44

Cardhew, thank you. I know comparing my sisters fuel bill with mine is horses for courses. No hers, is not subsidised at all just to clarify things.

We are putting new insulation in the loft as advised.

I said we were contemplating and just showed an expample of heaters, Not the heaters that we will finally install. Why is everyone so literal?

I will post up eventually what we decide and we have spoken to the Energy Trust before remodelling the house as possible options for energy efficency.

Macman, I am not trying to check if our consumption is higher or lower, i have checked with our neighbours and ours is lower than most and higher than some. Everyone is missing a vital point we have been rebuilding = workman using power tools at least nine hours a day for nearly six months, so a proper comparison cannot be made. Oh for interest, DH said total bills come to £1030.00 for the twelve month period if that is any help. I think this average according to resources.

I am exhausted from trying to expalin to certain posters what the we are contemplating doing what we end up doing could be something completely different.

iut is apparent no-one has switched to all electric so cannot help if there is a break even point. you can argue figures and cost as they are at the moment, but will there be a break even at some point in the next five years? This is what we are hoping if we do go all electric.

The house is now open plan downstairs so this will impact on how the house is heated.

sheffield_lad

Interested for you to post up your annual bill if you decide to go all electric.

I would like to bet you will put a two where the one is.

I do have experience of this btw and do plenty of work (mainly debt restructuring), on all electric properties. Some folk have no choice as rural or all electric estates but others do what you are planning to do. Speak to the EST they will only confirm what everyone else has said.

GL

closed

Most of us are exhausted repeating the same things.

electricity costs more than gas per kwh, why is that fact so hard to grasp when it's there written down on every bill?

There is no break even point, you haven't listened/understood/accepted anything anyone has said.

Spendless

Battleaxe44 wrote: »

I come from a culture where gas is not a fuel option

This is quite possibly relevant in your mindset. It's not something you experienced/got used to and so the bigger bills you blame on gas as a fuel. This winter was long and hard! I can't remember another one when the snow kept coming and disappearing, just for another lot to fall, so the heating will have been on for a longer period (months wise).