Electric heating systems, where to start?!

CluelessNewbie

Wondering if I could have some friendly advice. I have looked at hundreds of posts today about similar things, but can't find anything that answers my questions properly, so please be gentle with me if I've miss something very obvious!
Myself and my husband are *fingers crossed* due to move house within a couple of months. We are selling a one bed ground floor flat and moving to a three bed mid terrace. The area has no gas, and I'm not willing to put a tank into the ground or garden. Currently there are three children and two adults living there with, from what I understand, just a small portable panel heater and an electric fire. When we move in there will just be the two of us. We were thinking along the lines of putting in an electric heating system, with a thermostat, and heaters with a storage element in them, but after reading loads around this site, I've scared myself into worrying about large bills at the end of the winter. Any recommendations of different ways we could work around not having gas would be gratefully received. we currently live with storage heating and have a good understanding of how to get the best from them, but after living with them for nearly ten years, we were looking forward to being able to have heat at the touch of a button, rather than waiting for the next day to feel the benefits!

Cardew

Welcome to the forum.


If gas and oil are ruled out, then electrical storage heating is the cheapest option.


'Instant' electrical heating(panel heaters etc) can be cheap to buy, but is very expensive to run.


Some people might recommend an Air Source Heat Pump(ASHP) but they are extremely expensive to fit and not suitable for all houses - also noise in a mid terrace could present a problem.


The best advice is to insulate, insulate, insulate.

sk240

Really it depends on your budget, but your right, conventional electric heating will be very expensive to run.

Storage heaters and run an economy 7 meter may be suitable, but as you say can be a pain.

If you are willing to invest, then a wet heat pump system may be suitable depending on levels of insulation, space to put the outside unit and ability to install oversized radiators/under floor heating.
http://www.orionairsales.co.uk/lg-therma-v-air-heat-pump-model-ahuw091a0--hm091m-9-kw--30000-btu-240v-3982-p.asp

A cheaper option could be mini split heat pumps/air conditioning units, these are available for aprox 1k each installed, and cost as little as 5p per hour at max capacity each depending on the outside conditions, they can feel a little draughty if running a high fan speed.
http://www.orionairsales.co.uk/toshiba-air-conditioning-heat-pump-wall-mounted-ras-107skv-e5-25kw--9000btu-inverter-4036-p.asp

http://www.orionairsales.co.uk/lg-air-conditioning-mu3m19ue2-multi-inverter-heat-pump-wall-mounted-3-x-35-kw-room-system-4236-p.asp

CluelessNewbie

I thought that would be the answer!
So we've looked at HeatPlan and similar other companies online
They have ceramic cores so have storage elements in them, but are instantly controlled...Are they a total no go?

tberry6686

They appear to be radiators/panel heaters that run on day rate electricity. Look for the threads on Fischer heaters on this forum and you will get an idea.

captainhindsight_2

first thing to do is obviously insulate, even sold walls can be insulated and depending when you want to do the work there are non means tested grants or Cashback to help pay for this.

Now your going to need heat, in a terrace I would recommend a heat pump or biomass.

A heat pump is a very good option, for every unit of electricity you put in you can get 3-4 units of heat out. They do work very differently to a traditional heating system, as in you leave them on and they keep the radiators warm not hot and keep the house at a constant temperature. Some people critise them because they don't know how they work or how to use them and just get frustrated.

Second option biomass, in a small house something like a csz pellet boiler can be great. They look good so can go in the living room and work much like a traditional boiler in that they get the radiators hot and can be turned on and off as and when required.

With a biomass boiler without an external hopper you will just have to fill it with pellets every one or two weeks in winter and empty the ash tray one or twice a year.

Another benefit of biomass is that it's cheap, reliable, there are hundreds of suppliers of fuel so you can shop around and get good prices and security of supply. More and more manufactures of biomass fuel are appearing, using recycled materials or just collecting wood that would usually be left on road sides or go into landfill.

The initial cost may be more than a traditional heating system, but you will qualify for rhi income will will cover the capital cost in around 5 years so it's a no brainier really!

Also stay away from storage heaters, you have an opportunity to create a home that is cheap to run and it can be very easy at this stage to make a mistake an end up with a house that you are afraid to turn the heating on because of the dreaded bills.

tberry6686

Many terraces will not be allowed to fit a heat pump due to noise. Biomass is fine if you have space to store fuel - not that common in mid terrace houses.

Also stay away from storage heaters

If you are in an all electric house, storage heaters (using economy 7) are one of the cheapest available ways to heat your house. Why would anyone rule them out ?

Cardew

captainhindsight wrote: »

Now your going to need heat, in a terrace I would recommend a heat pump or biomass.

A heat pump is a very good option, for every unit of electricity you put in you can get 3-4 units of heat out. They do work very differently to a traditional heating system, as in you leave them on and they keep the radiators warm not hot and keep the house at a constant temperature. Some people critise them because they don't know how they work or how to use them and just get frustrated.

Average price for a ASHP is around £10,000. They work best with underfloor heating or very large radiators.


I suggest you read the Energy Saving Trust reports on their heat pump trials. With all the manufacturers in attendance the average system COP over a year for 29 systems was 2.45(2.45 units of heat for 1 in as you put it). One may assume that the manufacturers knew how to use them.


Also noise can be a problem - for neighbours as well as occupants - in a mid terrace house.


Loads of threads discussing heat pumps on MSE.

snowscreamer

What's the reasoning behind not wanting a tank in the garden? By far your cheapest option in terms of running costs is going to be oil (although I have no experience of heat pumps - assume these will also take up room in the garden though) and the initial out,as will be cheaper for oil as well.
We're on oil (moved into house previously with electric boiler supplying radiators and immersion eater for hot water - switched to oil) and it is not much more expensive / more hassle than mains gas. Plus you have the benefits of a central heating system with controls.

captainhindsight_2

Cardew wrote: »

Average price for a ASHP is around £10,000. They work best with underfloor heating or very large radiators.


I suggest you read the Energy Saving Trust reports on their heat pump trials. With all the manufacturers in attendance the average system COP over a year for 29 systems was 2.45(2.45 units of heat for 1 in as you put it). One may assume that the manufacturers knew how to use them.


Also noise can be a problem - for neighbours as well as occupants - in a mid terrace house.


Loads of threads discussing heat pumps on MSE.

£10,000 for a air source heat pump in a terrace!!!???

Blimy, i have paid between 3-5k in my BTLs that are off grid. Either I have used the cheapest MCS installer in the UK or you are wrong....

Pay back form the RHI will pay the capital costs in about 5 years, and if you are benefiting from the cheap heat payback is even quicker.

Noise is not an issue with modern well maintained heat pump.

Storage heaters are not the cheapest way, heat pumps or biomass are. Yes they are expensive compared to equivalents, but in the long run and with rhi income they are the only logical choice.

Biomass is prob the best option but if you want a 'fit and forget' solution ASHP will be the best

Robwiz

It's horses for courses. But start with insulation and draught-proofing first. Is the loft up to current insulation standards? If the house has cavity walls, are they insulated? If not, get them done. If they're solid, can they be externally insulated? Is the house double glazed? If not, get it installed. Having good insulation shortens your heating season by weeks.

Most people only really need bedrooms heated for a short time whilst dressing/etc. So panel convectors are fine there.

Bathrooms are important, but again an infrared heater with a pull switch is adequate. Maybe a heated towel rail on a timer switch.

Storage heaters are good for taking the chill off, and not too expensive when run on Economy 7. One on the landing and one in the hall would probably work well to provide background comfort.

In the room you use most, it's important to have cosy, controllable heat. An air to air heat pump (mini split) is ideal for this. They are less efficient though if the outside temperature drops below 7º, so having an 'emergency' convector heater for occasional use is a good idea.

I'd avoid a wet system altogether. Most installers over-size them and never get close to the claimed efficiencies. Plus the upfront cost is way more than the electric options suggested, not forgetting the ongoing servicing and repairs.

Your hot water will be electric too. An immersion heater on Economy 7 is as cheap as gas.

There's a huge amount of evidence that retrofitting air/water heat pumps to older houses doesn't deliver the claimed benefits. (Cardew is right on this).