Electric Boilers vs Electric Heaters

oysterpearl

Hello,

We live in a bungalow where this is no mains gas available. We therefore only have an electric immersion heater and cylinder to heat the water plus an array of plug-in electric heaters around the place to heat each room. Most of these are oil-filled radiators and we have a convector radiator too.

We had a quote for someone to install an electric boiler and normal radiators for around £4k, but we have read that the running costs of all electric-based heaters are the same, so our question is would we be any better off with an electric boiler system and radiators over our current "system"?

penrhyn

You would be far better off with night storage heaters.

Kernel_Sanders

oysterpearl wrote: »

We had a quote for someone to install an electric boiler and normal radiators for around £4k, but we have read that the running costs of all electric-based heaters are the same, so our question is would we be any better off with an electric boiler system and radiators over our current "system"?

No, you'd be worse off, and that's not taking into account the £4000! With central heating you'll be heating parts of the house that don't need it. Even if you turn off radiators in rooms you're not using, the hot water will still run through pipes in them, cooling the water. You'd be far, far better off putting that capital into a solar PV system (even if your roof slopes are east-west), because the Govt. guaranteed index-linked feed-in tariff actually pays you for the electricity that you generate but use yourself. Unbelievable, but true. Post on the Green & Ethical board for more quality advice.

EssexExile

Have you considered oil?

oysterpearl

EssexExile wrote: »

Have you considered oil?

We have, but we gather that price-wise it is quite unstable, plus you have to deal with deliveries and the smell. We'd therefore prefer electric for its practicality.

Andy_WSM

Take a look into Heat Pumps. Either air to air (blows hot air) or air to water (would do the job of the electric boiler so you have "normal" central heating). They offer a better efficiency than using electricity to heat directly.

snowscreamer

oysterpearl wrote: »

We have, but we gather that price-wise it is quite unstable, plus you have to deal with deliveries and the smell. We'd therefore prefer electric for its practicality.

I guess it depends on how much money you want to save. The price of oil may be volatile on a month-by-month basis but one thing it isn't is anywhere near the cost of electricity. An electric boiler system will cost around 3 times the price to run to the same output as an oil system at current prices.

Our house had an electric boiler supplying radiators when we moved in. We had it ripped out and replaced with an oil system. We understand that the previous residents' electricity bill was £3500 for the year. We look set to spend £500 for the year on electricity this year and £1000 on oil; an annual saving of £2000. Three bedroom semi detached house, 1200 sq ft, well insulated.

Richie-from-the-Boro

We had a quote for someone to install an electric boiler and normal radiators

- that would be a very very bad and very expensive mistake if you are 'off grid' you have other better options
- one is E7 night store [add +30% storage margin] in your living area will keep you warm and comfortable in the worst winter ever
- put in a proper PartL water cylinder wired to E7 and all your 'stored' heating costs will be up to 50% cheaper
- you can do this for easily half the very modest and reasonable £4k cost of the 'wet' system

Robwiz

+1 for using Economy 7 for hot water and heating.

Night storage heaters (NSH) can be very effective in the rooms you spend most time in and to keep the chill off. They must be wired into a time switch linked to the cheaper rate of E7 and you have to learn how to use the controls (to put enough heat in over night for the next day and to make sure you don't let too much heat out before you need it). Do that (on the most competitive tariff) and the costs of heating using NSHs are competitive with other fuels.

Air to air heat pumps produce heat very cheaply and are ideal for additional heat during the day when you pay the higher rate for electricity. An air to air heat pump can be added for about half the cost of a wood burning stove – but it isn't as romantic to sit in front of!

I would never have a wet (radiator) system retrofitted in a house. I have owned two that had retrofits and both were fraught with problems, because of the compromises the installer in fitting the pipework and radiators in the most convenient places for him.

System

I agree with others and go for NSH, i read somewhere that a lady had an electric boiler and she was using £9 ish a day in electricity.

oysterpearl

Thanks for all of your suggestions, I am going to read up about each of them.

Going back to my original question, the person who quoted us quoted a 12kw boiler and 6 radiators. In terms of cost and heat output, is that going to be any better than 6 x 2kw oil filled portable radiators?