Help!! Electric central heating

mrsides

Can you help?

I've bought a stone cottage with no gas mains in the village. So it currently has storage heaters. I have no experience at all with electric only. So what options are there, I've read the websites but would rather gain knowledge from real people

So I'm a novice in need of a new central heating system for my cottage, which at the moment has an open fire which is staying and a selection of rather old storage heaters!

Thanks all

EdGasket

Just think of how much you are saving on gas boilers and their maintenance; it will go a long way to paying your electric bill.

I've had storage heaters in the past in a property with electric only supplied; no gas standing charge; great! You need to make sure you are on or try to get on a tariff that is cheaper at night so you can run the heaters at night and then release the heat throughout the day. Only problem was they might get cold by evening; depends on the quality of the storage heaters. I'm pretty sure I had two seperate circuits and meters for night only and day/night.

ChumpusRex

You already have the best electric heating system installed.

Any replacement will hugely more expensive.

Your options:
1. Upgrading some of the storage heaters to more modern "high heat retention" storage heaters with fan assistance (Moderately expensive to install. Acceptable fuel cost. Maintenance free. Extremely reliable.).

2. Remove the storage heaters and install an air source heat pump. (Very expensive to install. Noise and outside equipment need consideration. Expensive maintenance. Average reliability. Cheapest fuel costs.)

3. Electric panel heaters (Cheap to install, ruinous running costs. Reliable and maintenance free).

4. Electric boiler and radiators. (Expensive installation and maintenance, ruinous running costs. Worst possible choice for a new installation)

Some options can be combined, especially 1 and 3. You can keep some storage heaters, upgrade the ones in the busiest rooms (living rooms), and install panel heaters in rarely used rooms (bathrooms, spare rooms, etc.)

mrsides

Brilliant thank you very much, yet another stupid question where on earth do I start looking at storage heaters? Online, screw fix, b&q?

Thanks again much appreciated

Richie-from-the-Boro

open fire which is staying

- you might as well knock a 12" x 24" hole in the wall and throw five pond notes out into the wind
- it will suck money out quicker than a greedy banker, or fit a Chimney Balloon [£20] when its not lit

where on earth do I start looking at storage heaters

- you don't yet, you have no idea what you want or how to even begin to decide what you need
- Screwfix & B&Q are the same thing, but NSH can't be seen or bought at either B&Q or Screwfix
- also - we here have no idea what you have [rooms / type / size ] or insulation or lifestyle [retired in all day]

EdGasket

http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Main_Index/Heating_Index/Storage_Heaters/index.html?source=adwords&kw=storage%20heaters&gclid=CjwKEAjwru6oBRDDp4jRj4bL_xASJADJ2oby1L5D2CL-ThoX4500Bew2vdZTeFN9b2urb4bz-C1-GxoCEsTw_wcB

lstar337

Richie is right OP, let's walk before we run.

Start with a run down of rooms, sizes, etc.

Do you know the current heaters are no good? Set them up correctly and you may find they are perfectly adequate. Cost=0.

Biggles

EdGasket wrote: »

Just think of how much you are saving on gas boilers and their maintenance; it will go a long way to paying your electric bill.

That's nonsense. My boiler is ancient and costs around £60 a year. That doesn't go very far towards any electricity bill.

macman

Are you already on an E7 tariff and metering? With NSH's you should be, but you need to be sure before you start changing anything. You presumably also have an immersion heater.
Your only other options would be a boiler fuelled by oil or biomass.

Cardew

Biggles wrote: »

That's nonsense. My boiler is ancient and costs around £60 a year. That doesn't go very far towards any electricity bill.

Mine also is ancient - and for the last 27 years has been reliable.


However that reliability doesn't apply to modern condensing boilers stuffed with electronics - read the many posts on MSE.


Anyway the OP has stated no gas in village.


Post#3 has summed up options well.

EdGasket

Biggles wrote: »

That's nonsense. My boiler is ancient and costs around £60 a year. That doesn't go very far towards any electricity bill.

No nonsense. Just ask anyone having to fork out £5K approx every 4 to 5 years to get their boiler replaced and fixed/serviced in between. That's all some last for !