Best heating option

sunshine80_uk

I have recently purchased a property and am struggling deciding what the best heating system would be. Downstairs has a living room. dining room, kitchen and hall and there are three bedrooms upstairs.


Anyway it currently has a coal fire, back boiler and wet radiators down stairs (not sure if these work as only got the chimney cleaned recently so not had fire on yet) and storage heaters upstairs. It also has an emersion heater tank in the attic for the water. Ideally I would like to be able to heat downstairs without having to put the fire on. I currently have an electric stove and heater downstairs as I doubt I will have enough money to install heating before winter.


There is currently no gas connected to the property. There is now a gas supply near by (actually right outside in the car park) but I have been quoted about £2,700 - £3,000 to get connected. So I am now left wondering whether it is worth this (plus the extra what ever t actual get the heating installed - I have a quote of about £3,500 for it as well) or whether to look at electric alternatives.

modsandmockers

Correct me if I am wrong, but your property matches the description of an unmodernised ex-council house. Even if I am wrong, it’s possibly worth considering whether your first consideration should be to make sure that the house is insulated up to modern standards, and I’m sure there is plenty of advice available about double glazing, cavity wall and loft insulation etc etc (as well as any grants which might be available, even to home-owners). The hot water tank in the loft is very possibly linked to the solid fuel back boiler system, with the electric immersion element for summertime use. If there is no other heating system in the downstairs part of the house, then it is likely that the solid fuel back boiler is still functioning. Does the fireplace have a sealed-in all-night grate with an adjustable air inlet at bottom front, and a removable vertical heightening plate above? Does it have an adjustable ‘damper’ control in the chimney throat at the top of the fireplace? Sometimes, when these systems were de-commissioned, the back boiler itself was drilled through so that it would not rupture due to the absence of water.

If you decide to try using the fire, don’t use coal or logs. Ask a coal merchant to recommend a suitable smokeless fuel. Hopefully, the chimney sweep would have told you if there was any obvious problem with the chimney flue itself. Obviously, if you just want to check that the system is working, then you can burn whatever you like.

Open fires are a whole lot of fun, but bear in mind that if you completely draught-proof your house, then the chimney may be no longer able to work properly, and you might get a roomful of smoke from time to time.

macman

Gas will prove more economic long term, and installing gas CH will greatly improve the resale value and appeal of the property: many buyers will not consider houses without it.

HappyMJ

sunshine80_uk wrote: »

I have recently purchased a property and am struggling deciding what the best heating system would be. Downstairs has a living room. dining room, kitchen and hall and there are three bedrooms upstairs.


Anyway it currently has a coal fire, back boiler and wet radiators down stairs (not sure if these work as only got the chimney cleaned recently so not had fire on yet) and storage heaters upstairs. It also has an emersion heater tank in the attic for the water. Ideally I would like to be able to heat downstairs without having to put the fire on. I currently have an electric stove and heater downstairs as I doubt I will have enough money to install heating before winter.


There is currently no gas connected to the property. There is now a gas supply near by (actually right outside in the car park) but I have been quoted about £2,700 - £3,000 to get connected. So I am now left wondering whether it is worth this (plus the extra what ever t actual get the heating installed - I have a quote of about £3,500 for it as well) or whether to look at electric alternatives.

Although it sounds like a lot of money and it is you should get at least half of that investment back when you sell the house as long as you paid the correct amount considering that it did not have gas central heating when you made your offer.

In most cases I will not consider buying a property with electric storage heating and I certainly will not consider buying a property with electric panel heaters.

Don't worry too much for this winter but get saving and next year look at installing gas central heating.

sunshine80_uk

modsandmockers wrote: »

Correct me if I am wrong, but your property matches the description of an unmodernised ex-council house. Even if I am wrong, it’s possibly worth considering whether your first consideration should be to make sure that the house is insulated up to modern standards, and I’m sure there is plenty of advice available about double glazing, cavity wall and loft insulation etc etc (as well as any grants which might be available, even to home-owners). The hot water tank in the loft is very possibly linked to the solid fuel back boiler system, with the electric immersion element for summertime use. If there is no other heating system in the downstairs part of the house, then it is likely that the solid fuel back boiler is still functioning. Does the fireplace have a sealed-in all-night grate with an adjustable air inlet at bottom front, and a removable vertical heightening plate above? Does it have an adjustable ‘damper’ control in the chimney throat at the top of the fireplace? Sometimes, when these systems were de-commissioned, the back boiler itself was drilled through so that it would not rupture due to the absence of water.

If you decide to try using the fire, don’t use coal or logs. Ask a coal merchant to recommend a suitable smokeless fuel. Hopefully, the chimney sweep would have told you if there was any obvious problem with the chimney flue itself. Obviously, if you just want to check that the system is working, then you can burn whatever you like.

Open fires are a whole lot of fun, but bear in mind that if you completely draught-proof your house, then the chimney may be no longer able to work properly, and you might get a roomful of smoke from time to time.

Yes it is an unmodernised ex council house and has only had one tenant/owner before me. It has already got double glazing, cavity wall and loft installation though. The back boiler as fair as I am aware is still functioning and is used to heat the radiators downstairs. I am going to check that the boiler/heaters downstairs are working as it would be useful to know before the winter anyway. I have an air vent in the living room. I do not mind the open fire just do not have time for it all with working full time. I would prefer to be able to use the heaters without having the fire on.

Thanks for all the helpful replies I think I am going to save and try to get gas heating next year. I did not really consider the resale value of the house as I have no intention on selling it in the short/medium term. I was not going to be looking for one without gas heating either but ended up with this one. That being said all my life until last year I was in a village that did not have mains gas so am used to electric and storage heaters.

Owain_Moneysaver

There are sometimes grants available for gas connection as well as new boiler etc. Check through Energy Saving Trust.

Last time I looked you had to have owned the house for 1 year before applying.

Skools_Out

sunshine80_uk wrote: »

I have recently purchased a property and am struggling deciding what the best heating system would be. Downstairs has a living room. dining room, kitchen and hall and there are three bedrooms upstairs.


Anyway it currently has a coal fire, back boiler and wet radiators down stairs (not sure if these work as only got the chimney cleaned recently so not had fire on yet) and storage heaters upstairs. It also has an emersion heater tank in the attic for the water. Ideally I would like to be able to heat downstairs without having to put the fire on. I currently have an electric stove and heater downstairs as I doubt I will have enough money to install heating before winter.


There is currently no gas connected to the property. There is now a gas supply near by (actually right outside in the car park) but I have been quoted about £2,700 - £3,000 to get connected. So I am now left wondering whether it is worth this (plus the extra what ever t actual get the heating installed - I have a quote of about £3,500 for it as well) or whether to look at electric alternatives.

sunshine80_uk wrote: »

Yes it is an unmodernised ex council house and has only had one tenant/owner before me. It has already got double glazing, cavity wall and loft installation though. The back boiler as fair as I am aware is still functioning and is used to heat the radiators downstairs. I am going to check that the boiler/heaters downstairs are working as it would be useful to know before the winter anyway. I have an air vent in the living room. I do not mind the open fire just do not have time for it all with working full time. I would prefer to be able to use the heaters without having the fire on.

Thanks for all the helpful replies I think I am going to save and try to get gas heating next year. I did not really consider the resale value of the house as I have no intention on selling it in the short/medium term. I was not going to be looking for one without gas heating either but ended up with this one. That being said all my life until last year I was in a village that did not have mains gas so am used to electric and storage heaters.

This would depend on how you define "best", what your plans for the future are, and what budget you have.

Gas central heating by radiators is generally considered by most as the favoured form of heating, and installation of this would therefore improve the desirability (and hence price) of your home.

Cheapest heating from a capital viewpoint (at an affordable running cost) is storage heating. Like you, many people would be put off having to light a coal fire to heat downstairs.
Storage heaters are also essentially maintenance free, so often favoured by landlords, if you have any plans to rent the property.

But there are other cheaper to run heating systems such as heat pumps, ground source heat, etc that are 'best' for the environment. However the capital cost of these is quite high and you are unlikley to see a short term return e.g. if you plan to sell in a few years.

Look at all the options, decide what your aims/plans for the future are, and then you can decide what is best for you