Flats with electric heating

sniggings

bluelass wrote: »

I find using electric rather than my gas boiler powered central heating is cheaper according to my smart meter. I have a electric fire in my lounge and I recently bought a dimplex electric log effect stove to use in my dining room and I use a delonghi dragon oil radiator in my bedroom too. A lot of flats are electric rather than have a gas supply and a friend who lives in a high rise tells me its for safety reasons.

Can't see how, if heating the rooms like for like, gas will most always be cheaper, gas is around 3 times cheaper per unit.

Go by your bill not your smart meter.

girlpup

I've just purchased a small 2 bed flat in a block that does not have gas.

I want to achieve 2 things - to lower the EPC to a D from an F (it currently has a large water cylinder and wall mounted cheap heaters and bad glazing)

Secondly, I want any future tenants to benefit by having cheaper bills and an efficient warm system. Economy 7 / 10??

I would like to install a slimline tank and the appropriate heaters - storage or otherwise.....for a reasonable price.

Can anyone advise? I'm overwhelmed by info on forums and heating companies pushing their latest rads.

knightstyle

If your house in perfectly insulated you need no heating, the heat generated by people, cooking etc. will be enough.
So have a read about pasiv houses and work on the flat. Really good tripple glazed windows, a heat recovery ventilation system, good insulation on the ceilings and walls should get you a long way there.

arbrighton

knightstyle wrote: »

If your house in perfectly insulated you need no heating, the heat generated by people, cooking etc. will be enough.
So have a read about pasiv houses and work on the flat. Really good tripple glazed windows, a heat recovery ventilation system, good insulation on the ceilings and walls should get you a long way there.

True, but unlikely to be possible if it's leasehold. And that is not likely to be economically viable either

nkkingston

Currently living in an economy 7 flat, having moved from a modern electric heaters flat. The big difference is in the build, obviously - the previous flat was newer and better designed, and even in mid winter we never had more than two heaters running for more than two hours a day. In the new one, it's a bit older, the double glazing is appalling (when it rains the gap between the panes fills up with water!) and it's generally colder all round. Anyway, the old flat we paid £45pm for electricity, and ended up with a £300 refund when we moved out. New flat is £48pm, and breaking even, so to speak. New flat is also much colder and damper.

The thing with economy 7 is it was intended for an era when someone was at home all day. That's when the heat that's paid for overnight is released. It works for us because OH works from home during the day, but by the time I get home it's usually double-jumper temperature in winter because so much of the heat has escaped. If your tenants aren't at home during the day, they're going to end up paying more to reheat the flat in the evening.

if you want to go economy 7/10, you need to make sure the doors and windows are really well fitted, and you've done everything else you're able to to stop heat escaping during the day. Good extractor fan for the bathroom so they don't have to have the windows opens (and possibly for the kitchen too). Timer switches for plug sockets are also useful, since it will allow the tenants to do things like running the washing machine overnight. You also want to make sure your tenants understand they need to be on the appropriate tariff, otherwise they're paying the same amount day and night.

sniggings

girlpup wrote: »

I've just purchased a small 2 bed flat in a block that does not have gas.

I want to achieve 2 things - to lower the EPC to a D from an F (it currently has a large water cylinder and wall mounted cheap heaters and bad glazing)

Secondly, I want any future tenants to benefit by having cheaper bills and an efficient warm system. Economy 7 / 10??

I would like to install a slimline tank and the appropriate heaters - storage or otherwise.....for a reasonable price.

Can anyone advise? I'm overwhelmed by info on forums and heating companies pushing their latest rads.

Spend the money on insulation, a cheap electric heater is as good as the most expensive electric heater, they will both give out the same heat, if you insulate well, no need for economy 7.

If insulating make sure to consider good ventilation too, you want the moisture from the house to escape.

camptownraces

Sniggings
A flat will be leasehold, and maintenance of or alterations to the structure will be under the control of the freeholder.

In these circumstances, what insulation might a leaseholder put into a flat, when really only the inside of the flat can be touched - usually from paint on the plaster inwards?