Moving into Electric Flat - How can I save money

FIRSTTIMER

Hi,


I am moving into a mid floor flat that has electric only to heat everything. Every room has an electric radiator but NOT the old storage heater types. What are my best options to save on fuel? So far I have researched and these pop up a lot...


- Energy Saving Lighting (Is this just as simple as changing bulbs?)
- Radiator Valves?/Timers? - What is this and how do I implement?
- Economy 7/10 Energy Tariff (Is this just for storage heater type heating?)


I am used to gas central heating with instant hot water....what will I be encountering in an electric only apartment? Is it hot water only after a couple of hours of it being heated or is it instant still?


Cheers

carguy143

I can answer two out of three for you.

1. Energy saving lighting can be a simple as changing a bulb or as complex as changing the whole light fitting for something more modern looking. I personally went for LED bulbs as they're instantly on, look like traditional bulbs and are cheaper to run. The only downside to LED over the other kinds of energy saving bulbs are the cost difference although it's not such a big difference any more. Another reason I went for LED is they don't make any noise or flicker (visibly) compared to CFL (traditional energy saving bulbs). I have aspergers so the noise/flicker may not be noticable to you but it drives me nuts.

2. Radiator valves or TRVs are a type of radiator tap that are used on central heating systems to add more control to a room's temparture. They won't work on non central heating radiators.

Rik.

CashStrapped

Unfortunately, this set-up (with non-storage heaters) can be the most expensive method of heating a property.

E7 or E10 set-ups only apply to those with storage heaters so you can discount that.

Radiator valves only apply to wet central heating type set-ups.


So

1) Compare and switch onto the cheapest single rate tariff you can. As you have no annual figures, use national averages. For an all electric flat this can be around 5000-7000kwh annually (if not more). So use a range and see what comes up cheapest. Do not forget you must set-up an account with the existing supplier first. Just ensure they put you on a tariff with no leaving/switching penalty. Then switch! This is the biggest potential area for cost saving.

2) Each of your individual heaters may have a timer and a thermostat. It is simple. set the timers for when you want them to come on (when you are in the property) and the thermostats for how warm you like the room to get. Modern electric heaters should have these controls, but some may not.

3) If your bulbs are old fashioned types, replace them with LED. If they are CFL you may not want to bother as the saving may only be small. But the quality of light should be better with LED.

4) Hot water is likely to have a tank with an immersion somewhere. Ensure it has a timer that comes on for the periods you are most likely to use it (e.g before you get up and for the evening). Ensure the tank has a good insulation jacket and is well fitted. If you find the hot water is too hot, you can turn the temperature down on the immersion (which will save money). But, look for a youtube guide on how to do this.

(typed this while post 2 was posted so hence some overlap)

FIRSTTIMER

Thanks for all this info....The boiler definitely doesn't have a 'jacket' and it looked like a big white cylinder when I last viewed it....


LED Lighting - are these bulbs the cheapest to use then after the initial cost of replacing bulbs

CashStrapped

FIRSTTIMER wrote: »

Thanks for all this info....The boiler definitely doesn't have a 'jacket' and it looked like a big white cylinder when I last viewed it....


LED Lighting - are these bulbs the cheapest to use then after the initial cost of replacing bulbs

Don't be deceived by the white cylinder. It is probably a modern cylinder which has insulation beneath the white container. These are very well insulated, much better than a simple jacket.

If you could see a bare copper tank, then we would have an issue and require a jacket.

Sounds like a modern all electric system.

If it is a modern property, good insulation should also keep energy costs down.

I would start taking weekly/monthly meter readings so you can get a good idea as to your usage in KWH and therefore the cost implications long term. Do not forget, we are coming into winter, so energy use will be at it's highest for the next few months. So don't panic if it seems high.

LED lighting - yes cheapest to use, avoid cheap ebay stuff. But depends on the initial cost vs what is in already as I said. They are improving and getting cheaper all the time.

silverwhistle

CashStrapped wrote: »

If it is a modern property, good insulation should also keep energy costs down.

The fact that it's a middle floor will also help, but fitting blinds and (lined) curtains will keep your heating costs down (and keep you cooler in summer).

jbuchanangb

Item (2) from post #3 above is very important. A friend of mine moved to house with eight individual electric panel heaters, each with its own timer and thermostat. Her approach was to turn them on or off at the wall switch as and when needed. Disaster. Disrupted the timers, which she hadn't even set. The instructions were in pidgin English, having been written or translated by an Italian. Used the word "twinkle" to mean "flash" when referring to LCD or LED indicators! I helped her by spending a couple of hours setting all the timers, wrote an "idiot's guide" in plain English, and hopefully she was able to make economical use of a potentially expensive set up.

Best of luck!

zaax

CashStrapped wrote: »

Unfortunately, this set-up (with non-storage heaters) can be the most expensive method of heating a property.

E7 or E10 set-ups only apply to those with storage heaters so you can discount that.

I would not dismiss E10, its times maybe:

3 hours in the afternoon (1pm - 4pm)
2 hours in the evening (8pm - 10pm)
5 hours overnight (Midnight - 5am)

also 2nd stoeage heaters can be brought quiet cheaply.
But the main saving is water heating, on normal rates its very expensive, but on an economy rate its cheaper.

CashStrapped

The problem with E10 is that it can be horribly uncompetitive due to lack of competition.

Not all suppliers support it and you cannot compare it as part of a comparison site. So the unit rates are usually quite poor anyway.

So a manual calculation would be required, estimating what you might use in those periods ,extrapolating it for a year, then comparing all the E10 tariffs available manually.

glennevis

"Is it hot water only after a couple of hours of it being heated or is it instant still?"

My hot water tank is massive and takes up half the airing cupboard. The immersion heater element is at the top of the tank so the water at the top gets hot first. The hot water is drawn from the top and I have found that it can heat enough water for a shower if switched on for about 20 minutes. I don't heat the whole tank full. If the element is 3kW that would be just one unit of electricity.

Richie-from-the-Boro

zaax wrote: »

I would not dismiss E10, its times maybe:

3 hours in the afternoon (1pm - 4pm)
2 hours in the evening (8pm - 10pm)
5 hours overnight (Midnight - 5am)

also 2nd storage heaters can be brought quiet cheaply.
But the main saving is water heating, on normal rates its very expensive, but on an economy rate its cheaper.

E10, unless you can afford it is luxury even with NS heaters. That's its purpose an enhanced 3 hours of heat, hence its increased tariff price point. E10 and E7 changed delivery times just last night as they do each spring & autumn on modern GMT meters.

Add to that increased tariff price the fact that the very few that do E10 delivery all charge the same expensive rate denying you the opportunity to ever swap to a cheaper provision seems to be a fraught choice.