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How do i know if I will better off with an electric shower?

At the moment we operate a mixer shower that basically runs direct from the bath taps but is quite powerful.
Would i be any better off financially most importantly if i invested in an electric shower long term?
Wondering what the considerations are please?

thanks as usual
:j
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Comments

  • glasgowdan
    glasgowdan Posts: 2,968 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    If you install one you'll soon wish you hadn't. A lukewarm dribble in comparison, and not cheap to run. A thermostatic shower would be a nicer version of what you've got.
  • saverbuyer
    saverbuyer Posts: 2,556 Forumite
    I'd never have an electric shower unless there was no other choice.
  • We have an electric shower in our new house and we had a mixer shower (with thermostatic valve, and had separate hot and cold feeds) in our old house

    Electric - instant hot water, works even if the boiler is kaput. Downsides - not enough pressure; if someone turns on a tap downstairs, the cold water feed drops so you get scalding hot water for a few seconds until the thermal protection kicks in and it goes cold.

    Mixer - higher pressure and higher temp. Downsides - takes a while to warm up (boiler has to kick into action), if boiler breaks down so does shower.

    When we redecorate the bathroom in our new house, I'm looking at replacing the electric shower with a mixer one.
  • JP08
    JP08 Posts: 851 Forumite
    We've got a thermostatic mixer shower. Also got a conventional (not combi) boiler and standard hot water cylinder. There is a pump to literally suck the hot water from the tank - so not relying on the pressure from the header tank in the loft.

    As the cylinder is in the airing cupboard the other side of the wall from the shower the hot water is practically instant - the time it takes to flow through 6 feet of piping between tank and head.

    Absolutely brilliant set-up as far as we're concerned. Great pressure. Steady temperature. The only shower I've ever owned that does not get affected in the slightest by someone turning on a tap or flushing the loo.

    The only drawback is that two long showers can suck the hot water tank cold.
  • Gloomendoom
    Gloomendoom Posts: 16,551 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    glasgowdan wrote: »
    If you install one you'll soon wish you hadn't. A lukewarm dribble in comparison, and not cheap to run. A thermostatic shower would be a nicer version of what you've got.

    Ours is hot, powerful and cheap to run. Our daily routine means that we use it in the Economy 7 period.
  • phil24_7
    phil24_7 Posts: 1,535 Forumite
    Eighth Anniversary 1,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    We have an electric in our en-suite which is okay and a tap fed shower in the bathroom. The one fed from the boiler is much nice...but its further away so we tend to use the en-suite more!

    I doubt we would settle for having just an electric one though. You use more water with a boiler fed shower but I recon it costs more using a high powered electric one.
  • Grenage
    Grenage Posts: 3,220 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    I have never, in all my life, used an electric shower that I would call good. We ripped out a £300 10kw shower out of the old house, and replaced it with a £60 thermostatic mixer from ebay; it was at least twice as decent.

    Of course, it probably should be - 24kw boiler vs 10kw electric shower.
  • lstar337
    lstar337 Posts: 3,443 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    ferry wrote: »
    At the moment we operate a mixer shower that basically runs direct from the bath taps but is quite powerful.
    Would i be any better off financially most importantly if i invested in an electric shower long term?
    Nope. Not at all.

    Get a thermostatic mixer shower, they are great!
  • Jonesya
    Jonesya Posts: 1,823 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    Electricity costs 3 to 4 times more than gas, so if your existing shower is heated by a gas boiler then an electric shower is certain to cost you more to run.

    Plus there's the upfront cost of getting it installed - plumbing, new wiring to supply it, potential for needing to upgrade your fuse box etc.

    Keep your money and find something else to spend it on. There's plenty of other energy/money saving things you could do.
  • lstar337
    lstar337 Posts: 3,443 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    Grenage wrote: »
    Of course, it probably should be - 24kw boiler vs 10kw electric shower.
    And with electricity being roughly 3x the cost of gas, you can afford to go up to 30kW for the same cost.

    Electric showers are pants, they really are.
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