Can replacing old storage heaters with new, efficient electric heaters improve the EPC?

blizeH

Hi,


We've just bought a property with an EPC rating of F33, which we need to bring up to an E.


Under both 'main heating, room heaters, electric' and 'hot water, electric immersion' the energy efficiency rating is very poor. We've toyed with the idea of getting gas central heating put in, but this will cost a lot of money (at least £4,000 due to the house currently not having a gas connection) and also have the ongoing cost/hassle of needing a gas safety certificate etc.


Are there any particular radiators or electric immersions we can put in to bring the rating up please?


Thanks

molerat

All electric heaters are near to 100% efficient be they a £10 fan heater from Argos or a £900 fairy dust filled "efficient" heater from some fishy business, 1kWh of electric goes in 1 kWh of heat goes out. Don't be dragged in by the hype. Replacing them with modern ones will likely improve your epc but will not be cost effective and will most likely actually increase your electric bill. The best way to improve the performance is to make sure the house does not bleed heat, changing the heaters will not break even for many many many years.

NineDeuce

molerat wrote: »

Replacing them with modern ones will likely improve your epc but will not be cost effective and will most likely actually increase your electric bill.

That is just not true that it will most likely increase your electricity bill.

Anyway, replacing your electric heaters like for like will not have an effect on your EPC as all electric storage heaters are considered to have the same efficiency.

You would need to replace the system with gas, or better, insulate the house.

Why do you need to improve the rating to E? If due to the minimum standards legislation, you only need to do so if you can obtain 3rd party funding.

blizeH

Thank you both! Really interesting about the efficiencies.

I think the current system is more like radiators/heaters rather than actual storage heaters, so upgrading to storage heaters should help. I've actually just found the EPC (thought I'd have to get one done myself) and it says: 'Fan assisted storage heaters and dual immersion cylinder' would get us to a D62. Perfect! Looks like it'll be pricey (~£2,000 just for the storage heaters) but still cheaper than having a gas supply fitted and central heating, plus hopefully less maintenance and hassle in the long run.

Cardew

Gas CH would be cheaper and enhance the value of your property.


It is really important that every reader is aware that these hyped heaters filled/coated with any substance known to man, give out exactly the same heat, for the same running cost, as the £10 heater referred to in post#2!

blizeH

Thanks, I know this article is obviously biased, but what are your opinions on this article? https://srpinventories.co.uk/should-landlords-be-making-a-move-to-electric-central-heating/


Electric is cheaper (~£2k vs ~£4k) and should be easier and less costly going forward, due to it not needing a service, gas safety certificate etc.

NineDeuce

blizeH wrote: »

Thanks, I know this article is obviously biased, but what are your opinions on this article? https://srpinventories.co.uk/should-landlords-be-making-a-move-to-electric-central-heating/


Electric is cheaper (~£2k vs ~£4k) and should be easier and less costly going forward, due to it not needing a service, gas safety certificate etc.

Electricity is only generally cheaper on capital cost, not on running cost. The cost of electricity is likely to increase at a higher rate over the next 10 years than gas.

molerat

Landlords are moving to electric because the cost of installation and maintenance is lower. The expensive costs of running, which is passed on to the mug tenant, is of no concern to a landlord.

Skools_Out

blizeH wrote: »

Hi,


We've just bought a property with an EPC rating of F33, which we need to bring up to an E.


Under both 'main heating, room heaters, electric' and 'hot water, electric immersion' the energy efficiency rating is very poor. We've toyed with the idea of getting gas central heating put in, but this will cost a lot of money (at least £4,000 due to the house currently not having a gas connection) and also have the ongoing cost/hassle of needing a gas safety certificate etc.


Are there any particular radiators or electric immersions we can put in to bring the rating up please?


Thanks

Refer to the EPC report which will indicate what you can do to improve the energy efficiency of the property.

blizeH

NineDeuce wrote: »

Electricity is only generally cheaper on capital cost, not on running cost. The cost of electricity is likely to increase at a higher rate over the next 10 years than gas.

Do you have a source for this please? Obviously we don't want to outlay a load of money for this to be the case.

Also, another factor is that I'm thinking in the future electricity will be cleaner than gas... or at least that's the hope. Especially if the tenant goes with someone like Ecotricity (which they likely won't, I know)

Skools_Out

blizeH wrote: »

Do you have a source for this please? Obviously we don't want to outlay a load of money for this to be the case.

Also, another factor is that I'm thinking in the future electricity will be cleaner than gas... or at least that's the hope. Especially if the tenant goes with someone like Ecotricity (which they likely won't, I know)

Speak to your letting agent. They will reflect what they know about what tenants want.

They will tell you that a property that includes GCH (preferably by radiators) will be easier to let and/or will will attract a higher rental than a property that is heated by electricity (all else being equal)

If/when this changes, they will be able to advise you of that too e.g. because tenants become as green as you want them to be.

There is no room for sentiment in business.