Don't know what to do; elec v gas

gemmaj

Just bought my first house :j I am DESPERATE to get a shower fitted (can't live without one). The current electric-heated water system won't run one.

You may have noticed by now I know nothing about plumbing etc, but here goes;

Had our friendly plumber round; can't have a pump (tank too small/ no where to put larger one), electric shower would be difficult, possibly impossible, and would give me a rather pathetic water flow. Only other option is a pressurised water tank (circa £2000, awaiting price).

I also need heating installing. I have a 3 bed house with 2 radiators, neither of which are in the lounge or bedrooms! (brrrr)

My current radiators are electric overnight storage heaters (the type that contains bricks). Electric company proposes to install more of them and some panel heaters (awaiting price)

The Gas company would like to replace my boiler with a gas boiler and add gas radiators. However as there is no gas they will dig up my entire house and fill it with pipes everywhere :eek: They want £4300 for the lot, with 5 years interest free credit.

My last problem is that many people (but not the plumber) said that electric systems were cheaper to run than gas. But there is no majority descision, so I'm not sure!

Living in Guernsey I have no choice of companies - its either Guernsey Electricity or Guernsey Gas. (There is a Guernsey Oil but I have no where to put the tank!)

Electric here is on economy12 - £10 per quarter then 9.4p/unit and 3.9p/unit off peak. Haven't managed to find out how much gas is yet, but I can do if it would mean anything to anyone!!?

So my question (finally! sorry!) is any opinions/preferences/recommendations on gas or electric systems?

Thanks! G.

loon_2

From the sounds of it, you are asking the wrong people. Your electric rates seem quite high, indicating you are with your LEB. If this is the case, you are being charged at the highest electricity rate possible and its not a surprise that they want you to install more electricity consuming devices as this will increase their profits. The same is true of the gas. If BG are supplying the gas, they will want gas consuming appliances, and if they offer to install the boiler, you are much better off shopping around.

All I can advise is to find out the increased consumption amounts due to the new installations and compare prices online. Then simply chose the cheapest.

gemmaj

find out the increased consumption amounts due to the new installations

Sorry, but what does this mean? Or how do I do it?
(sorry to be thick!)

f107btx

Have a look at this site may be useful

http://www.trianco.co.uk/astecfrontpage.htm

Rebob

To install further storage heaters you need a larger off peak fuse board, a reel of the correct cable, some fused switches and the heaters themselves. We have added to ours by buying a couple out of the local free ads at a fraction of the price. The only downside to eco7 heating is that you cannot switch on/off the heat in the middle of the day. Now that I have learnt how to use ours better the bill is £50pm for a 3 bed detached.

mummytofour

Ok just a quick one can you not have a pump put on an electric shower? would this not give you a stronger pressure?? Always go for electric showerer as if you boiler dies you will still be able to shower, can you tell i had an old boiler for many years??

mummytofour

Just to add electric heating is pants, if your are going to be in the house some years spend the money and get the gas system at leat you will be warm! if you dont want to spend that, then get some plug in heaters. :money:
Vxx

scattycat_3

On the mainland there would be no contest gas is around 4xcheaper per KwHr and much more controlable.


First ask the gas company for cost of supply, ie pipe from them to a meter on a wall of your choice. Hence no internal mess so far.
Do not get them to install as they will be the dearest unless you have lots of local Porsche Plumbers.
Get a plumber to quote, for the system of your choice, the bits should cost less than £1000 and depends mainly on the method of hot water storage (especially as you wont have to pay VAT.) Cheapest will be a Combi boiler, dearest will have mains pressure hot water storage (best).
There are a lot of good French boiler manufacturers, who have had more experience of modern practice, than Uk ones ( Caused by ancient By-laws :rolleyes: ) Worcester (a Bosch co) is a good British make.

This is a good long eastablished DIY site and will give you an idea of prices and what is available. http://www.diyboilers.com/
and a more comprehensive site http://www.discountedheating.co.uk/shop/acatalog/Online_Catalogue_Heatrae_Sadia_Megaflo_HE__Indirect__112.html
As at mo shower is most important,
I am a little puzzled as to why a power shower is not a easy solution. They usually just heat the water straight of the mains, as do gas Combi boilers. I suppose the hotter you require the water the slower the flow, still your mains water will require less heat than ours, as it will always be warmer

Mains pressure hot water cylinders cost from around £400, for steel tanks and control valves (5yr gtee, but require annual maintainance), to around £900 for stainless ones, gteed 25 yrs, no mtce.
[ $99 if you are fortunate to live in USA, complete with gas or electric heater! :mad: ]

HTHs SCat

gemmaj

Thanks for the tips - I'll def. look into that!

We can't have a pump fitted to our water storage tank because it isn't big enough and there is nowhere for a large enough one, if thats what you meant. (Not sure if that answers the question or not!)

As for heating water straight off the mains, I think part of the problem is that most water pipes are 22mm - mine is 15mm and the only way of making it bigger is to dig up all the house (concrete floors and all) and the drive, next doors drive, and part of the road :eek: Sounds like chaos to me.

Still waiting to see whether we will even get permission for an electric shower or not. Don't know if its the same in UK/USA but here in Guernsey they give/deny permission for heavy use electrics based on how stretched the electric supply is in your local neighbourhood.

Got my quote for electric heating - £1700 for supply/installation of all the heaters I'll need (some overnight storage heaters, some panel heaters). If you add £1500 for one of these pressurised water tank thingies that would enable me to have a proper (non-electric) shower then thats still £1000 ish cheaper than Gas installation. If I have electric heating and an electric shower (keeping current boiler/water tank) then that puts the cost down to less than £2500 - half the cost of Gas.

Now if only I could work out which will cost more to run!!! (Remembering that Guernsey has totally different prices to UK/USA - darn it, why can't I just live in England and be "normal"!!)

Thanks for the help!

roger56

Mains gas is definately cheaper than electricity for CH. Some gas and elec bills enable cost comparisons in kWhr.
Scroll down this page - sorry it's a bit techie!:
http://www.est.co.uk/bestpractice/hardtotreat/heatingmeasures.cfm
Gas CH is bottom of the list (cheapest!!)

For larger properties (2/3bed) a wet (ie pipes, radiators and gas boiler) system is preferable IMHO. I've installed mains gas CH systems in 3 previous houses after comparing methods.

Installation is a hastle? well perhaps for a short while, but once it's done you can regulate each rooms temperature with a radstat, have a decent shower and do it far cheaper than electric. Also remember that some UK electricity is generated from gas fired power stations!

Your shower and HW can either run directly from the boiler or you can choose a pressurised HW storage cylinder. Both will supply hot water at roughly mains pressure.
Avoid the old method of a HW cylinder with a tank in the loft, it's not always good for showers unless you fit a pump.

gemmaj

Its a cylinder and tank we've got at the moment (but electric not gas).

Also remember that some UK electricity is generated from gas fired power stations

We get most of our electric from France, through a giant underwater cable they laid a few years back, although we do have out own power station too.

Will look in to that link, thanks!