Advice for all electric flat for Dad

barneyboy

Hello, my Dad is considering moving into a new flat, it is in a complex of 25 flats which were converted from an old courthouse, all the flats when built had wet electric heating systems fitted and E10 meters,this was not something i have ever had any experience of, it seems as it is in Scotland there is only one tariff available with SSE which works out dearer even on there off peak tariff than a fixed tariff with Bulb for example, both me and my brother have looked into a few possible solutions including changing the E10 meter to a standard credit meter if possible, having underfloor heating mats which lay under carpets fitted(and not using the large tank at all for heating radiators), i 'm struggling to understand how anyone would consider using this system in our circumstances where a fixed single rate although still too expensive is cheaper than the whole off peak thing, i have always had gas and electric in the past but unfortunately not an option in this flat, this is a major reservation when considering whether to purchase or not, the flat is also offered as a shared equity deal to make it more affordable for low income yet seems to be a very expensive way of heating etc.
I would appreciate anyone's thoughts or experiences of this.

molerat

Electric wet heating is just about the most expensive option there is, setting fire to £10 notes in the middle of the lounge would probably work out cheaper. There is no way you can get a thermal store big enough to last more than a few minutes - to use the heating during the day a 9Kw element would be running most of the time. And to think the green lobby are forcing us towards this type of system in the next few decades.

barneyboy

Hello molerat, cheers for getting back to me, we've being trying to do our own research to get our heads round it but it does seems to be an all round bad deal, the figures we got from SSE were 18.84 standard unit rate and 15.02 off peak and daily standing charge of 25.91 against a fixed rate with bulb of 13.6 and a standing charge of 20.44, the manufacturer give an average annual consumption of around 19,000 kwh which i realise would depend on use but would hate the thought of it being a struggle to heat to a comfortable temp whenever required.

Gerry1

Don't touch it with a bargepole unless you can get mains gas.

Richie-from-the-Boro

Wet electric: Not under any circumstances. Not with any existing [or yet to be invented] tariff ..... ever.

Best of luck barneyboy.

barneyboy

Cheers for the replies, were looking into getting the E10 meter changed over to a standard and going for a fixed rate deal if possible also looking for any info anyone may have on underfloor heating, it would be a mat type which is rolled out on floor before suitable underlay and carpet fitted, it would use less power so we reckon that may be a better option,

Gerry1

barneyboy wrote: »

it would be a mat type which is rolled out on floor before suitable underlay and carpet fitted, it would use less power so we reckon that may be a better option,

Why do you think electric underfloor heating will be any cheaper? For any given day's conditions you need to input a certain number of kWh into a room to maintain a comfortable temperature. That number will be the same regardless whether it's a fan heater, an electric fire, a toaster, an oil filled radiator, panel heaters or something under the carpet. It won't use less energy so it won't be cheaper.

Underfloor heating won't be any good on E7 unless he's a nocturnal person so it'll still bankrupt your dad. It's not an anti-gravity machine nor does it use cheaper magic electrons...

Richie-from-the-Boro

A brick is a brick. Night store old school tin of bricks on E7 is the only cheap electric heating.

I'm NS on E7 and put about 60% of 8500kW per annum into bricks in wintertime. Underfloor like NS relies on the return to the living area of that 60% of 8500kW of stored heat.

Your dad's floor needs approx a minimum of 20x20 foot of dense concrete + insulation with the heater cables embedded in it to do that with underfloor.

E7=7hours
E10=10hours

Depending on your area code that's 2 extra hours daytime top up only. Sorry if I'm bearing bad news for you my friend.

Flt._Lt._Biggles

barneyboy wrote: »

Hello, my Dad is considering moving into a new flat, it is in a complex of 25 flats which were converted from an old courthouse, all the flats when built had wet electric heating systems fitted and E10 meters,this was not something i have ever had any experience of, it seems as it is in Scotland there is only one tariff available with SSE which works out dearer even on there off peak tariff than a fixed tariff with Bulb for example, both me and my brother have looked into a few possible solutions including changing the E10 meter to a standard credit meter if possible, having underfloor heating mats which lay under carpets fitted(and not using the large tank at all for heating radiators), i 'm struggling to understand how anyone would consider using this system in our circumstances where a fixed single rate although still too expensive is cheaper than the whole off peak thing, i have always had gas and electric in the past but unfortunately not an option in this flat, this is a major reservation when considering whether to purchase or not, the flat is also offered as a shared equity deal to make it more affordable for low income yet seems to be a very expensive way of heating etc.
I would appreciate anyone's thoughts or experiences of this.

I do not agree with the premise on which you put your case.

e.g. Bulb do not even offer a fixed tariff :cool:

My advice? Leave it up to your dad with his benefit of years more experience, especially if you don't know anything about this yourself.

Publius

Assuming the place isn't too big it's probably not going to be too bad.


As a point of reference, not long ago I had a 1 bed flat in London (single occupant) which was electric only - no gas.
Water cylinder, wet radiators using a circulating loop with pump heated off of an instant-hot-water type element. No electric underfloor heating.


A winter month was £92
A summer month was £37


Just made sure you get on a tariff which gives you the cheapest per unit electricity rate.


Not having to pay any gas daily connection charges helps offset the higher cost of electric (~£70/year).

Owain_Moneysaver

When you say "wet electric" is it an electric boiler (which will be expensive to run on peak rate electricity) or is it a thermal store which will provide heating and hot water from a bulk storage tank of hot water on E7 or E10 rates, which is one of the most affordable ways of electric heating.

And a new conversion should be to the latest building standards so should be quite well insulated.