Need help choosing a new heating system!

Jules2054

Hi, 
My circumstances......I have several long term health conditions. Do not work, so home all day.
Atm I have 2 old storage heaters on E7, as all the others have stopped working. I'm all electric, with the nearest gas mains 54mtrs away. I live in a 2 bedroom, 1 bathroom, 2 living rooms, kitchen, hall and conservatory, semi detached house. I have an electric fire in the front room, portable electric radiator in the conservatory,  1 large storage heater in the hallway, and a medium sized one in the dining room. 
I contacted my local council, who said that I qualified for a home heating grant, but they got a quote back from Cagent gas for over £7000 to connect me. The grant wont cover that, and I have no savings, so they suggested looking at LPG, as they said they dont fund storage heaters!. I'm waiting for someone to come out to assess my house, to see if this is viable, but I dont think the property is big enough to house a bulk tank. If it turns out that I could only have the smaller cylinders (47kg), I think it will cost too much to run, is this right? 
I'm paying about £2.50 per day, for all my electric atm. I would expect this to be higher if I had all 5 storage heaters on etc!
Are there any others forms of heating my house that would be cheap to run?
My house was built around 1975, so I have cavity wall insulation, loft insulation, solid concrete floors, and all double glazed! 
All constructive advice appreciated! 
Thanks! 
Jules. 

Gerry1

It's probably quite easy and cheap to get the three storage heaters working.  It could be as simple as a blown fuse, faulty thermostat or failed heating elements.  That's far cheaper than using day rate electricity for plug-in heaters, which will be even more expensive on E7.

Make sure that the immersion heater is on a switched E7 circuit and that any boost switch is always left off because it will be using the expensive day rate.

What are the kWh rates and daily charge, inc VAT?  Have you switched supplier recently?  If not, do a comparison starting with Citizens Advice and 'Switch with Which?', using annual kWh based on actual meter readings, never estimates.

Also check your insulation and see whether any grants are available to improve it.  I trust you're getting Warm Home Discount etc and are on the Priority Services Register?

Jules2054

Gerry1 said:

It's probably quite easy and cheap to get the three storage heaters working.  It could be as simple as a blown fuse, faulty thermostat or failed heating elements.  That's far cheaper than using day rate electricity for plug-in heaters, which will be even more expensive on E7.

* the other storage heaters have been removed, as they burnt out! These heaters are over 30yrs old! 

Make sure that the immersion heater is on a switched E7 circuit and that any boost switch is always left off because it will be using the expensive day rate.

* the immersion heater E7 is connected to the E7 circuit, but it stopped working a couple of yrs ago, so I just use the booster switch over night, twice a week! 

What are the kWh rates and daily charge, inc VAT?  Have you switched supplier recently?  If not, do a comparison starting with Citizens Advice and 'Switch with Which?', using annual kWh based on actual meter readings, never estimates.

* I switched a couple of months ago, to EDF simply online 1 yr fixed jun21 (E7).   Day rate:15.74pp kWh, night rate: 7.96pp kWh.  Daily charge: 21.97p. I have a smart meter fitted. 

Replies above, marked with *
Thanks for replying! 

Gerry1

Might be worth getting some second hand storage heaters; they're probably quite cheap.  As you're at home in the day you don't need sooper dooper highly insulated ones (=highly expensive) such as Dimplex Quantum, anything big enough will do.

You might even get them free from Freegle or Freecycle, just post a Want Ad on their websites.

Jules2054

Gerry1 said:

Might be worth getting some second hand storage heaters; they're probably quite cheap.  As you're at home in the day you don't need sooper dooper highly insulated ones (=highly expensive) such as Dimplex Quantum, anything big enough will do.

You might even get them free from Freegle or Freecycle, just post a Want Ad on their websites.

Thanks for your advice, but I'm still unsure as to the question I posed, about whether LPG, cheaper or not, to run, than storage heaters or some other form of heating? (Execption of Natural mains gas). 
Thanks! 

matelodave

By using your oil filled rad and electric fire you are using peak rate electricity which costs you over twice as much as it would if you were using storage heaters.
Likewise, paying twice as much as you need to heat your water has cost you a lot more than getting than getting the immersion fixed - false economy.
As Gerry say, don't use peak rate leccy to heat your place, get your storage heaters either fixed or replaced, likewise the immersion heater.
Heating a conservatory with an oil filled rad is costing you the earth to heat the planet as most of the heat goes out through the glass.

Jules2054

matelodave said:

By using your oil filled rad and electric fire you are using peak rate electricity which costs you over twice as much as it would if you were using storage heaters.
* yes, I'm aware of this, which is why I'm asking if LPG would be cheaper! 
Likewise, paying twice as much as you need to heat your water has cost you a lot more than getting than getting the immersion fixed - false economy.
* this will be fixed when I get a new heating system fitted! 
As Gerry say, don't use peak rate leccy to heat your place, get your storage heaters either fixed or replaced, likewise the immersion heater.
Heating a conservatory with an oil filled rad is costing you the earth to heat the planet as most of the heat goes out through the glass.
* The portable radiator is oil free! 

Answers above marked by *
Thanks for your reply! 

Gerry1

There are some comparisons on theses sites, although some of the prices seem out of date or unrealistic, so treat with caution and don't rely on just one.  However, they may give some idea of the relative costs of various fuels.

Energy Cost Comparison

Fuel Prices

Fuel Comparisons

In reality, just get some second hand NSHs and get rid of all day rate electric heating !

Gas really would be the answer.  Might be worth contacting Citizens Advice to see whether there's any way of getting a grant or a cheaper quotation. If you own the property and intend to stay there for the foreseeable future, it might even be worth getting some equity release to fund getting gas installed.  You'd be warmer, have lower bills, and it would increase the value of the property and make it easier to sell.  However, equity release is something of a minefield and would need good professional advice, so it's not something to be undertaken lightly.

rp1974

Would some kind of grant help cover any of the cost of gas mains connection,or maybe part of it?.Even if you had to pay towards it running it costs a quarter of electric heating and hot water thereafter.Personally would not even consider a property without an operational gas supply,even with a substantial reduction,many others will think likewise so that might also be worth considering as a factor.

macman

Get the 3 NSH's fixed or replaced, any other option requires capital outlay, which you don't have. Stop using any form of electric heating on peak rate E7, it's literally burning money.

matelodave

Any sort of portable radiator or heater, whether its oil free, convector, fan, radiant, filled with magic dust, clay or other exotic material will give out the same amount of heat for the same input and will use peak rate leccy (unless you only have it on during the night between midnight and 7 am).