Moving from electric storage heaters to gas

timelessmelody

Hi all

Looking for some advice. My parents currently have electric storage heaters and some electric panel heaters as gas wasn't available to the properly historically. I'm trying to convince them to move to gas on the ground it should heat the home better, and should be cheaper in the long run.

Gas is available in their street, though their house is not currently connected. We're in Scotland.....am I correct in thinking it'd be a case of getting the gas supply connected first by Scottish Gas Networks, then arranging a meter install and tariff with a supplier, then getting a boiler and radiators installed? 

Does anyone know ballpark figures on current costs involved before I investigate further.......it's a small 3 bed bungalow?

Section62

timelessmelody said:

Hi all

Looking for some advice. My parents currently have electric storage heaters and some electric panel heaters as gas wasn't available to the properly historically. I'm trying to convince them to move to gas on the ground it should heat the home better, and should be cheaper in the long run.

Gas is available in their street, though their house is not currently connected. We're in Scotland.....am I correct in thinking it'd be a case of getting the gas supply connected first by Scottish Gas Networks, then arranging a meter install and tariff with a supplier, then getting a boiler and radiators installed? 

Does anyone know ballpark figures on current costs involved before I investigate further.......it's a small 3 bed bungalow?

Probably better to ask this on the energy board, but if they need a gas supply installed to the property, a gas boiler, and a wet central heating system installed, then the 'long run' could be many years in the future - and that's assuming the margin between the cost of gas and electricity doesn't reduce towards zero (and IMV the margin will decrease a lot in the coming years)

Depending on how much heat they need, they may not manage to break even before the boiler needs replacing.

Do they get a cheap(er) electric tariff for the heating?

timelessmelody

Asked this already in the 'In my home' board but possibly sits better here.

Looking for some advice. My parents currently have electric storage heaters and some electric panel heaters as gas wasn't available to the properly historically. I'm trying to convince them to move to gas on the ground it should heat the home better, and should be cheaper in the long run.

Gas is available in their street, though their house is not currently connected. We're in Scotland.....am I correct in thinking it'd be a case of getting the gas supply connected first by Scottish Gas Networks, then arranging a meter install and tariff with a supplier, then getting a boiler and radiators installed? 

Does anyone know ballpark figures on current costs involved before I investigate further.......it's a small 3 bed bungalow?

Neil_Jones

Easily four figures, since the boilers themselves are usually four figure sums on their own, assuming you'll want one that does central and domestic hot water heating, though you can get them that will only do central heating assuming there is something already installed for hot water.  But it will probably make more economical sense to have a "proper" boiler than does DHW and central heating.

Add of course the radiators, the pipework, the labour, and then before all of that you would have to have the gas supply installed and metered.  Which you would probably have to pay for, so assuming its relatively straight forward thing and there's nothing complicated to work around would probably be another grand at least.

https://householdquotes.co.uk/how-much-to-install-central-heating/ might be of interest.

TL;DR - I'd say if you get change out of £5k for everything you're doing well.

BUFF

https://www.sgn.co.uk/gas-connections/household-customers/apply-new-gas-connection

What is your parents' current annual electricity usage? Are they on E7 or similar multi tariff?

Don't know the size of your parents house nor exactly where but I imagine that a new boiler+rads install with a combi is going to be £3.5k plus (depending upon exact boiler, no/size of rads, how easy the plumbing is etc.).
If the current differential in price per kWh between electricity & gas is maintained then it should work out cheaper in the long run but will take several years to break even before moving into a "profit" position.

Also worth considering how well insulated the house is & how that can be improved. They may even be able to access funding or grants https://www.homeenergyscotland.org/find-funding-grants-and-loans/

QrizB

TL;DR - I'd say if you get change out of £5k for everything you're doing well.

Agreed. A decade ago I paid £4k to get wet gas CH installed in a house that had a live gas connection but had previously had NSHs.

Megaross

I suppose it comes down to a couple questions as to whether it's worth it -

1. How long do they plan to stay there

2. How much would they value instant heating and hot water

Not sure on getting gas hooked up but a central heating install from scratch? Aint done one in a lot of years but expect to pay anywhere from £4-6k or possibly more for a decent boiler, rads, pipework, disposing old heaters, making good.

Bendy_House

TLM, you have been given a ballpark figure above, but I'd suggest trying to get more concrete sums to work with first. And that should be as easy as calling 2 or 3 local recommended plumbers for quotes for a complete system, and SG for a quote to install a supply.

You'll then likely know whether to take it further.

Gas is certainly 'nicer' to use - fast heat up, more controllable, and a cheaper fuel at the moment, but don't forget that the initial outlay will cover bills for a few years, so your folks will be'out of pocket' for a good while first. And however much MORE the electricity is over gas, the outlay will likely fill that difference for a decade or more?! Ie, don't expect to see a 'return' on your investment any time soon.

But, it is much nicer to live with, far easier to control up and down.

Another consideration will the the future of energy. Ultimately we are heading towards renewable energy sources, and electricity is likely to take over from gas, but that doesn't mean storage heaters. ASHPs are almost certainly going to drop significantly in cost, and that will usually require a  'wet' system which is what you'll have with gas, so the transition should be easier. However, it will also require 'oversized' radiators, so - when you obtain quotes - please factor these in.

Is their bungalow easy to heat? How old is it? How well insulated?

eastcorkram

Did this in 2020, (in England) for 3 bed semi. Loads of other stuff done around the same time, including full re wire. So the removal of storage heaters etc, probably came in the electrician's bill.

From memory it was about £1200 to get gas supply to the house. £250 for meter installation. About £5,500 for heating installation.

Lomast

I have just had this done but in SE England.
Gas pipe to house £986 would also be an extra £300 if they dug the trench on my property but I did this 
Meter install free
Cost of central heating install £ 5645. Inc vat. For 3 bedroom end of terrace

Section62

Bendy_House said:

Gas is certainly 'nicer' to use - fast heat up, more controllable....

If energy cost isn't important then electric heating can be quicker and more controllable.  Switch on an electric heater and the heat comes out immediately, gas CH takes time for the heat to come through. Switch the electric heater off and the heat stops.

The 'nicer' is subjective and it really depends on needs and lifestyle which works better.  Otherwise I think we are in agreement here.

Another point for the OP to bear in mind is as an electric only household the parents are only paying an electric standing charge.  Add gas and they will have to pay the daily gas standing charge as well - Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter - regardless of whether they are using any gas on a given day.  That also throws the 'gas is cheaper' mantra into doubt... on the energy board there have been people asking about ditching their gas supply to save money.