Should I change my heating system to gas?

wolfe111

Currently my flat is currently on an Economy 7 tariff and is heated using basic electric (not storage) radiators with an immersion heater for hot water. I work from home so the day rate of my tariff is starting to cost a lot.
I am able to get connected to the gas network from my property, but is it worth doing so especially with gas boilers planning to be phased in the next few years?
I'm trying to work out what my best option, so any advice would be great 

movilogo

Are you owner or tenant? How big is your flat?
You need to weigh cost of installing GCH vs adding supplemental electric heaters like infrared heaters etc. - especially if your flat is small. 

molerat

Gas is will be a cheaper install than ASHP, going gas with a future proofed oversized radiator system could be an option although both would need to be priced up taking any grants into consideration.  Gas is not going away anytime soon. 

Gerry1

Welcome to the forum.

At present you have the most expensive heating around, not even NSHs.  I'd jump at it, you'll have significantly lower bills and having gas will make your property easier to sell when the time comes and the price will be better.  Being all electric is a red line for many people, and peak rate heating would be a double red line.

It's possible that some levies may be transferred to gas from electricity, but gas is still likely to remain significantly cheaper.

Seize the day !

EssexHebridean

We had a similar debate a few months back - we are also E7 but do have storage heaters so our bills will be dramatically lower than yours I imagine.  In our case unless we wanted all the pipework to run externally (not ideal or in some places even practical), it would require a large amount of upheaval, dust and subsequent redecoration. We eventually decided to stick with what we have - realistically a well managed system of storage heaters and good use of the E7 setup can mean that the right sort of property can be heated very economically.  our main concern and reason for considering the change had been its appeal to future buyers, however, both the agents who have since valued our property have confirmed that the market no longer sees electric heating as being such a large negative - especially when this includes modern high heat retention storage heaters. indeed one went so far as to say that some younger FTBs they are seeing are actively against gas heating in a property. 

Have you done a cost analysis on the comparison between GCH and a proper modern storage heater setup, allowing that you already have the E7 electric setup in place? The new Dimplex Quantum or Elnur HHR NSH's aren't cheap, but they are very controllable and can give an excellent level of warmth. It would also be worth checking whether if you were to go that route, a change of electricity supplier would work in your favour as they are all different on their day/night bias. 

Gerry1

Why are you on an Economy 7 tariff if you don't have storage heaters?  If you do the sums you'll probably find it's costing you significantly more than would single rate.

Most suppliers will happily bill you at single rate without a meter change.

_Sam_

I too think that a calculation would be useful here, even though it may seem a no-brainer because gas is cheaper than electrics. 

Take into account the cost of connecting the gas, installing the boiler and radiators. Compare this to the cost of installing electric storage heaters.

Then the price of gas vs electric, and the fact that electric heaters are 100% efficient, while boilers depends on the model, the best are about 80-90% efficient. Also consider special 'smart' tariffs for electricity that you could switch to.

In each of the scenario, how quickly would you recoup the investment? 

markin

If you post your day/night rates and readings someone will workout if you should move to a single rate tariff or to a different supplier for a better day/night ratio.

EssexHebridean

_Sam_ said:

I too think that a calculation would be useful here, even though it may seem a no-brainer because gas is cheaper than electrics. 

Take into account the cost of connecting the gas, installing the boiler and radiators. Compare this to the cost of installing electric storage heaters.

Then the price of gas vs electric, and the fact that electric heaters are 100% efficient, while boilers depends on the model, the best are about 80-90% efficient. Also consider special 'smart' tariffs for electricity that you could switch to.

In each of the scenario, how quickly would you recoup the investment? 

BIB - Usually... In my region, of I was with EDF, I'd be paying 3p/kWh LESS for off peak electricity than I would be for gas. there are others regions where the rate is not far off the same as gas, also. 

wolfe111

Thank you for all your replies, they are very useful. I will do a cost analysis over the next couple of months to see what will be most cost effective  

elsien

Gerry1 said:

Why are you on an Economy 7 tariff if you don't have storage heaters?  If you do the sums you'll probably find it's costing you significantly more than would single rate.

Most suppliers will happily bill you at single rate without a meter change.

And just in case you missed it.