Is switching to electric heating a bad idea

Shivering

Hi our gas heating boiler packed up a year ago and was condemed. We got a quote from British Gas to replace it but they want to change the whole system and disrupt the entire house. Yes the system is old but it works fine with no leaks etc. We recently installed a new emersion water pump and some new radiators. I'm loath to change anything that isn't broken. They also recon the only place we can have the new boiler is in our small bathroom due to windows on every wall. This really confussed me as the landing window would be closer than if it were placed in one of the larger rooms and there are no windows in the hallway???
There quote was iro £8,000
I was wondering if having the gas capped (we only use gas for boiler) and replacing it with an electric boiler would be more cost effective and less disruption? I am disabled and all my conditions are affected by the cold so we currently have electric heaters & radiators plugged in around the house to keep me warm and electric blankets on the bed to keep warm at night but still I'm struggling.
I've tried to find infomation on our options online but at the moment I am drowning in an infomation overload  and struggling to understand it all. If anyone could explain our options more simply it would help so much.
I would love a more eco friendly option eg with solar panels to offset the cost but I can't afford the crazy prices for heat pumps.
I read that yhere are electric boilers that can use our existing radiators is this correct? Also I don't fully understand if a combi boiler would be better than using the emersion we have.
Sorry I'm just so confussed & cold.

We live in a 3 bed semi ex local authority house. 9 radiators. 
I am a disabled veteran.
We also have 2 family members working from home.

Thank you 

QrizB

Replacing a gas boiler with a direct electric one will roughly triple your energy costs. So if you're now spending £800 a year on gas, your electricity bill will instead increase by £2400.

If instead you choose a heat pump, your energy costs will be (roughly) the same as now. In most of the UK you'll get a £7500 grant towards the cost of the heat pump and it could work out cheaper than a new gas boiler.

I'll post my calculations in a follow up message.

QrizB

Here are those calculations I promised.

Gas boiler.

• Ofgem national average gas consumption: 11500kWh/yr.
• Capped tariff 6.34p/kWh + 31.65p/day.
• Total annual cost (11500x0.0634 + 365x31.65) = £844.62.

Electric boiler.

• Equivalent electricity demand to match a 90% efficient gas boiler: 11500x0.9 = 10350kWh/yr.
• Capped tariff 24.86p/kWh + zero extra standing charge.
  
• Total annual cost (10350x0.2486) = £2573.01.

Heat pump.

• Equivalent electricity demand at COP of 3 to match a 90% efficient gas boiler: 11500x0.9/3 = 3450kWh/yr.
• Capped tariff 24.86p/kWh + zero extra standing charge.
  
• Total annual cost (3450x0.2486) = £857.67.

So replacing a gas boiler with an electric one, in Ofgem's average UK home, would add an extra £1728.39 a year to your energy bill. Replacing it with a heat pump would only add £13.05.

QrizB

Other thoughts:

BG are famously expensive for boiler replacements. Have you asked a local company to quote you? Or one of the big boiler companies like Boxt? Or even go straight to a boiler manufacturer like Worcester Bosch or Viessmann?

If you want a heat pump quote, try Octopus or BG.

FlorayG

Get A Heat Pump | Heat Pumps Explained | Octopus Energy
get a quote
I got one, it's much cheaper than replacing my old knackered gas boiler

Gerry1

Welcome to the forum.

As above, BG will be a rip off, so try a few alternatives.  A long established local supplier is probably a good bet because they have a reputation to protect.

Remember that heat pumps provide a lower output temperature, so you'll need bigger radiators than for gas.

If you go for a heatpump you need to consider what happens during a power failure, especially if you live in a remote area that experiences damaging storms.  GCH will go down because the boiler controls and pump need electricity, but you can get battery backup systems. And of course, if you have a gas cooker if push comes to shove you can turn all the burners on and leave the oven door open.  If you have an electric cooker then it might be worth considering a gas fire.  More expensive to run than GCH but could be useful during a prolonged outage.

In the meantime an electric throw (a wearable electric blanket) is cheap to buy and run.

EssexHebridean

Assuming the old boiler is i place, I take it that you have had it looked at by an independent gas safe registered engineer? Another thing BG are famous for is condemning boilers when other engineers would cheerfully repair them! 

FreeBear

FlorayG said:

Get A Heat Pump | Heat Pumps Explained | Octopus Energy
get a quote
I got one, it's much cheaper than replacing my old knackered gas boiler

I replaced my old Baxi back boiler in the middle of 2023. In the process, ripped out all the old plumbing. New pipework plus oversized radiators all round completed the task. Spent around £3000 in all, but did all the plumbing myself, so just had to pay for the boiler installation. April 2024, the Boiler Upgrade Scheme rules were relaxed, removing some of the barriers that had stopped me from installing a heat pump. Octopus quoted me £2700 (subject to survey) for an ASHP, and that would have included bigger radiators. If I had waited, their offer would have been given serious consideration.

Had the option of installing the gas boiler in several locations..

• Small box room - Would have entailed a very long run of gas pipe and some ugly internal plumbing. Flue would have been well away from any windows.
• Utility room - Again, long run of gas pipe, and ugly plumbing running through the kitchen.
• Loft - Seems to be a popular option, but getting pipes up there is problematic and adds to the headache of servicing.
• Hallway - Ugly plumbing on view, and have a garage on the other side of the wall..

Eventually decided on the hallway as plumbing could be boxed in and the flue routed through the garage to exit from the flat roof. Being directly below the bathroom, I now get (almost) instant hot water up there which I wouldn't have got with any of the other options.

RelievedSheff

Don't use BG for boiler repairs or installations. They are very expensive and will write off perfectly good boilers that can be repaired.

Go to a smaller local independent company. 

bob2302

FlorayG said:

Get A Heat Pump | Heat Pumps Explained | Octopus Energy
get a quote
I got one, it's much cheaper than replacing my old knackered gas boiler

Was that reusing existing pipes and radiators?

TroubledTarts

QrizB said:

Here are those calculations I promised.

Gas boiler.

• Ofgem national average gas consumption: 11500kWh/yr.
• Capped tariff 6.34p/kWh + 31.65p/day.
• Total annual cost (11500x0.0634 + 365x31.65) = £844.62.

Electric boiler.

• Equivalent electricity demand to match a 90% efficient gas boiler: 11500x0.9 = 10350kWh/yr.
• Capped tariff 24.86p/kWh + zero extra standing charge.
  
• Total annual cost (10350x0.2486) = £2573.01.

Heat pump.

• Equivalent electricity demand at COP of 3 to match a 90% efficient gas boiler: 11500x0.9/3 = 3450kWh/yr.
• Capped tariff 24.86p/kWh + zero extra standing charge.
  
• Total annual cost (3450x0.2486) = £857.67.

So replacing a gas boiler with an electric one, in Ofgem's average UK home, would add an extra £1728.39 a year to your energy bill. Replacing it with a heat pump would only add £13.05.

Your gas figure per kwh should have been 6.34p+10% as a boiler won't be 100% efficient I think I have read it right