storage heaters/electric central heating or gas?

Cardew · 2 July 2007 at 5:14PM

Hi Jo.G

I think that the carbon footprint/renewable energy/energy efficiency discussion is extremely complex and perhaps should be left to the 'Green Discussion Board'

There is no doubt that, for most people, Gas CH is the cheapest to run and is light years ahead of Storage heating in the convenience stakes.

That said, for a 3 bed semi, when you take into account the requirement for an annual safety/servicing visit for gas, the costs of storage heating will not be that much higher.

However if you take into account the cost of installing gas and getting a gas CH system fitted(£4,000?) you will probably never recoup the costs.

That said it will undoubtedly increase the value of your property to get gas CH.

There is one other most important consideration – namely your comfort! Living in a cold house can be a nightmare.

So. as you asked my advice: it is a no contest – get Gas CH.

Gorgeous_George · 2 July 2007 at 7:10PM

It alway seems mad to me to burn gas to heat water and then use electricity to pump this around the house.

That said, my tenant has asked for GCH. Gas is supplied to the house (just needs a meter) and I can get a system fitted quite cheaply (it's who you know). I know that there are extra costs for servicing and gas safety certificates but I like GCHG in my home and see no reason why my tenant should not be afforded the same luxury.

Then there's the argument that gas may run out one day whereas electricity will be around forever. If only electricity was more fairly priced.

GG

bristol_pilot · 2 July 2007 at 7:47PM

Since electricity is generated mainly by burning gas in a power station, then you lose half of the energy due to the second law of thermodynamics and transmission losses on the grid, it seems clear to me that gas central heating where the gas is burnt in the home is bound to be more efficient and cheaper than electricity.

Also, with storage heaters your home is too hot in the morning and too cold in the evening and if you have a lifestyle when you are in and out a lot then you will either be heating an empty hpuse a lot of the time or coming home to a cold house etc. I will never have storage heaters again, gas is best or maybe oil if mains gas is not available.

Jo.G · 3 July 2007 at 1:09PM

Thanks for all your opinions, I think when its time to look at our finances GCH will be top of the 'To Do List'

Cardew · 30 July 2007 at 10:52AM

Just joined and 3 slightly different posts all promoting this system.

From a quick glance it would appear that these run using daytime electricity rates.

If so there is no more expensive way of heating.

I suspect this is spam.

Cardew · 31 July 2007 at 1:10AM

magarside wrote: »

Yes I,m new to this forum and thought it's purpose was to share both opinions and product information. However I express an opinion supporting electric heating systems contrary to your gas bias and you say I'm spamming ! Do your homework ! The lifecycle cost of an electric powered central heating system is now less than the traditional gas powered system. See Dimplex website for reference. You don't appear to understand how the product I referred to earlier works. Did you know it cycles ie switches the drawing of power on and off depending on the ambient temperature and required temperatue so it may only draw electricity 20 seconds in a minute. Anyway I could go on but I have other things to do and I suspect you appear to be stuck in your ways so I'm wasting my breath. After 3000+ posts you should use your spare time more effectively and brush up your knowledge.

The purpose of this site is money saving, not for people to promote products in which they have an interest; especially when they spout rubbish.

An electrical heating system that runs using daytime electricity tariff is the most expensive form of heating available.

If you understood anything about electrical theory or practice - and it is self evident you don't - it doesn't matter if it runs for 1 second a minute or 60 seconds a minute. All electrical heating is, essentially 100% efficient so the heat output is directly proportional to the energy consumed.

Just as a matter of interest I am a Chartered Electrical Engineer so have some knowledge of electrical power and heating. I suspect you are simply a salesman who uses statements like this below to impress.

Did you know it cycles ie switches the drawing of power on and off depending on the ambient temperature and required temperatue so it may only draw electricity 20 seconds in a minute.

I assume you wish to imply(but not actually state) that it somehow produces the same heat as the rated output, but at one third the cost.

Also if you bothered to read some of my 3,000 odd posts(that seem to cause you concern) you will see that I have several times pointed out that electrical storage heating on an Economy 7(or E10 if available) is a sensible proposition when you consider whole life cycle costs – not least because the expensive gas servicing/safety checks are not required.

But to heat at full daytime rates is a nonsense. If that were my only option I would use £20 fan heaters which; "Did you know it cycles ie switches the drawing of power on and off depending on the ambient temperature and required temperatue so it may only draw electricity 20 seconds in a minute."

Now if you want to debate this subject using facts, please do so. There are a few other qualified contributers to this forum who will be interested and doubtless comment.

If not go and peddle your spam to a more gullible audience.

knightstyle · 12 August 2007 at 10:41AM

I have to agree with Cardew with electricity, unless you use a heat pump you only get out what you put in!
Storage heaters. Well they are fine for background heating but make sure you have modern ones, the insulation breaks down after about ten years. I picked up some two year old ones free on condition I removed them from a house being renovated. Got some strong friends to help!
You should recoupe the cost of installing gas heating when you sell, so the only extra cost will be the servicing and interrest if you borrow the money.
If it were me I would go for gas but see if you can get better quotes.

FrozenScot · 12 August 2007 at 12:31PM

Hi Bexm - I am in the process of purchasing a three bedroom bungalow which is all electric with storage heaters. I have discovered panel heaters supplied by Heat and Cool which they claim are very economical to run see thread LHZ Electric radiators. I have had further conversation with them as I found the running cost hard to believe. They in turn have forwarded me a copy of a trial carried out by a North Lanarkshire Council over a year which details the electricity used and cost for heating only. The house was a two bedroom mid terrace, occupied all day by three adults. The radiators installed were 1Kw in each bedroom, two 1Kw in the living room, 0.8 Kw in the kitchen, 1Kw in the Hall and no heating in the bathroom. The tariff used was Scottish Hydro Economy 10. Both the Peak and Offpeak units and cost is detailed including a new meter installation and a change of tariff three quarter way through the test period. Total KW used 11176, no of days 365, useage cost £703.58, standing charge £71.76. Total cost £775. 34, Average Cost/Day £2.12, Average Cost/Unit £0.063, Average KW per day = 31. I am now giving this system serious consideration as I have been quoted approx £5000 to install Gas Central heating. I am now investigating installing an enclosed hot water cylinder to provide hot water, the cost of the panels (7) and a hot water cylinder are well below the installation of GCH. My main problem is that I find it difficult to reconcile myself to a total electric system. . . . Regards

Cardew · 12 August 2007 at 6:11PM

Well £775 for heating only(they don't mention Hot water and other electricity) for a 2 bed mid tce house on Economy 10 is hardly cheap!

You can bet for the trial it would have been a well insulated house. A 3 bed bungalow will be a totally different proposition.

The bottom line is that any heating at daytime rates(excluding the 3 daytime hours of E10 is going to be about the most expensive form of heating available.

JPSC · 12 August 2007 at 9:55PM

Can I throw in some actual experience using all electric heating. I have a small detached house (about 115 sq m) with storage heaters in the hall, living room and dining room, seven direct panel heaters in the bedrooms, bathroom and kitchen, a fire in the living room and a circulating immersion heater on Economy 7. Total household usage for the last year was approx 13000KWh, 2500 on day rate and 10500 on night rate - total cost about £750.

The storage heaters are set to give background heating at approx 17C, with timed heating in the bedrooms night and morning at 18C and the living room fire used in the evening at 22C in Winter. The house is occupied all day. The oldest storage heater is 22 years old, doesn't deteriorate to my knowledge

The key to reduced energy use and cost has been controlled use of a well designed system with adequate capacity, all the heaters direct and storage are thermostatically controlled and the direct heaters timed, the immersion heater runs for the last three hours of night rate in the morning and we never run out of hot water unless we have a lot of visitors, even when we had three teenage children at home. When we moved in with uncontrolled heating the annual usage was around 22000KWh.

There is excellent information about specification available from manufacturers and I think the newer products from Creda and Dimplex would be more economical than those we have.

Hope this helps

storage heaters/electric central heating or gas?

Comments

Categories

Get our FREE Weekly email full of deals & guides - and it’s spam-free