Electric versus Gas heating this winter

Last winter I spent a King's Ransom on gas to heat my small one bedroom flat. The radiators don't have their own individual thermostat valves and the boiler, whilst modern, appears not to have a very sophisticated temperature control either. The up shot being that the flat was either bitterly cold or like an oven.

I have been thinking of buying a mid-range electric heater with a goof efficiency rating. The cheap ones are sometimes a false economy, it looks like spending £50/60 will get a decent one. Then I would just move it around were ever needed.

Does anyone have any advice regarding this, from a cost saving perspective? Is it really possible to save money by switching to electric heating? Is there any point?

Thanks,

Last winter I spent a King's Ransom on gas to heat my small one bedroom flat. The radiators don't have their own individual thermostat valves and the boiler, whilst modern, appears not to have a very sophisticated temperature control either. The up shot being that the flat was either bitterly cold or like an oven.

 

I have been thinking of buying a mid-range electric heater with a goof efficiency rating. The cheap ones are sometimes a false economy, it looks like spending £50/60 will get a decent one. Then I would just move it around were ever needed.

 

Does anyone have any advice regarding this, from a cost saving perspective? Is it really possible to save money by switching to electric heating? Is there any point?

 

Thanks,

Just get a decent room stat fitted to the boiler. Shouldnt cost much. Gas is hideously pricey, but still less so than heating with electricity.

Just get a decent room stat fitted to the boiler. Shouldnt cost much. Gas is hideously pricey, but still less so than heating with electricity.

You could stick valves on the radiators as well?

You could get a calor gas heater they are efficient at heating just one room that you are using. You will also not be hit with a huge bill at the end of the quarter. You will know what u are spending as you go along, this is good way of controlling your costs.

You could get a calor gas heater they are efficient at heating just one room that you are using. You will also not be hit with a huge bill at the end of the quarter. You will know what u are spending as you go along, this is good way of controlling your costs.

Very bad advice, those things are potential death traps in a small space, As your trying to heat the room you will obviously have all the windows closed, as the heater burns the air in the room will quicckly become vitiated, therby causing the incomplete combustion of the heater which will in turn start to produce carbon monoxide, which will very soon aleviate the need for you to heat your room ever again the previous advice given is good, fit a wireless room stat and have TRV's fitted to the radiators.

You can get really inexpensive (to run) electric radiators, but they don't chuck out much heat, just take the chill off a room. '

This link might be of use in helping you choose.

http://www.which.co.uk/home-and-garden/heating-water-and-electricity/reviews/portable-heaters/

Very bad advice, those things are potential death traps in a small space, As your trying to heat the room you will obviously have all the windows closed, as the heater burns the air in the room will quicckly become vitiated, therby causing the incomplete combustion of the heater which will in turn start to produce carbon monoxide, which will very soon aleviate the need for you to heat your room ever again the previous advice given is good, fit a wireless room stat and have TRV's fitted to the radiators.

PLus they produce water vapour and encourage damp and mould.

Ah Mr block 18. When could you come round to do me s had safety very please? Quote to fit TVRs too please?

Why not get an oil filled radiator? If the room is relatively small, it doesn't use too much electricity and they come with thermostats built in.

Electricity is about three times more expensive per kw hour compared with mains gas. It wouldnt make any economic sense to use an electric heater to 'fill in the gaps'.

Basically it sounds like at the moment your boiler is running constantly during the hours it is programmed to come on, super heats the flat and then switches off, leaving the place cold. If you cant afford to get a thermostat fitted you could simply turn the boiler water output temperature down (ie the temperature of the water running through the radiators). Much better to get a proper room thermostat fitted - ive got a programmeable one (eg you can set the temperature for say 21c during the day and 12c during the night) only costs around £50 excluding fitting, individual radiator temperature controls are around £20 . Also check that your hot water tank has its own thermostat and its not set above 50c - up to a third of your bill will be water heating. In a flat there probably isnt too much you can do easily to insulate, but you can cure draughts around windows and doors for just a few quid - 40% of heat is lost through draughts in older properties.

Are you still using your cooker to heat your bed sit?

My sister used to use a parafin heater and when really cold would have the iron on. Back in'78.

We had 2 heating issues 2 years running both times when Snow was on the ground and having to wait to get sorted. It soon got chilly in the house, so I bought an oil filled electric radiator and a Halogen heater, the Halogen took the edge off the cold quickly and the Oil filled radiator kept the warmth up. Ours was a small 2 bed house and they seemed to do the job, not toasty but enough, I was amazed at how little Electric they used.

Are you still using your cooker to heat your bed sit?

Sweetheart, it is a one bedroom flat. Not a bedsit. Claws in. Just because you've been found out on your Rhodesia thread... no need!

But yes, at the moment I am keeping the kitchen door open when I put something in the oven. It works well enough to heat the place, or at least take off the chill. But when it gets mega-stupid-proper-cold-whatever-innit then 'twill nay be enough.

I think the idea from angelman is the best. An oil radiator might be what I am after.

I am a fan of the oil-filled radiators. Use them to supplement central heating in rooms where the house thermostat doesn't do any good. Don't know that I would want to use them instead of CH though.

i'm refurbing a one bed flat with no gch so i am fitting electric radiators http://www.cnmonline.co.uk/Swedish-Made-Digital-Electric-Radiators-pr-36282.html

Electricity is about three times more expensive per kw hour compared with mains gas. It wouldnt make any economic sense to use an electric heater to 'fill in the gaps'.

 

Basically it sounds like at the moment your boiler is running constantly during the hours it is programmed to come on, super heats the flat and then switches off, leaving the place cold. If you cant afford to get a thermostat fitted you could simply turn the boiler water output temperature down (ie the temperature of the water running through the radiators). Much better to get a proper room thermostat fitted - ive got a programmeable one (eg you can set the temperature for say 21c during the day and 12c during the night) only costs around £50 excluding fitting, individual radiator temperature controls are around £20 . Also check that your hot water tank has its own thermostat and its not set above 50c - up to a third of your bill will be water heating. In a flat there probably isnt too much you can do easily to insulate, but you can cure draughts around windows and doors for just a few quid - 40% of heat is lost through draughts in older properties.

Having had our boiler recently replaced we went the whole hog and got one of these weather compensating controllers:

http://www.vaillant.co.uk/homeowners/heating-solutions/controls-1/produkt_vaillant/vrc-430f.html

installed. The idea being that when its warmer outside rather than run on high and go on and off the boiler realised it does not need so much and runs at a lower settings. Supposed to save about 10% on bills but as have not had the central heating on yet since it was installed only time will tell.

It is a one bedroom flat. Not a bedsit.

I believe you.

I can't see it mentioned yet, but have you looked at the level of insulation in the flat? Obviously what you can do depends on if you own or rent but even just thermal lined curtains can make a difference. If you're top floor and have a loft, make sure that is insulated well... the upfront costs will soon pay back in terms of lower heating bills.

You could get a calor gas heater they are efficient at heating just one room that you are using. You will also not be hit with a huge bill at the end of the quarter. You will know what u are spending as you go along, this is good way of controlling your costs.

As with all Calor Gas heaters you get a very high pitched squeeky voice like a pikey.

I can't see it mentioned yet, but have you looked at the level of insulation in the flat? Obviously what you can do depends on if you own or rent but even just thermal lined curtains can make a difference. If you're top floor and have a loft, make sure that is insulated well... the upfront costs will soon pay back in terms of lower heating bills.

Absolutely. It's pointless spending money on fancy control systems, TRV's, etc, if the heat is ****ing out of the building structure, bad windows, etc in the first place.

Having had our boiler recently replaced we went the whole hog and got one of these weather compensating controllers:

 

http://www.vaillant.co.uk/homeowners/heating-solutions/controls-1/produkt_vaillant/vrc-430f.html

 

installed. The idea being that when its warmer outside rather than run on high and go on and off the boiler realised it does not need so much and runs at a lower settings. Supposed to save about 10% on bills but as have not had the central heating on yet since it was installed only time will tell.

These are indeed very good, but and its a big but, they are only effective in a modern well insulated house. In an older house they cant fully compensate and dont work to their full potential.

Ah Mr block 18. When could you come round to do me s had safety very please? Quote to fit TVRs too please?

You have a PM

These are indeed very good, but and its a big but, they are only effective in a modern well insulated house. In an older house they cant fully compensate and dont work to their full potential.

House is not modern but we have insulated it as much as we sensibly can short of sticking stuff on the outside. Hopefully it will result in some savings but as its all part of the replacement efficient boiler setup in place of an old back boiler it will be impossible to tell what effect it is having. Even if it only saves a few percent it will pay back eventually.

At the moment the main thing saving us money is the weather as have not had to put on the central heating yet and the forecast for the next week still looks fairly mild.

Block 18.

Can't PM you. What would a full service and gas safety cert cost please?

Needs to be done early December, perhaps sooner.

If the budget allows and my estimations aren't too far out would like a price to fit about 10 TVR's whilst the system's drained?

Didn't receive your PM btw, you can e-mail me at freewebtv@hotmail.co.uk