Electric Storage Heaters or Gas Central Heating ?

M

misterhaney

Guest
I'm considering installing in a relatively old house, either electric combi storage heaters for the day to day living areas and panel heaters in the bedrooms or gas central heating throughout the house. The prices I have been quoted for the work are not too far apart from each other. However the overall running costs of either is the main concern.

The electric heating I know, will be on the night saver rate and yet the price of gas seems to be going down all the time. The installer for the electric option tells me it will be cheaper in the long run than gas and is less messy to install and of course the gas installer tells me his option is cleaner and cheaper in the long run. They both have their own agendas on this one so who do I believe ?
 
Go with gas , you have more instant control. With storage heating the storage side has to be turned on today to get heat tomorrow, the combi side while giving instant heat but should only be used if you get caught out as it is metered at the high rate of electricity. Gas will give your property a better BER rating when you need to sell.
 
If the installer told you that the electricity option is cheaper in the long run, he is not really telling you the truth

Gas per kw/h of heat is cheaper than electricity, maybe 1/3 of the price of electricity.

There are a couple of things I dont like about about gas though.
1. The system will need servicing annually, there is a cost and hassle to this.
2. Gas systems definitely are more likely to break down than electrical storage heaters. There are far more single points of failure in a gas system and greater complexity compared to electric.
3. Although gas is very safe, it's more dangerous than electricity

You say your house is old, sounds like it will need a lot of heating then, going gas may save you money.
 
There simply is no question, go with gas! Storage heating is only used where it is impractical to install oil or gas.
 
I'd vote for gas too. Storage heaters waste heat on days that turn out sunny.

The main cost of the gas system is putting in and plumbing radiators. These can be used by other heating systems in the future, if for example you want to change to pellets or solid fuel.

Also, the gas will heat your domestic hot water for the same price. Using an immersion heater will require more daytime electricity use which is very expensive.
 
an elderly relative had storage heaters put in recently. the heat is great, not too bad on the esb bill, and it works grand for him. The gas central heating would have meant pipework but if it was my house I would have went with the gas, slimmer radiators, and a bit more control convenience being the reasons.
 
Gas central heating heats a house better than storage heating, there is no contest.
 
I would agree with all of the above votes for gas – apart from what has already been mentioned storage heaters dry up the air a lot & create an awful lot of dust.

The lack of regulation (as in heat regulation) is very annoying. With gas you can just turn your radiators off or switch your boiler off on a mild day (like today). With storage heating you have to open your windows to let the heat escape if it’s too warm inside.
 
quentingargan said:
Also, the gas will heat your domestic hot water for the same price. Using an immersion heater will require more daytime electricity use which is very expensive.
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While gas will be a lot cheaper than electricity for heating water, it will still cost money!
Leo
 
Quick question to original poster: what sorts of costs are you talking about for the entire installation of storage heaters?

Ballpark? > EURO 2,500 OR > EURO 5,000 OR > EURO 10,000?

Thank you
 
bertie1 said:
With storage heating the storage side has to be turned on today to get heat tomorrow, the combi side while giving instant heat but should only be used if you get caught out as it is metered at the high rate of electricity.
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And it won't be warm enough. I returned home on Sunday morning, in the middle of the cold snap, after two weeks away with the heat turned off - and for the whole day my only heating option was the front panel. I had to spend the whole day wrapped in blankets over three layers of clothing and I was still uncomfortably cold. Central heating would have warmed the place up a lot sooner.

I'm actually finding that at temperatures this low outside, even after three nights of having the storage heaters on at full blast my apartment is still significantly less warm than I would like it to be.

So I say definitely go with gas.
 
LouisCribben said:
If the installer told you that the electricity option is cheaper in the long run, he is not really telling you the truth

2. Gas systems definitely are more likely to break down than electrical storage heaters. There are far more single points of failure in a gas system and greater complexity compared to electric.
3. Although gas is very safe, it's more dangerous than electricity



Had my 25 year old gas boiler replaced in the Autumn, no problem apart from some electrical fault about two years ago. Didn't experience any hassle when having it serviced. We had it done every two years.
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Replacing storage heaters with alternative electrical heating.

Am unable to use gas or oil and am considering options - have found a heater apparently used in Spain for years as an alternative to storage - FARHO HEATING - ANYONE GOT ANY EXPERIENCE OF THESE?
Theaaskaboutmoney.ie
 
I have had electric/gas and now oil heating, for convenience and reliability I say go electric, what annoyed me about gas was the fact you had to keep paying this monthly standard charge during the Summer months without even using a drop of juice and as stated above system should be serviced annually.

I like the oil system which I have now (old system) but purring like a kitten and the advantage is that you only pay for what you use, no standard charges on top.:)

Girl I work with her boiler hasn't been serviced in over 10yrs, but I wouldn't recommend that, maybe every two years.
 
Mauri said:
LouisCribben said:
2. Gas systems definitely are more likely to break down than electrical storage heaters. There are far more single points of failure in a gas system and greater complexity compared to electric.
3. Although gas is very safe, it's more dangerous than electricity

Had my 25 year old gas boiler replaced in the Autumn, no problem apart from some electrical fault about two years ago. Didn't experience any hassle when having it serviced. We had it done every two years.
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Your latter comment on the good life of your boiler, belies your first point........
I'm not sure I agree with your comment about safe vs. electricity.

pudds said:
I have had electric/gas and now oil heating, for convenience and reliability I say go electric, what annoyed me about gas was the fact you had to keep paying this monthly standard charge during the Summer months without even using a drop of juice and as stated above system should be serviced annually.

I like the oil system which I have now (old system) but purring like a kitten and the advantage is that you only pay for what you use, no standard charges on top.:)

Girl I work with her boiler hasn't been serviced in over 10yrs, but I wouldn't recommend that, maybe every two years.
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You have to pay a standing charge on your ESB as well - including if you don't use any (nightrate). With storage heaters, you'll need a nightrate meter - which you have to pay extra for. And you have to pay to install it (more, extra). And, you pay more, per unit of electricity, if you use it outside 'night hours'. I have nightrate electricity and it is a complete con-job. The cost of it's instal, it's rental, and it's restricted use, means I don't think it is cost effective at all.

Furthermore, to remove it.........costs extra (€180). Waste of time.

As for oil vs gas boiler - oil boiler needs more servicing, and loses efficiency over time. Gas boiler is far more efficient, and ultimately, costs less over the life of the system, as it'll last longer.
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I've just bought a house with storage heating, and am considering installing gas central heating - could anyone give me an idea of the cost? It's a two bed terraced house in North Dublin. Also, I've heard that a grant may be available to help with this - does anyone know much about this?

Thanks:)
 
As above.
We are thinking of buying a three bed with very old storage heating. Before we do I would like to look in to costs of connecting the house to gas supply,boiler and radiators (approx 7).
I'm presuming because the house is in a housing estate in Dublin 9 that it would be a simple enough procedure.
Has anyone got any experience of this? And any grants available?
Thanks.
 
http://www.seai.ie/ for grants.

We're getting our existing gas system upgraded for 3K (new boiler, pipework, new hot water cylinder, adding controls/zones etc.) so I would estimate putting in a new one would be double that perhaps
 
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