Retro fit new heating system from old storage heaters

LouLoubells

Hi, i am hoping i could get some opinions on heating systems, have just bought a house, built 29 years ago with electric storage heaters. We want to change them but are not sure what option is best? Keeping also cost in mind! Just put in new storage heaters, are they better these days? Or put in oil/ gas although no grants now available, or the clean heating, air to heat etc? I know there are grants but have no idea how this compares in cost to install? I believe it is a big job with ripping up floors etc. Our house is 1750 sq ft and has 7 storage heaters at the mo.
Any comments welcome, as we don't know where to start!
Thanks!

ercork

Hi and congrats on the new house,

1750 sq ft is quite a large house to be heating with storage heaters. A unit of heat from electricity costs significantly more than the same unit would cost from gas so the bills will probably be fairly hefty. Two bed townhouses and apartments (< 800 sq ft) often have electric heating systems but as the amount of heat required is not huge, the running costs aren't too bad. Your house is significantly larger though.

First thing is that no matter what heating system you go for the best thing to do is lower your heating requirement. Improve insulation in walls and attic, upgrade windows and doors, improve airtightness/draughtiness of the house (while maintaining adequate ventilation), etc. A house built in 1990 probably has scope for improvement in all these areas. Mind you, they will all cost money too!

After that I would say that a gas central heating system is probably the simplest solution. It would cost about €5000-6000 and could take a week or so to install but afterwards you'd have a very good, responsive system. I'm assuming gas is available in the area?

A more adventurous option would be to install an air to water (a2w) heat pump. This would be more costly than gas to install (well over 10,000 I'd say) but should deliver lower running costs. The SEAI have a grant available subject to your house meeting certain requirements regarding insulation, etc. Bear this in mind if you're doing any of the upgrades I mentioned above.

Also you could look at an air to air heat pump (a2a). I have one myself and find it great but my property is only half the size of yours. I know you can get systems to fit larger houses (called multi split systems) but I don't know too much about them. Also as this is fairly new technology there doesn't seem to be too many installers out there - compared to gas or a2w anyway. Note that these systems don't supply hot water but if you hold on to your night rate immersion heater you're fairly well covered there anyway. I would estimate that these systems might cost between 3000 and 4000 but could be installed in a day or less with no digging up of floors.

Not sure if that has helped or just complicated matters for you?

LouLoubells

Thanks Ercork for your reply, loads of things to think about there! Yes the first thing on the agenda Is to get the house fully insulated.
I do believe there is gas available in the area so we have a few options to think about that you have suggested.
Thanks again!