Electric Heater Recommendations

busterjones

Live in an old house circa 1850s. It's big and impossible to heat. Currently have gas boiler with original cast iron rads and gas bill is approx 500 euro a month! Have no way to isolate rooms etc and only gives any heat if effectively left on.

Wanted to look at options ahead of this winter. What are the most economical electric heaters please? Was thinking one for each of the main rooms (5) and could control when on and off. Rooms are quite big though and would obviously need to run for less than current gas bill!

Thanks!

kirving

All electric heaters have basically the same efficiency - essentially 100%. Any talk of one being more economical than another isn't true to any meaningful extent.

The only way you might save money is with a night rate storage heater - but even then you are paying more for night rate electricity than you would be for gas. But a gas boiler gas boiler would be less efficient, so it might level out. But then you need to move to a night rate, possibly upgrade wiring, and of course invest in the heaters.

Check out column 5, Delivered Energy Cost [cent/kWh] in the link below. Even a very inefficient gas boiler is still cheaper than electricity.

https://www.seai.ie/publications/Commercial-Fuel-Cost-Comparison.pdf

Do you get the boiler serviced annually? I'd suggest doing so, investing in smart radiator valves rather than electric heaters, and doing what you can about drafts.

Sleeper12

Any plug in electric heater is going to be far more expensive than the gas. Maybe you are looking for one to supplement the gas rather than replace it. The only electric heating that is cheaper than gas /oil is a heat pump. You'd need very good insulation for a heat pump though.

redlough

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058258065/electric-heater-recommendations

I have installed a system from Drayton Wiser, it goes on each rad and controls the rad to turn on/off based on the room. If bills are that high might be worth investing: https://www.screwfix.ie/p/drayton-wiser-wireless-heating-hot-water-2-channel-smart-radiator-thermostat-control-kit-white/4923V?gclid=CjwKCAjwi8iXBhBeEiwAKbUofTWigoH93aOVtjd6DUMzrrmD3IJumom4d-9xBueGyrBOYmZoLcaG8hoC-_gQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

Do no go for electric heaters, you might as well just take your money out and burn it.

Why can you not look at insulation to see what would help reduce the heating?

Jaymacc

Have you looked at insulation? Lots of grants out there. Maybe you can get a heating controls grant for the Drayton Wiser option? Check with Seai. I know we had old rads and had them flushed with a cleaning liquid and the boiler serviced and it was much hotter and economical to run. Worth checking it out.

redlough

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119451513#Comment_119451513

When I checked the grant for the controls the price was too expensive, easier to buy solo and install.

Jaymacc

Yes I think there are many times it is cheaper to bypass the grant and just go direct labour for many of the works.