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Storage Heating or Gas

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Comments

  • #32
    K.Flyer
    Registered Users Posts: 8,565 ✭✭✭K.Flyer


    ercork wrote: »
    This is very interesting and not something I had considered before. In the case of an air to air heat pump the outdorr unit would look something like the link below. It could hang on a wall or sit on a balcony. In your experience would a management company have an issue with it?

    https://envirocenter.org/maintaining-your-heat-pump/

    I can name a couple of management companies that would outright refuse anything like that on the external part of their buildings.
    If they refuse satellite dishes etc, they won't allow something like that.


  • #33
    K.Flyer
    Registered Users Posts: 8,565 ✭✭✭K.Flyer


    chicorytip wrote: »
    Never mind what they think. A management company has no jurisdiction over what type of heating system you install in your own home. It's only function relates to the common areas of the complex.

    Common areas refer to the exterior walls as well.
    So if you have electric storage heaters, you could find it very difficult to get permission to run a gas pipe up the wall and put a boiler flue out through the wall.
    You would need full written permission before starting, otherwise you could be told to take it all down and repair the walls back to their original state.


  • #34
    Lackadaisical
    Closed Accounts Posts: 518 ✭✭✭Lackadaisical


    We're going to have to allow heat pumps on balconies if we are going to retrofit to reduce out carbon footprint. They're the only viable eco friendlier technology for small units like that.

    If they're fitted unobtrusively, I can't see what the issue is other than Irish nimby paranoia. It's the same with the ludicrous stuff around laundry here that's resulting in driving up of carbon footprint by effectively forcing excessive use of tumble dryers, most of which are still not energy efficient heat pump versions.


  • #35
    RiseToMe
    Registered Users Posts: 1,272 ✭✭✭RiseToMe


    Buzwaldo wrote: »
    Good to hear. This is the kind of input I was hoping for. I guess you have good insulation spec and you obviously have the heaters set up to work as intended.
    Do you have an idea of your annual electricity bill?
    Thanks.

    Insulation wise I have no idea of the spec, but the complex is 15 years old. We're on level pay just for ease so pay 70 quid a month all year but are constantly in credit, so max I'd say is 750 a year. We're a ground floor with an apartment above us but three of four of our walls are external so it's not that we're benefitting from others heat either. Also both bedroom windows are always just left on the security latch to keep the air fresh.
    Yeah set up wise they come on and off charging when they are supposed to and max input with minimal output. These heaters are always as old as the apartment. Just our experience.


  • #36
    cgcsb
    Registered Users Posts: 9,266 ✭✭✭cgcsb


    RiseToMe wrote: »
    I always find these threads interesting, we bought a big two bed apartment 11 years ago with storage heating, specifically two in the main living area and then electric in the bedrooms. We set them up and have never had an issue with the place being too hot or cold, including through the massive snow and we had a newborn, all of us in just tshirts day and night.

    And the bedroom heaters are never ever on.

    Was it only built 11 years ago? that's like 2006, so it'd generally be higher spec than say a 90s block. New apartments generally don't even have a gas connection.


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  • #37
    cgcsb
    Registered Users Posts: 9,266 ✭✭✭cgcsb


    I'd say the only way you'd get a heat pump in your apartment is if a system was retrofitted into the whole building, with the cost shared between residents, or maybe there'll be some government scheme to achieve this?


  • #38
    SozBbz
    Registered Users Posts: 1,889 ✭✭✭SozBbz


    cgcsb wrote: »
    I'd say the only way you'd get a heat pump in your apartment is if a system was retrofitted into the whole building, with the cost shared between residents, or maybe there'll be some government scheme to achieve this?

    Yep, this I could see.

    Its one thing the owners voting on a retrofit project with everyone agreeing to share the costs. The MC would potentially have to leavy anyone who didnt get on board. What I don't see is any individual owner being allowed put a massive heat pump unit out on the balcony or external walls.

    I don't think we're at that point yet though.

    Electric heating is popular in parts of Europe and there are much better systems than the 20 year old storage heaters that would be original to our units. Anecdotally I know plenty of our neighbours who have updated their units, but just with more modern electric systems that are within their rights to do so as they are fully within the units.

    There will doubtless be a decision to be made in future but we're not there yet. When that time comes, we will explore other options in terms of doing something collectively for the benefit of all apartments and duplexes within the development.

    Personally I've never had a major issue with our storage heaters and we still have the old, cumbersome ones. I would absolutely consider putting in newer ones but only when I'm going to redecorate anyway. We're hopefully moving out soon and will rent it out, so possible if we need to paint between tenants, that would be the time. If we do it now before it becomes a rental, theres no tax relief in it for us.

    Anyway, just to give my 2c on the set up overall - one thing I do like about being all electic is the electic water heating system. Its relatively inexpensive and we have near constant hot water. It heats up overnight on the night rate meter and there is a boost button available if we need it which is hardly ever. The tank has that hard case insulation so even if you're taking an evening shower and its technically not been heating for 12hours or more, theres still hot water available.

    My understanding is that builders were incentivised to use electic systems at a point in time due to government policy. Historically electricity has been hard to store and you can't just easily ramp up and down production -many plans just operate on a near constant basis. Evolution of battery technology may change this but the pro electric policy was to try to use power from the grid at a time when otherwise it would likely go to waste. I run our washing machine/dishwasher overnight as well as the heaters in winter and anything else that needs charging. Having a night rate meter can be to your benefit!


  • #39
    RiseToMe
    Registered Users Posts: 1,272 ✭✭✭RiseToMe


    cgcsb wrote: »
    Was it only built 11 years ago? that's like 2006, so it'd generally be higher spec than say a 90s block. New apartments generally don't even have a gas connection.

    No built in 2004, but still a lot has changed in materials since then


  • #40
    Buzwaldo
    Registered Users Posts: 730 ✭✭✭Buzwaldo


    OP here.
    Just said I would revisit this one to close the circle.
    We did end up buying the apartment with natural gas heating.
    But it needed a full renovation job, and the gas boiler was old and needed replacing with a new condenser boiler. This would have necessitated siting the new boiler on an external wall, which would have meant a good bit of work, re-plumbing etc. (approx 4-5K). It was an 80s construct, and about 30-40% of the apartments walls were external. Any time we were in the apartment over the winter, it never felt cold. We decided to just remove the old cavity dry lining on external walls and replace with insulated board, and installed electric heaters (not storage) for about 1500 or less - part of full rewiring job.
    Our thinking is that with many walls shared, and only 30% true external, and with the insulation, and the small apartment size, that the cost of replumbing etc for new condenser boiler was not justifiable.
    Even the standing charge on the gas bill and the cost of an annual service of the boiler would pay for a nice bit of electricity.
    Anyway, happy with the decision, and the fact we went for this apartment (which needed work) over the other meant we got a better location, albeit at a higher renovation cost than we initially estimated.
    Hopefully will be cosy & not too heavy on juice in the Winter.


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