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The most cost-effective form of electric central heating uses storage heaters. These heaters use electricity supplied at a cheaper ‘night-time’ rate to heat up special heat-retaining bricks.
Storage heaters give out heat slowly and are designed to keep warm for the whole of the following day. Cheap-rate electricity can also be used to provide hot water via an immersion heater in your hot water tank.
Cheap-rate electricity tariffs
Electricity tariffs that provide cheap-rate electricity are usually known as Economy 7, as they give you seven hours of cheaper electricity overnight. Economy 10 works in a similar way and gives you an extra three hours of cheap electricity – usually in the middle of the afternoon.
You can also get electric radiators that run off a standard single-rate electricity tariff. However, due to the relatively high price of electricity during the day, these can be expensive to run and should only be considered if you have a very well-insulated property and won’t have to use them regularly.
Annual fuel cost for heating and hot water (not including installation costs)
Fuel cost for heating and hot water: £1400 (less if on an Economy 7/10 tariff)
Carbon emissions per year
Carbon emissions: 6 tonnes
These yearly costs are estimated costs based on heating and hot water demands of a three-bedroomed, semi-detached, well-insulated house (insulated cavity walls, 270mm loft insulation and insulated primary pipe work), the efficiencies of typical heating systems and the current average price per fuel per kWh (as at March 2011). They are not derived from actual fuel bills.
Pros of electric central heating
Electric storage heater systems are much cheaper to install than gas central heating systems as they require no pipe-work or flue.
With very few moving parts, storage heaters require very little maintenance and don’t need to be serviced annually.
Unlike gas, mains electricity is available almost everywhere in the UK.
Cons of electric central heating
Electricity prices are about three times higher than gas prices per unit of energy. And like gas, electricity prices are also rising and are likely to stay high. As most electricity in the UK is generated in gas-fired power stations, any increase in the price of gas will also be reflected in the cost of electricity.
The daytime rate on Economy 7 or Economy 10 tariffs is higher than on standard single-rate electricity tariffs, so while you’ll get a cheaper rate for your heating, running appliances during the day – particularly if you need to use an electric heater to provide extra heat – could be expensive.
You don’t have instant control over storage heaters: older models will give out heat as long as the bricks remain warm – day and night.
If your storage heaters don’t have an automatic charge control (which measures the temperature in the room and adjusts the amount of heat stored overnight), you’ll have to set this yourself – so keep an eye on the weather forecast for the following day.
Storage heaters give out heat slowly and are designed to keep warm for the whole of the following day. Cheap-rate electricity can also be used to provide hot water via an immersion heater in your hot water tank.
Cheap-rate electricity tariffs
Electricity tariffs that provide cheap-rate electricity are usually known as Economy 7, as they give you seven hours of cheaper electricity overnight. Economy 10 works in a similar way and gives you an extra three hours of cheap electricity – usually in the middle of the afternoon.
You can also get electric radiators that run off a standard single-rate electricity tariff. However, due to the relatively high price of electricity during the day, these can be expensive to run and should only be considered if you have a very well-insulated property and won’t have to use them regularly.
Annual fuel cost for heating and hot water (not including installation costs)
Fuel cost for heating and hot water: £1400 (less if on an Economy 7/10 tariff)
Carbon emissions per year
Carbon emissions: 6 tonnes
These yearly costs are estimated costs based on heating and hot water demands of a three-bedroomed, semi-detached, well-insulated house (insulated cavity walls, 270mm loft insulation and insulated primary pipe work), the efficiencies of typical heating systems and the current average price per fuel per kWh (as at March 2011). They are not derived from actual fuel bills.
Pros of electric central heating
Electric storage heater systems are much cheaper to install than gas central heating systems as they require no pipe-work or flue.
With very few moving parts, storage heaters require very little maintenance and don’t need to be serviced annually.
Unlike gas, mains electricity is available almost everywhere in the UK.
Cons of electric central heating
Electricity prices are about three times higher than gas prices per unit of energy. And like gas, electricity prices are also rising and are likely to stay high. As most electricity in the UK is generated in gas-fired power stations, any increase in the price of gas will also be reflected in the cost of electricity.
The daytime rate on Economy 7 or Economy 10 tariffs is higher than on standard single-rate electricity tariffs, so while you’ll get a cheaper rate for your heating, running appliances during the day – particularly if you need to use an electric heater to provide extra heat – could be expensive.
You don’t have instant control over storage heaters: older models will give out heat as long as the bricks remain warm – day and night.
If your storage heaters don’t have an automatic charge control (which measures the temperature in the room and adjusts the amount of heat stored overnight), you’ll have to set this yourself – so keep an eye on the weather forecast for the following day.
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