Electric Heating Systems for Flats – why it’s Time to Switch Electric Heating Systems for Flats – why it’s Time to Switch If you’re looking to renovate your flat, or just replace an old costly gas boiler, then now’s the time to look at installing electric radiators. Electric heating systems for flats are becoming increasingly popular among homeowners and landlords, and here are a few reasons why: It’s Cheaper to Install connected to mains gas can be really expensive; even if the gas supply is already in place, installation fees for the average boiler, radiators and pipework can reach upwards of £5,000. It will also be incredibly messy and invasive, as the pipework needs to run throughout the property and the location of the boiler itself can be unsightly. Within a block of flats or a converted property there will also be constraints on how much autonomy you have to make decisions, and you’ll need to be mindful of how the work affects other occupiers. In comparison, electric radiators can easily be installed anywhere, with minimal disruption. It’s essentially a DIY job, you just mount the radiator onto a wall (fixings are supplied with each radiator) and plug it into a normal power socket. In addition, no registered gas engineers are required, so the costs can be kept to a minimum. Maintenance-free boiler requires annual servicing. Given that landlords need to give notice to tenants of any inspection and are legally obliged to provide tenants with a copy of the safety check within 28 days, an electric heating system is far easier to manage in a rental property. Even if you own the property, you won’t have to worry about the annual servicing, which in itself can be costly. Warranty for Peace of Mind you order your radiators from a reliable supplier, they’ll come with a guarantee. Depending on the radiators purchased, this can be anything from 10 to 30 years, something that gives great peace of mind to landlords and home owners alike. No annual service plan, or constant parts required to fix an unreliable gas boiler. You’ll know you’re covered for the warranty period, so if anything does break there aren’t any hidden costs associated with a repair. Reliability and Functionality the radiators run independently of each other, if one develops a fault, the rest of the property will still be heated. All you’ll need to do is repair or replace the individual radiator, without the risk of plunging the whole property into freezing temperatures in the middle of winter. Furthermore, they’re silent so cause minimal noise disruption and are quick to heat up and cool down, as they don’t rely on hot water being pumped throughout the property. Control Room Temperatures Individually many of us with gas boilers have the thermostat in the hallway? Given that this is the coolest part of the property, and controls whether the boiler is on or off, all rooms get heated equally, even those that are unoccupied. Also, warmer rooms such as the kitchen can become too hot, and unless you have individual controls on each radiator it’s difficult to control the precise heat in each room (and even with a valve, it can be very imprecise and difficult to manage). With electric radiators, each radiator has its own thermostatic sensor, and each works independently from the other units, allowing you to easily control the temperature required in each living space. Portability standing electric heaters may not look as sleek as fitted units, but these are great short-term solutions. As they simply need to be plugged in, you can move them anywhere that’s draughty or within a property that has an inadequate heating system. No Risk to Health gas central heating comes with the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning if the gas doesn’t burn fully. As a result, it’s imperative not only to undertake annual servicing but also to install carbon monoxide monitors. These themselves will need to be regularly checked, and the batteries replaced. They also have a service life of 7-10 years so will need to be replaced at some point, incurring additional costs. Control your Bills most electric radiators come with 24/7 programming, you can create a daily or weekly schedule for your heating and avoid heating the property – or individual rooms – when it’s unoccupied. This keeps your bills down and also makes sure your property will be nice and warm when you need it to be. If you also have a smart meter, you can easily monitor your usage, keeping control of your monthly budget and avoiding any nasty surprises in the post! You’ll be Looking After the Planet electricity to heat homes was in the past seen as costly and inefficient. However, given the pressures on the environment from burning fossil fuels and the advent of renewable energy sources, using electricity to heat homes is not only cost-effective but also in terms of climate change, the responsible thing to do. Renewable Energy is the Future links to the point above, but we can’t stress it enough. Renewable energy sources such as solar panels and wind farms, as well as renewable biomass plants all now feed into the national grid. Indeed, in the third quarter of 2019, a new green energy record was set as renewables contributed to 40% of the electricity used in homes and businesses in the UK. Importantly, for the first time ever this overtook the energy provided by fossil fuels; all of which points us in the right direction to achieve a zero-carbon future. Over time, as these sources become more and more reliable, we’ll see energy bills go down and feel more comfortable using electricity to heat our homes. We hope that’s given you a good taster of why you should switch to an electric heating system. Here at Electric Heating Expert, we have extensive experience of fitting the best energy-efficient systems. We always tailor our approach depending on our client’s needs and budget and are happy to offer help and advice to make sure you get the best heating system installed in your home or rental property. If you’d like to know more, contact us today on 01252 560770 or email us at enquiries@electricheatingexpert.co.uk.
