Turning Electricity into Heat – The Efficiency Game Turning Electricity into Heat – The Efficiency Game When it comes to energy usage at home, it’s all about efficiency. The more efficient you are with your energy use, the less money you have to shell out for bills every month. The problem is that not many of us know how to significantly improve the efficiency of our homes energy usage. Sure, you can hand wash dishes instead of running the dishwasher and make sure you turn the lights off when you aren’t in the room, but how much difference does that really make? But if you look at your bills (particularly at this time of year), you will notice that heating takes up a pretty hefty chunk of what you’re paying for. If you’re on gas and water heating systems, there’s one way you can make a real change to your efficiency – switch to electric heating. Electrical To Thermal Energy Electricity and heat are both, at their heart, forms of energy. The entire world around us is made up of different kinds of energy, some of which can be converted from one form to another. At its core, electrical energy is a form of energy that occurs as a result of either stored or moving or charged particles. When the energy is stored it’s called electric potential energy, and when it’s moving in an electrical current it is a form of kinetic energy. Thermal energy, on the other hand, is an energy that results from moving atoms or molecules, resulting in heat. The faster the atoms or molecules move, the more heat or thermal energy they have. So how do you convert one type of energy to another? In this case, it’s all about resistance. When resistance builds up in an electrical system, the molecules will travel and vibrate faster, producing thermal energy. This is usually done by using coils within an exterior casing. It’s why there’s a coil at the bottom of the kettle. What Has That Got To Do With Heating? The reason we mention this is because converting electrical to thermal energy is at the heart of what electric radiators are all about, and it’s what makes them more energy efficient than water heated radiators. In a standard water radiator, the heat comes from hot water, which is being pumped through the pipes inside the radiator and flowing out. This means that the water needs to be heated at its central source (the boiler, for example) and then pushed out to each radiator. It’s why this kind of heating can take a while to ‘warm up’ – because the water has to heat and then get there at the same heat. But with electric radiators, there are no water pipes and no central heating unit. It simply draws an electrical current directly from your mains power supply and using a set of coils, converts that energy into thermal energy that can radiate out and produce heat. This means there is no energy wasted in heating and moving water around, and your radiators will heat up much quicker, so you actually end up running the heating for less time. At Electric Heating Expert, we specialise in helping you turn electricity into heat for your home in the most efficient way possible. Our range of electric radiators are the perfect way to cut your heating bills in half this winter, while still keeping your home toasty and warm. And because we understand that everyone is different, we carry a wide range of styles and looks to suit every room. Want to find out more? Just get in touch with us today for your free, no-obligation consultation and quote.
