Your Heating Options For 2018 Your Heating Options For 2018 By now, every home in the UK will have their heating switched firmly on, which can only mean one thing – winter is well and truly here! And if you’re realising that your heating maybe isn’t keeping you as toasty as you’d like, maybe it’s time to look at a new solution for the new year. But how do you choose? There are so many options out there for heating your home now that it can be difficult to know which one will be best for you. That’s why we’ve brought together the pros and cons of the major heating solutions in one post – to make it easier for you to pick the right heating solution for your home. Underfloor Heating Underfloor heating was a really popular option a few years back, and in ultra-modern homes, it’s rare to find a bathroom without underfloor heating to keep your bare feet warm. And there are some distinct advantages to an underfloor heating system. For example. They are completely hidden, with no unsightly vents or radiators to mess up the look of your home. Asthma sufferers will find it easier to breathe, now that the heating isn’t moving air and dust around, and they run incredibly quietly. However, it does take much longer to warm up than other heating solutions, which means you will end up leaving it on longer and paying more. Retrofitting these systems is also expensive and impractical, so you really do have to have them installed from the get-go. So in general, unless you’re building the house from scratch, underfloor heating isn’t usually considered the most practical option. Baseboard Heating Baseboard heating are essentially very short radiators that only take up a small space right at floor level in the skirting boards. And they sit there for a reason – because as cool air is displaced and falls, it enters the baseboard heater to be re-warmed and re-dispersed. The positives of this system are that it is easy to zone your house using it, supplying heat exactly where you need it and making it easy to keep a family guided by different internal temperatures comfortable. It’s also simple to install (since it doesn’t require ductwork) and works quietly. However, it is incredibly expensive to run and quite bulky as well. They are also prone to producing inconsistent heat and require regular safety checks to make sure they don’t pose a fire risk. Fan Heating Fan heating works much in the same way as a fan heated ovens do – fans pass air over an electric heating element and distribute it into the room. They are useful in the sense that you don’t have to power them with electricity – you could also use gas, kerosene, hot water or another form of energy. They are also quick to heat up and can provide intense heat for a room. However, they are fairly energy intensive (and therefore expensive) and very noisy to run, which has made them fall out of popularity somewhat. Heat Pumps Heat pumps are one of the less common heating methods used in this country. Air-to-air heat pumps use refrigerant to absorb heat from one space and transfer it to another via a heat exchanger (often a fin or coil). The electricity supply to a heat pump is only used to move the heat around, not to generate it – the heating itself has a passive energy source. They are a very clean, efficient heating source, can provide both heating and cooling and heat up fairly quickly. However, they require regular maintenance, are more expensive to buy, fairly noisy and can struggle to heat spaces effectively at temperatures lower than 6 or 7 degrees. Electric Radiators And of course, we have electric radiators. The ‘new kid on the block’, electric radiators are having their moment in the sun at the moment. As energy prices (and particularly gas prices) continue to climb higher, people are looking for more efficient ways to heat their homes in the winter months. Electric radiators work by using electricity to generate heat energy and disperse it into the room. They are quick to heat up, so you don’t need to leave them on to warm up, and they use significantly less energy than traditional radiator heating or in fact any of the options we’ve discussed here. They are slim and unobtrusive, so they don’t create ugly space in your home, are very clean to run and are much better at keeping the room temperature even at all times, even if you open a window or have a draft. And the best part is they are eco-friendly and much cheaper to run than standard central heating! Is it any wonder then, that electric heating is the most popular choice for 2018? While all heating methods have their positives and negatives, electric radiators are known best for their efficiency, low running cost and high performance. At Electric Heating Expert, we have a huge range of electric heating solutions to suit any home. Whether you want a slimline, modern model or a classic radiator chassis, we have an electric heating system that will suit your style and budget. To find out more, just browse our range, or get in touch with us today.
