Electric boilers (non combi)--anyone had one fitted?

[jessejazza]

I'm considering an electric boiler to replace the oil one for the following reasons
a] oil tank about to rust through (they are expensive)
b] the supply pipe has been set into the brick mortar which is in danger of leaking now
c] cost of oil (also risk of theft)

I've been trying to read through the info available on electric boilers and was wondering if anyone had had one fitted and how satisfied they were.

They claim to be cheaper to run which i'd doubt but compared with oil one isn't having to lay out a lot of cash in one go [i despise the way oil companies will charge twice the price at the height of winter].

So far the choice seems to be Heatrae, Fusion and Trianco (not combi). [We live in a village without natural gas, Calor gas too expensive which are the alternative options].

thanks

 

[flameport]

They claim to be cheaper to run

They are NOT.
Electric boilers are the most expensive form of heating you can get. Don't buy one.

compared with oil one isn't having to lay out a lot of cash in one go

Absolutely - with an electric boiler, you get to spend loads of money every single month.

You should also compare the heat output of your existing oil boiler to the electric one. To get started, the electric one will be 12kW maximum, and you won't get one supplied and installed for less than £1000 - could easily be a lot more.

Suggest you look at the price of a new oil tank, preferably one which can hold a years supply so you can buy the oil when prices are lower.

 

[Tibbot]

Oil is currently less than half the price of peak time electricity. However oil equipment is now too expensive to set up from scratch. If your boiler is ok and it's just the tank and fuel line replacement then that's still the best option.

 

[dcawkwell]

look at air source heat pumps
although oil is supposed to be cheapest way of heating
if you believe the oftec website

 

[jessejazza]

They claim to be cheaper to run

They are NOT.
Electric boilers are the most expensive form of heating you can get. Don't buy one.

compared with oil one isn't having to lay out a lot of cash in one go

Absolutely - with an electric boiler, you get to spend loads of money every single month.

You should also compare the heat output of your existing oil boiler to the electric one. To get started, the electric one will be 12kW maximum, and you won't get one supplied and installed for less than £1000 - could easily be a lot more.

Suggest you look at the price of a new oil tank, preferably one which can hold a years supply so you can buy the oil when prices are lower.

Thank you all for replying so quickly i do appreciate it. New tank would seem the best option then even though they'd cost almost what a boiler would which is why i posted the question. In the back of my mind i did wonder if you'd confirm that. In this village most folk have a whopping 3000 litre tank or similar (i.e. 3 times the size of ours which is the 1100 (or 1200)).

But then on the question of tanks, steel is ok until it rots and the plastic ones degrade over time.

Friends of mine in Cardiff have a back boiler on their open fire and no central heating and that keeps the house beautifully warm throughout [clearly designed that way even though 1950s]. Banned now i believe but probably ok if one lives in a soft water area.

I look after my mother with Alzheimer's so i have to keep her warm. We use the open fire and a cabinet heater sometimes (i believe they are quite economical although i've not used one for a whole winter to try and compare cost). One thing i learnt was well worth having and that's the longer immersion heater - hot water for April to october and our bill isn't higher than £50/month.

Thanks folks

 

[Inky Pete]

A decent plastic oil tank should last 20 years or so at least, I'd think. Probably FAR longer than you'd get out of almost any other element of your heating system!

I'd go for a large enough tank to get you all the way through the winter, maybe even through a full year, and pay some attention to it's security while it's being installed.

If you can't afford to fill it all at once, fair enough. Just over order by as much as you can afford when oil prices are at there lowest in the summer and build up a buffer stock that way.

Does your village have an oil-buying co-operative where you all pool your buying power to get the best price?

 

[Boxerman]

Chat with your oil suppliers regarding the replacement tank, mine agreed to buy the new tank and spread the cost over 3 years with a single £50 charge i.e. no credit charges to speak of. They gave me a list of preferred tank installers but allowed me to choose my own as I wanted a decent quality steel tank not a plastic one. They also allow me to pay for the oil by monthly direct debit again without any credit charges. It's amazing what they'll do to retain your business, i do check the prices they charge me every fill and they are very competitive. I would imagine many other companies offer similar services.

Oh, and the cost of running an electic boiler will properly scare you !!

 

[DeltaT2]

Depends on the size of your home? But there is electric storeage boilers that are heated on cheap rate leccy & they can be cheaper to run. However, as I said; depends on the house size as you're limited to a 15KW boiler on a standard single phase 100amp supply. Sorry if Ive missed anything as I'm reading this thread on an iPhone.

 

[jessejazza]

Once again thanks for your replies.

I contacted the oil suppliers and today they're selling at 70p/litre for > 500 litre delivery. That works out at £2k+ this winter. What they did say that surprised me was that oil varies in price and it's not always much more expensive in winter (reflected in todays price). with a 1200 litre tank i've reckoned on 2.5 fills from Nov to Mar [that's with a newish water cylinder and thermo rad valves (which do make quite a difference)]. Some folk have four fills a year.

I'm thinking of supplementing day heating with a multi fuel stove stove - anyone use one? I don't know if they're better than an open coal fire but i think a stove gives out a bit more heat because they sit out into the room a bit more.

 

[jessejazza]

...
Oh, and the cost of running an electric boiler will properly scare you !!

shoot! if you've got one i would be interested to know... put my mind at rest.

 

[DeltaT2]

Once again thanks for your replies.

I contacted the oil suppliers and today they're selling at 70p/litre for > 500 litre delivery. That works out at £2k+ this winter. What they did say that surprised me was that oil varies in price and it's not always much more expensive in winter (reflected in todays price). with a 1200 litre tank i've reckoned on 2.5 fills from Nov to Mar [that's with a newish water cylinder and thermo rad valves (which do make quite a difference)]. Some folk have four fills a year.

I'm thinking of supplementing day heating with a multi fuel stove stove - anyone use one? I don't know if they're better than an open coal fire but i think a stove gives out a bit more heat because they sit out into the room a bit more.

Sounds like you have quite a large poorly insulated home, so yes, a stove would be a good idea - with lots of the heat into the room. Woodwarm is a very good stove manufacturer. We have one in our West Wing.

 

[Boxerman]

...
Oh, and the cost of running an electric boiler will properly scare you !!

shoot! if you've got one i would be interested to know... put my mind at rest.

Woodburner/multi fuel stove is a great idea, I have one and it kicks out loads of heat, I also have an open coal fire in another room and it's nowhere near as good at heating the room.

Unless you have a very small oil tank you want to be getting deliveries of 1000 lts+, current prices you shouldn't be paying more 57p-60p per litre. Check out www.boilerjuice.com for prices in your area.

Don't have an electric boiler myself but my neighbour does and his 2 bed stone terrace cost him more to run than my 4 bed semi (and I have solid walls too so no insulation)!!

 

[DeltaT2]

There's two types of electric boiler 'Flowthrough' & 'Storeage'. The flowthrough type are the cheap wee ones, that can only be run on a certain tariff(mid price range). However, a storeage type electric boiler can run on the cheapest tariff available. Of course like any system, it's best fitted in a well insulated home. So before considering fitting an electric boiler(or any boiler!), insulate, insulate & insulate.

Try these guys;
http://www.heatwell.co.uk/

Puller Plumbing International Inc does not receive any kick-back from the above company - Honest!!

 

[jessejazza]

There's two types of electric boiler 'Flowthrough' & 'Storeage'. The flowthrough type are the cheap wee ones, that can only be run on a certain tariff(mid price range). However, a storeage type electric boiler can run on the cheapest tariff available. Of course like any system, it's best fitted in a well insulated home. So before considering fitting an electric boiler(or any boiler!), insulate, insulate & insulate.

Try these guys;
http://www.heatwell.co.uk/

Puller Plumbing International Inc does not receive any kick-back from the above company - Honest!!

I hadn't come across this so thanks.

Trouble is with changing any central heating system the cost of installation is considerable as each system has to be virtually redone. I had a look at solid fuel but that's not possible as a flue would have to be installed and the stairs would be in the way. I couldn't find a solid fuel heating engineer in this area so... that's probably saying something. If i change from oil it's likely to be to Calor - expensive with bottles not so bad with a vessel folk down the road are on £85 direct debit.

 

[jessejazza]

...
Oh, and the cost of running an electric boiler will properly scare you !!

shoot! if you've got one i would be interested to know... put my mind at rest.

Woodburner/multi fuel stove is a great idea, I have one and it kicks out loads of heat, I also have an open coal fire in another room and it's nowhere near as good at heating the room.

Unless you have a very small oil tank you want to be getting deliveries of 1000 lts+, current prices you shouldn't be paying more 57p-60p per litre. Check out www.boilerjuice.com for prices in your area.

Don't have an electric boiler myself but my neighbour does and his 2 bed stone terrace cost him more to run than my 4 bed semi (and I have solid walls too so no insulation)!!

I have been considering a wood burner. Friends have had two as they live on a farm (thus free wood); theirs gave out far too much heat [although i think modern ones are better]. Trouble is wood is quite expensive compared with coke [say 'coke' it's not anthracite but a special 'nut' which isn't cheap].

When i was in my teens we lived in a house which had a built in stove in the kitchen which wasn't the "closed system" that the modern ones are. That would be nice to have a stove just giving out heat gently all the time. My father had an Essee anthracite stove which he took from house to house... gave out lots of heat and burnt all night but i'd imagine that type of stove is banned now or something - i don't know when regulations came in for these stoves. Initally with wood burners chimneys had to be lined because of the acid coming out of the wood as it burnt faster. I use the open fire which isn't that efficient but can run on wood (which i collect through the summer) or house coal. A stove isn't that expensive really but the chimney lining certainly is - can't help feeling that the stove shops have got a good thing going somehow!