New flat conversion – electric or gas?

Hi All,

Many thanks for your helpful comments and sorry for the delay in replying.

The flats in question are between 30 and 37 sq.m.

For hot water for the kitchen and shower room sink I was thinking of a 'simple' Triton Hand Wash 3kw: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Triton-Showers-BQ3A3034I-T30i-Handwash/dp/B00EUZ653M

However, it does look a bit naff when compared to the Strom Instant Electric Hot Water tap! This looks nice for the kitchen, do they do one for the bathroom?

With respect to heating, I was not going to go down the storage heater route due to the well known issues with them running out of adequate heat by the evening. Given this and the fact that the flats will be insulated to modern building regulations standards, I was simply thinking of installing something along the lines of the following Dimplex EPX1250 Electronic Panel Heater - 1.25kW: http://www.dealec.co.uk/acatalog/dimplex-epx1250-electronic-panel-heater.html

Obviously, sizing the kw to the size of the room (1 in the living room/kitchen, 1 in the bathroom and an electronic towel rail in the shower room).

Initially, I would like to install pre-pay meters on a standard tariff but am happy to change this later if there is a good long-term tenant.

Thoughts?

Reply to the comment left by "Des Dixon" at "28/12/2015 - 17:21":

Look's like you are on the right track with these heaters. They would cost no more to run than the electric boiler type system as neither run on off peak tariffs but the installation costs would be way less. I would be tempted to add the optional extra plug in programmer.The link also mentions that they can be linked to a central programer which would be good as they wouldn't need to set timers on each individual heater.
Yes you can get a heater which goes underneath the sink in a bathroom. Something like the Redring PowerStream Eco 10.8kw
http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Products/RRRP10E.html
This can supply both your shower AND your basin hot water so only one power connection required.
Pre pay meters will cost your tenants more and I have heard that it can be a devil to get them changed back to regular meters (not so the other way around) and most electricity suppliers will charge you for the privilege. Pre pay may put off the best tenants but I guess it depends on who you are aiming for ....

Reply to the comment left by "Mike Tighe" at "28/12/2015 - 18:03":

You may have to watch the total power consumption does not need an expensive upgrade.

I have been speaking to Technical.Services@redringxpelair.com about a single heater for bathroom and kitchen for a 1bed 47sq m flat. He says the 10l EW10 would be OK. It is lower consumption as it stores the hot water, but suggested the TS10 which is plug in, that saves an electrician. However it was due to be available in Jan 2016, I have the spec sheet but don't see it on the site yet.

I find two storage heaters are OK for this flat, modern ones do not run out of heat unless it is left on high all day, if they are correctly sized, IE 24kwh stored.

Perhaps look at a heat pump option, with under floor it will give a COP of up to 5 (kW in vs out) which is better than gas. Some UK firms are doing GSHP options also.

It's also a good application for district type installations and eligible for RHI, or was, not sure what has happened since the autumn spend review, it will be until March at least.

Most of my properties are heated by storage heaters on economy 10 which is better than economy 7
With economy 10 you get a boost in the afternoon & evening as well as night time.
The flats with gas hassle having checked once a year.
Gas is being phased out in 15 years time.

Reply to the comment left by "Steve Sheen" at "29/12/2015 - 02:04":

Do they charge even more for E10 than E7 per unit? And can it be changed without cost even for prepayments meters?

Will this phasing out be done by taxation to start, I wonder. Few new boilers are going to last longer than that! But it won't make working ones obsolete, just less newer ones installed as 15 years approaches, and what will replace gas boilers? ASHP? More expensive now.

Such an important factor, affecting everyone that more unbiased factual guidance would be a good idea.

Nothing beats Gas Central Heating! With electric hot water, you will have lower hot water pressure.

However, if you are going for electric heating. The consider the following points:

My favourite (if running costs were not an issues) are OIL Filled radiators, they have a lovely warmth about them. This is known as 'radiant' heating (they are slow to heat the air). Radiant heat is the kind you get when you sit in the sun.

Convector heaters tend to heat the 'air', but give little 'radiant' heating. (I hate convector heaters!!).

YOu could consider heaters such as Dimplex Q-Rad radiators - it has two heating technologies. So you get best of both worlds that is 'convected' and 'radiant' heating.

More advanced Storage Heaters have two electricity inputs. One for daytime and one night-time economy 7. With storage heaters they accumulate heat during the night, but they are releasing heat through out the day, so the fabric of the building never gets too cold.
Storage heaters are good in a well-insulated property, I could avoid storage heaters with solid wall.

I like storage heaters such as Dimplex DuoHeat Radiators or Creda Eco-response. (based on their specification)

Storage heaters are a solid workhorse. For instance my 1.7Kw storage heater (night time) in a bedroom will give sufficient warmth even during the harshest winter. However, when my storage heater broke down my 1Kw oil radiator heater running for 7 hours was still struggling on harshest winter days. It is fine for mild winters (this is not because one type of heating is more efficient then the other, it is just the Storage Heaters have thrown 7 x 1.7Kw = 11.9Kw) of heat in to the room. Where as the Oil radiator has just managed to put out 7Kw. Economy 7 has the advantage of cheaper night time tarriff, but day time rate is more expensive....

The key is insulating the property and also double glazing with a low U value.

Well the electric central heating system is in and operational, I must say I am mighty impresssed, installation was a doddle as the unit came complete with only the feed, return and filling loop to connect water wise and the electric supply and thermostat.

It tells you the temp setting, what the water leaves at and returns at, how many litres/min are being pumped and what the KW load is, it has three heaters so only draws 12KW when cold when all 3 heaters are in use, otherwise most other times it is 6KW, I have also noticed it reads 0KW a lot of the time as it circulates the heated water and has no nead to heat it

Time will tell cost wise but performance I am very impressed so far

Reply to the comment left by "Paul Tarry" at "14/01/2016 - 21:02":

We have a few cold days coming up, can you take meter readings now, and a week later if not too inconvenient?

Sounds impressive, but I suspect only viable regards running costs if the insulation is far higher than most existing properties are.

Reply to the comment left by "Paul Tarry" at "14/01/2016 - 21:02":

HI PAUL
what system did you install?