With constant rise of energy prices, you might think if the traditional gas boiler will be a good option for your house. Electric boilers have the same principle like traditional gas boilers apart from the fact that they use electricity for heating water than gas. This makes them a suitable option for properties that do not have access to mains gas supply or have gas boiler restrictions. This will provide you with the benefit of wet central heating without the need for gas supply.
You will find various electric boiler manufacturers in the UK with models that usually range from 4kW to 14.4kW. The size of your house and heating requirements will help to understand what kW output you need. The lower kW boilers will be inexpensive to purchase and their running costs are usually lesser, though they might not be that efficient like larger models. This blogpost will help to know whether an electric boiler is right for your requirement.
Benefits of electric boilers
- Energy efficiency – These boilers have almost 99% efficiency rate for users since they do not need burning of fossil fuels such as oil or gas for heat production. Thus, no heat is lost by chimneys or waste gases.
- No gas supply is needed – A good percent of houses in the UK still do not have access to mains gas supply which means electric boilers are required for hot water and central heating system.
- Compact size – Electric boilers are usually more compact than their gas counterparts and they do not need a flue which enables for greater flexibility in boiler position.
- Lower installation costs – These boilers do not require a separate chimney or flue for waste emissions and so, the installation costs are cheap when compared to gas boilers.
- Less maintenance – Electric boilers require less maintenance, unlike any electrical appliance. It is just the case for boiler repair in case there is a problem with it.
Factors to consider for electric boilers
- Not suitable for higher level of water usage – These boilers can heat certain amount of water at one time. This means larger properties or the ones with higher levels of water usage might be suitable for conventional gas boiler system.
- Cost of electricity – Electricity is more costly than gas which means the costs of an electric boiler might be high. This should be weighed up against energy efficiency and other benefits of electric boiler.
- Doubts for environmental benefits – As electric boilers are environmentally friendly, they do not produce waste gases. The initial procedure of manufacturing electricity in the first place generates pollution like gas boiler system and thus, negates environmentally friendly aspects.
- Susceptibility to power cuts – These completely run on electricity and are highly susceptible to power cuts. If there is power cut in your house, then this might leave you without hot water for hours or even days in remote areas.
Difference between electric boilers and electric storage heaters
Electric boilers use electricity for heating water in a wet central heating system which is similar to a gas boiler. On the other hand, electric storage heaters store up electricity during off-peak electricity periods and radiate heat for the next day.
There are several pros and cons of electric boiler that should be considered before choosing the right option for your house. You may get in touch with the experts for your boiler repair in Camden who ensures it will work in the most efficient way.
