On Sun, 27 Feb 2005 14:09:13 -0000, "Doctor Evil"
wrote:
"Rick" wrote in message
.. .
On Sun, 27 Feb 2005 10:22:10 -0000, "J Ashton"
wrote:
Good morning
I'm thinking of buying a house that needs a lot doing to it. One of
those
things is central heating. It's in an area without gas so I suppose the
choices are oil or electricity. Is there a website perhaps which will
help
me decide? I believe that normally oil is cheaper, but I have oil in my
present house and am irritated by the variations in price every time I
ring
up as well as the need to ring a range of suppliers, I'm irritated also
by
the eyesore of a tank in the garden, and also by the need to keep an eye
on
levels - why didn't I ring up several weeks ago now I'm snowed in!! But
the
boiler works well and keeps us warm. On the other hand electricity would
be
easier to install but possibly with prohibitively expensive continuing
costs. I am tempted though by the 'green' electricity you can get, I
like
the thought of being able to be at least a bit environmentally friendly.
Has anyone else gone through this kind of decision making recently and
can
help me weigh up the pros and cons?
thanks
jen
On my house, that has only electricity, and am going to use a ground
source heat pump, underfloor heating (its ideal partner), and good
insulation.
These heat pumps claim for every one unit of lecie you put in, you get
four of heat out. You can also run them in reverse for cooling.
I will have 2 woodburners, so will also take heat from back boilers
when its cold.
You can hide oil/gas tanks in big holes if you like .........
Rick
Heat pumps and underfloor heating have a very high capital cost. Best use
that money on insulation and air-tightness and have virtually no bills at
all. A cheap LPG condensing boiler is all you need for DHW and partial CH.
Cheap to install and very low bills and you don't use much.
Or, if the building is to superinsulation standards you can install electric
partial heating DHW. No annual service bills to worry about which will
offset the high electricity purchase price of which you will use very of of.
BTW, a heat pumps running costs is the same as a gas condensing boiler, yet
a boiler is very cheap to buy and install. From an environmental view
electricity is 30-40% efficient while gas is ober 90% efficient.
I have got my U value down to .2 on floors, walls and celings, windows
and doors are 1.6 (ish). This is costing a small fortune in
insulation, and in places is only possible due to the type of building
I have. Quite how you get it better, and still have an affordable
build is beoynd me ...... My insulation averages 200mm thick, but in
places reaches 350mm, the worst places its 100mm. (I have cavites that
vary in width due to a bent outside wall). The insulation is costing
similar ammounts to my blocks and roofing materials. I have no labor
costs to add into this pricing - DIY build.
Rick
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