While most UK homes are heated with a gas boiler, many people are switching to considering an electric boiler. With the current gas crisis in the UK and further afield, it now seems that there is more of a focus on renewable energy solutions and whether an electric boiler would be a sensible solution.
Well, it’s a classic case of it depends. Whether an electric boiler is right for your Wirral home will depend on several factors such as the price you pay for electricity, whether you can source that electricity renewable (e.g. via solar panels) and whether they have enough oomph to heat and supply hot water to your home.
However, today we will focus on the pros and cons so that you can make an informed choice. But first, what is an electric boiler, and how does it work?
What is an Electric Boiler?
As you might have guessed, instead of igniting a fuel like gas or oil to heat your boiler water, an electric boiler passes the water of your heating system over an electric element to warm it up.
When you turn the heating on or the hot tap, it causes the heating element inside the boiler to heat up and then transfer that heat to the cold water in your system. The hot water then gets pumped to your radiators, taps and showers in the same manner as a conventional gas or oil boiler.
The most common electric boilers are combination boilers. Therefore they are often not recommended for larger homes with several occupants and bathrooms since the pressure would drop with multiple water appliances in use at the same time.
So now you know what they are, what are the pros and cons?
Pros of Installing a New Electric Boiler in Your Wirral Home
There are plenty of advantages to installing an electric boiler, which include but are not limited to:
- You could lower your energy bills and carbon footprint by powering your electric boiler with renewable energy.
- Electric boilers are cheaper to install as they don’t let off waste gases and thus don’t require extra pipework.
- They don’t require annual services (unless you have a hot water cylinder).
- Electric boilers don’t require gas or oil to fuel them, making them more efficient and producing lower emissions. They typically have an energy rating of 99% compared to gas boilers which are 89-95%.
- There is more flexibility with the placement of an electric boiler as they don’t have to be located on an external wall. They are also more compact than gas boilers with no flue requirements.
- Electrical boilers don’t produce any waste gases, and therefore pose no risk of carbon monoxide leaks or poisoning.
- There are no moving parts in an electric boiler, which means they are almost silent when in operation.
Cons of Installing a New Electric Boiler in Your Wirral Home
However, as with all things in life, electric boilers are not perfect. Here are some of the drawbacks of relying on an electric boiler:
- The major disadvantage is that electricity is more expensive than gas, so running costs are high. Costs can be as much as 14p for electricity, whereas gas comes in at 4p per kWh.
- They are unsuitable for larger homes since they are limited in how much hot water they can produce at any given time, so providing multiple taps or showers can cause pressure and temperature issues.
- Electric boilers can’t function during a power cut.
Verdict: Is an Electric Boiler Worth it For Your Wirral Home?
Whether you choose an electric boiler or not will come down to your personal circumstances. If you have a cheap source of electricity from solar panels, then an electric boiler might be an excellent cost-effective and eco-friendly solution for you.
However, if you live in a larger property connected to the gas network, an electric boiler probably will not be a suitable solution for you, given the significant increase in costs and hot water supply issues.
We are the premier installers of electric boilers in the Wirral region, so if it’s a good fit for you, our team can provide a hassle-free, cost-effective electric boiler installation for your Wirral home.
So, if you would like to discuss whether an electric boiler solution is right for your Wirral home, make sure to contact us on 0758 0395 493 to discuss feasibility.
