Some homes in the UK don’t have mains gas. If this is the case for you, then you could use electricity to heat your home. Virtually every household in the UK has access to the electricity grid. There are advantages and disadvantages to electric heating, as there is to gas. In our latest article, we will discuss the different types of electric heating. If you’ve been asking yourself ‘What is electric heating?’ – we’ve got the answer!
There’s a lot of confusion when it comes to what electric heating is. Not many people know how electric heating really works, whether they need it, or much at all in general. Have you found yourself wondering what electric heating is? We are going to go in depth on how it works, so you can make an informed decision on whether or not you want electric heating. Electric central heating works the same way a typical central heating system works. But it uses an electric boiler and electric radiators.
If you have gas heating, the radiators work by conducting heat from the hot water in the radiator pipes into the air. But if you have electric radiators, it uses electricity. Electric radiators are 100% energy efficient. They take every single watt of electricity and convert it into heat. This means there is no wastage and it doesn’t take long to warm up.
The process of electric radiators work similarly to how a hob or a kettle works.The elements are heated up in the radiator, and then the heat is transferred to your home. They are made from fine grade aluminium, which is a great conductor of heat, and tungsten heating elements (which you will find in your kettle). This ensures that there is maximum heat dissipation for the smallest amount of energy usage. Electric radiators are very energy efficient and don’t waste any electricity.
Typically, if you have electric radiators you will need an electric boiler. The electric radiators only heat your home, they do not heat your water. This means you will need a boiler to heat your hot water.
An electric boiler works in exactly the same way a gas boiler does. It heats up all of the water turning it into hot water, and then takes it to your taps all over your house. The boiler works in the same way the electric radiators do. They have the same tungsten heating element and use this to heat the water up. One advantage of this is that the electric boiler will run almost silently, unlike gas boilers.
At IPF Electrical, we install electric radiators for your home. If you would like to find out more or request a quote. Then you can get in touch with us here.
Night Store Heaters are Electric Heating. These are one of the most cost-effective forms of electric heating. Are you getting a better idea of what electric heating is now?
Electricity is cheaper at night. This means when you use the night storage heaters during the night, you will be paying less money to heat your home. The way they work is they heat up a heat-retaining ceramic brick with the storage heater. This heat is then released during the day into your home. It gives out the heat slowly.
However, once the heat runs out you have to wait until the night to reheat them. This makes the evenings the coldest, as by this time the heating would have run out. There are also other types of storage heaters that might work better for your needs.
Storage heaters were first introduced in the 1960s. Since then they have improved and become more modern. Typically, storage heaters will now come with thermostats, remote controls, programmable timers and fans to dispense the heat.
If you purchase a high-retention storage heater, they will retain more heat than traditional models. This means that they won’t use all of the heat that has been saved up during the day. So, this makes the evenings warm and not cold, unlike night storage heaters. Many people will prefer the modern storage heater to the night storage heater as they will heat your home for longer. One of the most popular models we sell is the Dimplex Quantum Storage Heaters.
Another type of electric heating you can use is electric radiators. The advantage to electric radiators is that you can turn them on and off whenever you want. If you aren’t at home during the day, you can turn them on when you get in. This will help reduce your energy bills. They also require less maintenance than normal radiators as they won’t need bleeding.
If you are looking for an alternative to gas central heating, then electric heating is for you. Now you understand what electric heating is, you can decide on the type of electric heating that you want in your home. Whether you choose electric radiators or storage heaters, IPF Electrical can help you. Feel free to Contact Us if you have any questions.