With gas boilers on the out, electric boilers are becoming one of the more popular options for modern homes. Here’s a primer on what sets them apart from their gas counterparts.
How They Work
Electric boilers are fed with cold water from your mains water supply- this is exactly the same process as in a gas boiler. However, a gas boiler will use a pilot light and a sealed combustion chamber, while an electric boiler will use electricity to heat a metal element within the water, just like a kettle.
This hot water is then transported throughout your home to your taps, radiators and underfloor heating systems.
Electric boilers turn 99% of the energy they receive into usable heat energy, there’s a much lower risk of losing energy during the heating process.
Where Electric Boilers Shine
Electric boilers are far more compact compared to gas boilers. They’re a great choice for smaller urban homes, or any home where space is at a premium.
There are 2 million UK households that aren’t currently connected to the gas main. Connecting to that main is expensive, and many properties never can be, because they can’t have flues installed.
If you already have a boiler based central heating system in place, installing an electric boiler is fairly cheap, so swapping over isn’t super expensive. This makes them a great option if you’re looking for more efficient heating, but can’t commit to an expensive heat pump installation.
What Makes Them Better?
As a rule, electric boilers are a lot cheaper to install and maintain compared to gas boilers. They also operate a lot more efficiently, saving you money.
Unlike gas boilers, electric boilers have the potential to be entirely carbon neutral. It would be wrong to say they are out of the box- there’s no guarantee that your electricity is coming from a renewable source (even as the UK pivots towards more green energy). However, a gas boiler can never be carbon neutral under any circumstances.
The best way to guarantee this is to combine your boiler with a domestic solar panel array or other energy source. This makes your boiler incredibly cheap (if not outright free) to run.
Since they don’t involve any fuel being burned on site, electric boilers are much safer compared to gas boilers. There’s no risk of carbon monoxide links, and a lower risk of explosions due to the lack of combustion. This makes for a stress-free heating experience.
If you’d like to learn more about electric boilers just give us a call on 0116 436 2250 or send us an email to sales@mirrorstone.co.uk.
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