How Investing in an Electric Heating System Can Save You Money

When it comes to budgeting for household bills, there is little doubt that we are all looking to save where we can. For many households across the UK, heating a house is one of the biggest drains on energy and one that leads to those bills that we’d rather avoid. 

Plenty of advice exists on how we can all potentially minimise our energy use and cut back on our heating. In truth though, given the UK and its famous weather, it’s preferable to be able to use our heating as much as we would like to without the fear of massive bills and safe in the knowledge that we are doing our bit for the environment. Well, by investing in an electric heating system, you can achieve all of this. 

The gas boiler ban 

The UK has committed to zero net carbon emissions by the year 2050. At present, gas is the single biggest contributor to the countries carbon footprint and this isn’t helped by the fact that around 85% of homes are heated using a gas central heating system. This has led to a need to explore alternatives that are more efficient and have greener credentials as well as a ban on new builds having gas boilers from 2025. 

Some of the alternatives that have been considered include hydrogen boilers and heat pumps. The issue here are the hefty installation costs that are incurred and the maintenance that is required. Opting for an electric heating system has cheaper installation costs, is known to be safer, and is practically maintenance-free.

Energy efficiency

The use of an electric heating system proves both cost-effective and efficient. Unlike alternative heating systems, with electric, there is no energy wastage as no energy escapes through a flue. This means that every watt that is generated is converted into heat, making this 100% energy efficient. Of course, better efficiency leads to lower overall running costs that save households money on their bills.

Pairing with renewable energy sources

By choosing to pair an electric heating system with renewable energy sources you are ensuring that the process is efficient from start to finish. The likes of solar and wind power are now falling in price which means that, as well as the environmental benefits, there are also financial savings to be made. The use of self-generated renewable energy has the potential to reduce running costs even further.

Self-generated energy removes the need for all of your electricity to come from the grid. This means that when you are using your own energy, you are not paying. Should you have insufficient energy at any point, your supply automatically reverts to the grid. If you have an excess of energy, you can even sell this back to your supplier. 

Easy installation and no annual callout fees

When it comes to gas central heating, there are often high costs involved with the installation as well as ongoing safety checks and maintenance. With pipework and a boiler to be fitted, these costs can often spiral and quickly become more expensive than what had been budgeted for. These issues do not exist when looking to an electric heating system as an alternative.

Certain heaters can be installed by anyone who is capable of some basic DIY. If a heater needs to be hardwired then a qualified electrician will be required so that they can issue the electrical safety certificate. Unlike gas heating systems, there is no boiler needing an annual check, no risk of carbon monoxide, and little to no maintenance required. All of this adds to the savings that can be made by switching to electric as a way of heating your home. 

The range of energy-saving programming features that can help you save money

Modern electric heating systems have a whole host of programming features that will help you to save money. These include:

Precision digital thermostats 

With these thermostats, there is little to no variation in temperature. Older thermostats that have a dial can fluctuate by as much as 3°C. A precision digital thermostat will never vary any more than 0.2°C. Having this degree of control ensures that you are saving even more money.

Open window detection

This feature works to prevent excessive heat wastage. It does this by detecting any sudden temperature changes. If the temperature suddenly drops, rather than automatically warm up, the system will pause. It will then reset itself and once the temperature has stabilised it will begin to generate heat again.

Adaptive start 

This programming feature sees the heater learning how long it takes to get a room to optimal temperature. Rather than just starting to heat up at the time that it is set to come on, it gradually warms up so, by the time you want the heating to be on, it will instantly be at the desired temperature.

Anti-frost mode

A frozen system can lead to expensive repairs or even the need for replacement. This programming feature is a preventative measure that sees the heater never falling below 5°C. This means that the heater is practically maintenance-free. 

Weekly programming

Much like a gas heating system, with an electric one you can set programmes that cover each day of the week. The difference comes in that some electric radiators will actually learn your weekly routine and be able to programme themselves as well as reverting to an eco mode while the house is empty.

Zoned heating

With alternative heating systems, there tends to be one control panel. This means that when you switch your heating on, you are automatically heating the whole house. This can be wasteful and see you spending money that you don’t need to.

An electric heating system lets you programme each room individually. This allows for different temperature settings on a room-by-room basis which means that you are not wasting energy on rooms that you are not using.  

Smart control

Smart electric radiators have added features that are capable of saving you even more money. Although features may vary across brands, these are some of those that you expect to find:

WIFI distance control

By downloading an app onto your smartphone, you can control your heating no matter where you are. If you are going to be late home it is easy to reduce the temperature rather than wasting energy in an empty home. This convenient feature can lead to great savings. 

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