Josh Raffo, Manager of Thrift Energy advises us on how to convert your home to a sustainable heating system this winter.
As the depths of winter creep in, now is a great time to think about how sustainably and effectively you’re heating your home. More and more modern solutions to your gas and oil heating systems are appearing on the market in response to the on-going energy crisis and global push to remove fossil fuels form our daily lives. An electric boiler, air-source heat pump, and infrared heating panels may just be the common heating solution of the future. So why not get a head start? Josh Raffo, Manager of Thrift Energy – a national provider of renewable energy solutions – advises us on how you can convert your home heating system to low carbon.
Getting started
Always start with good insulation in your home. You want to be sure the heat source you choose is staying in your home as efficiently as possible, Josh recommends: “Your home should be fully insulated, certainly as insulated as the minimum standard, with decent glazing. This will make your heat source cost effective both to install and run. The next step in a zero- carbon home is solar panels. Installing solar panels and a battery will help you run your heating efficiently since you can store the energy for when you need it.
Electric boiler or heat pump?
The current divide of whether you should invest in an electric boiler or a heat pump is everywhere. Though you might be umming and ahhing between the two, your property might have made the decision for you. Josh says: “Electric boilers best suit small to medium sized properties, post 2002 build, with the lower floor area fully insulated – a larger property will struggle. Because wet central heating systems heat up water, if you’ve got loads of radiators as you’re going to need a big heating tank as well.” Though a heat tank is no trouble to buy it may be an unnecessary expense if a heat pump could work for you.
Heat pumps are better for a larger space with some land outside to install it. Josh advises to have someone fit the heat pump who understands the locations of your radiators and the overall size of your house, he says “A common problem why people don’t like air-source heat pumps is that they haven’t got the right size. Getting a heat pump which is too big or too small will cause problems.”
Key takeaways
To remember when installing your new low carbon heating system, Josh recommends finding reliable trades people first, get multiple quotes, and choose who are knowledgeable in new low carbon systems. Researching if you’re eligible for government grants in your area, you never know what your local government is trying to achieve so they might be willing to help you out on your home improvements.
Some Recommended Products:
ZEB Electric boiler | Tepeo |£6,000
Tepeo’s crusade on the gas or oil boiler aims to eliminate the 17% of the UK’s emissions which come from home heating. A plug-in replacement for your gas or oil boiler, the ZEB works like a thermal battery in your home, it’s easy to install and works with your current heating system. Tepeo’s smart charging algorithm takes in consideration time of day and your energy tariff when charging to save you money.
Tepeo.com
Infrared heating panels | Herschel |Prices start at £238 per Select XLS panel
These ultra-slim heating panels make a great replacement for your radiator, warming the room evenly without you even noticing they’re there! Herschel even recommends that infrared heating can replace the need of an electric boiler, providing an excellent alternative while being easy to install, long life, and maintenance free.
Herschel-infrared.co.uk