Electric Boiler vs Combi

[haydn71]

Hello, I'm looking for some advice please. I'm a keen DIYer but this is way beyond my pay-grade!
My partner bought a house last year that's fitted with an electric boiler; I have attached a few photos. The property is a small, three bed Victorian mid-terrace with single story extension to the rear. She was told that it was cheap to run but it's far from it and costing about £2000+per year. We have started looking into switching to a combi boiler but before doing so, I wondered if anyone could provide any insight into this system. I have read that these systems are more expensive to run, is that true? Or might it be set up wrong? Any advice would be welcome at this point. Thanks in advance, Haydn

 

[Gasmk1]

how are you running the system electric is more expensive than gas but also don't forget you are only paying for one utility it May be you are not set up right, how long is the heating on for you have an unvented water heater which by the looks of it has two immersion heaters the top one is for boost when you only need to heat up small amount at top bottom one is the normal one which heats up the whole cylinder, are they both on if you have the heating on all the time then it will be expensive. if you do go down the route of gas boiler it may be more cost effective to just change the boiler for a system or regular boiler so you can keep the cylinder.

 

[haydn71]

Thanks for your reply Gasmk1.
So, we have the main, large water tank, the orange tank is the boost and the small white tank is the expansion tank. Then there's the Santon electric flow boiler. At the moment, the heating isn't on at all; hasn't been all summer. I'm going to show my ignorance here, but presumably the boiler runs the central heating and the two tanks heat the hot water? I'm aware that emersion tanks are pricey to run an maybe that's the issue here. That the main tank is on too often?

I'll have to check later if they are both on all the time, or how often. You are correct, she does only have one utility, but as it's a small house, the total bills should be around the £1200 mark. As I mentioned, they are well over £2000!! It's costing her nearly the same as it does for my drafty old, oil-fired farmhouse!!

Thanks again.

 

[gmartine]

Surely this electric boiler systen was installed because there isn't a mains gas supply?
If there is then no question, change to a gas boiler.

 

[haydn71]

Surely this electric boiler systen was installed because there isn't a mains gas supply?
If there is then no question, change to a gas boiler.

No. There is a gas main but I think that when the house was renovated without thinking about the boiler placement and fitting so an electric boiler was easier install.
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It appears that the boost tank isn't heating water at all so the main tank has to be on for four hours a day in order to provide any hot water

 

[SimonG]

Cheap rate overnight to heat full cylinder from bottom immersion and then top for a boost if short.

What's the insulation like in the house?
Controls set up right?

But as above, if you're thinking of a combi boiler, why not use gas?

 

[Murdoch]

Electricity is a very expensive way to heat water, to heat a house!

 

[Chuck]

Based on what I am currently paying, and I haven't shopped around recently, electricity is currently ca 16p / kW hr, gas ca 3.4p / kW hr, i.e. electricity is five times the cost of gas. Economy 7 electricity might help a bit but it's not going to compete with gas.