Off Gas Heating Guide

With the government announcing they plan to phase out gas boilers starting as early as 2025, we thought we would write a guide to alternative heating sources to gas in Scotland. Traditionally most of our customers would live in off-gas areas throughout Scotland that would be forced to find a different way to heat their homes however with the changes only a few years away it makes sense that everyone who is actively looking just now or knows they will need to change their heating soon should find out about the alternatives and fully understand them so that when the time is right they can make a good decision for their own circumstances. In this guide we will explore everything from electric heating to heat pumps and even some of the less common oil and biomass heating systems.

Storage heaters 

I’m sure there was a time when people thought of storage heaters as being good but the majority of people we speak to think storage heaters are awful. Storage heaters are a type of electric radiator that are filled with clay bricks, they would operate on a 2 rate economy 7 tariff where daytime electricity is more expensive than it is at night. They would be turned on at night and the heating element within the storage heaters would heat up the clay bricks, during the day the heaters would be turned off and the heat from the brick would be dispersed throughout the day.

Pros 

Cheap electricity at night

Easy to install 

Don’t make any noise

Cons 

Most people complain of excessive bills

Can let off unpleasant smells 

Can’t control the heating easily 

Most people aren’t in during the day when your house is being heated

Not good for people with asthma

Summary: if you have storage heaters you need to look to invest in something new because you will be able to save yourself money.

               High retention storage heaters

High retention storage heaters are similar in design to traditional storage heaters and have tried to address some of the flaws that annoyed users of the original models. The key difference in design is they have been made with a view to storing heat much better reducing heat loss through cracks and gaps in the design this allows the stored heat to be kept for longer. The majority of high retention storage heaters have built-in fans that can draw heat from the core and disperse it into the room they are situated so you get the benefit of the heat faster, and lastly, the new modern heat pumps can be purchased with a backup electric heater installed which allows you to heat a room passed the point of where your stored heat runs out, which gives a little more flexibility.

PROs

More efficient than traditional storage heaters

Fan assist

Backup heater available

Cons 

Can be expensive 

Still hard to predict when you will need your heating 

Not good for people with asthma

Modern electric

Modern electric heaters are what we sell and for good reason, we feel they are hands down the best option for people looking to heat their home in an off-gas environment. They offer so much flexibility starting from positioning you can put them almost anywhere you would want one in your home, whether you want them freestanding or wall-mounted it is up to you. The next point to make with modern electric radiators especially the ones we sell is the length of guarantee available they come 5-30 years meaning they are built to last, if you are a landlord or maybe a first-time buyer that is looking to fit your home for as little money as possible there are models available at a competitive price, but if you are renovating your own home and plan to be there for a while, the price difference to the German models that come with 30-year guarantee makes it a no brainer to protect yourself and your investment.

Flexibility – modern electric radiators heat up incredibly fast so the key reason they are more efficient than storage heaters is you simply heat the rooms you would like to be hot, if you aren’t planning on being in every room of your house then surely it doesn’t make sense to heat up the whole house. 

The electric radiators we supply come can come with wifi gateways which allow them to be controlled remotely via an app on your phone, and the latest models are even compatible with Alexa.

Efficiency – the models of electric heaters we supply are 100% energy efficient making them a wise investment, even with electricity being more expensive than gas, providing you use them responsibly they can be competitive in terms of monthly running cost.

PROS 

100% energy efficient

Wifi/ Alexa compatibility 

Slimline / aesthetically pleasing

Easy to fit 

Up to 30-year guarantee

Cons

No economy 7 tariff

 Oil heating system

Oil central heating systems are popular amongst rural and farm type buildings in off-gas areas, in terms of how they work they are relatively similar to how mains gas systems work i.e. the oil is processed through a boiler where it heats water and the radiators in your home. The only real difference is rather than being piped into mains supply of gas your system uses oil which is stored in a large tank at your property people will either buy these tanks or in some cases, you can lease them providing you use the company to supply you the oil. One thing worth noting is that oil burners will usually have a store of water for domestic consumption i.e. bathwater so unlike combi boilers where your bathroom will receive instant hot water there is a limited amount of water and when you run out you will need to wait.

Pros 

Cost-effective in some use cases

Large range of wet radiators to choose from for heating

Cons 

The tank will take a large space in your garden making it unsuitable for homes with limited space

The cost of oil has been rising

Oil is a fossil fuel meaning you will need to change eventually 

Reliant on deliveries of oil from a supplier

Air source heat pump

Air source heat pumps are something you may have been hearing lots about recently, they have greatly gained in popularity over the last year or two. The reason for the gain in popularity is the RHI scheme ran by the government (renewable heat incentive) this has been set up to try and incentivise people to choose renewable types of heating so they can hit their emissions target.

Heat pumps work by drawing heat out of the air and is processed through the system to heat both your home and homes water. You might be thinking I live in Scotland how is it possible to draw heat out of the air 8 months out the year but in actual fact heat pumps can extract heat from the air in conditions as low as -15 degrees. They require electricity for the pump and compressor to work however the energy needed is less than it produces so it is seen as energy efficient. 

There are two different types of air source heat pump you will typically hear about:

Air to air – takes heat from outside, generates heat whilst going through the system and will disperse it directly into your home using a fan, it is worth noting that air to air heat pumps are not included within the RHI scheme so there would be no incentive for you to choose this unless of course it is what you wanted.

Air to water – with this type of heat pump heat is extracted from outside and then the heat is passed through to your central heating system, the heat is able to power radiators, heat hot water or even be used for underfloor heating.

Pros – 

Can get money from the RHI scheme quarterly which offsets the large cost

Can work in the coldest of UK conditions 

Long lifespan 

Cons 

Large initial cost 

Can be noisy 

Aren’t able to supply the same amount of heat as conventional boilers

Biomass 

Much like LPG, biomass isn’t something you will encounter all that regularly unless you live in a rural or agricultural setting as they require lots of space to store the fuel so isn’t suitable for most domestic properties. Biomass is a renewable heating source, it involves burning wooden pellets, logs or other natural matter like compost. It can be used to heat a single room by using stoves or burners or can heat the entire house by having a larger burner connected to a central heating system. Biomass can have back boilers attached that heat water for domestic consumption i.e. bathwater.

It is worth noting that you will require guidance to make sure your property adheres to building regulations, and as the burning wood releases co2 you will need to make sure your house has a FLU to make sure you and your family are kept safe from harmful fumes.

Pros 

Renewable heating source

Can stop material from being sent to landfill

The systems are very reliable 

Cons 

Large initial cost 

Companies often want to deliver 1+tons of pellets at a time to make affordable

Some people complain of the smell of biomass when burning 

Over the years we have had various businesses that have sold the different types of heating from biomass to heat pumps but ultimately decided to specialise as a business that provides electric smart heaters, and good quality electric boilers as we feel it is the best option when you weigh up cost, ease of use, cost to run and length of the guarantee. If after reading this you have any questions about what our electric heaters are or would like a free quote and we would be happy to give you free advice, and if in your circumstances there is a better option we will always let you know.