Without electricity, we can’t do much. From cooking to lighting, from entertainment to work, and healthcare to transport, electricity is a huge part of the modern lifestyle.
When we refer to eco heating systems, we include a number of options such as the German electric heater, air source heat pump, solar panels and heat storage battery system, and spray foam insulation.
With so many options to choose from, you might be wondering which is best for your needs and can electric – not known for its efficiency and eco friendly sourcing – compete with the other options?
Not a problem! In this post, you will find the answer to whether electric radiators can compete with the best eco heating systems. You may also be curious if it is more efficient than central heating. All of this will be answered below.
So, let’s start comparing the different heating options and see if eco electric radiators can surprise you
Air-source Heat Pumps
Air-source heat pump refers to one type of heat pump that is designed to extract heat from the air outside and convert as energy. Even if the temperature is cold, heat extraction is possible. This eco heating uses the external air to heat water in the hot water tank or radiators.
Unlike the gas-fired boiler that produce hot water, this eco heating require you to keep your living space warm enough by running the system longer. Besides, you also need to increase or adjust the size of the radiators.
You may find the heating fans a bit noisy. The eco heat pump tend to be busiest during winter since the weather is cold and you want to stay inside most of the time.
Cost of Air Source Heat Pumps
If you plan to get an air source heat pump installation as your eco heat source, then you should budget anywhere from around £7,000 to £15,000 plus depending on the size of your property and size of the area that needs to be heated. This heat source system will help you save approximately ₤500-£1000 per year or more, depending on the supplier.
Air Source Heat Pumps Pros:
- An air source heat pump uses about 1 unit of electricity in producing 3 units of heat
- when installed right, this heating system is dependable and provides efficient heating results.
- This eco heat system uses less fuel to heat your living space.
- You can take advantage of various government grants.
Air Source Heat Pumps Cons:
- Some air source heat pumps can get noisy due to the fan heater but recent models are always getting quieter
- Some require long hours of operation during winter months.
- Heat pump systems may require you to install bigger radiators.
For more information we wrote a fully detailed guide about the pros and cons of air source heat pumps
Solar Panels and Heat Storage Battery Systems
As you try to use solar panels and heat storage battery system, you can produce your own energy and heat source and then store the excess energy. So, during peak periods, you have energy to use.
You can heat storage battery system to produce instant hot water for your baths, showers, and radiators. When the carbon intensity or price of electricity is low, you are free to use the solar panels and heat batteries.
Solar and Heat Battery Storage System Pros:
Using solar panels, you can use renewable energy and it has no impact to the environment (apart from their initial manufacture). You can also save on monthly bills. As for the heat batteries, they are compact and more efficient at storing heat compared to a hot water tank.
Solar and Heat Battery Storage System Cons:
Installation of solar panels and heat storage systems comes with high upfront cost. Not only that, solar panels are dependent on daylight (not necessarily weather), requires space, and you cannot take it with you should you need to move house.
We cover the advantages and disadvantages of solar energy in more detail in a separate post.
Spray Foam Insulation
Since 1986, spray foam insulation has been available to many homeowners. This eco heat retention system is widely used due to its energy efficiency and heat retaining benefits. You should have less issues with heat loss if you have adequate insulation.
With high quality spray foam insulation, rest assured that you can save from your utility expenses while eliminating retrofit crawl spaces and make your living space feel more like a home.
The way this eco heat system product works is by creating limited air movement, which means the amount of energy loss is being reduced.
Spray Foam Insulation Pros :
While you need to invest in high quality external-wall insulation, windows, and doors, spray foam insulation can cut your heat and energy bills in the long run.
With this kind of eco solution, you can enjoy an extra “layer” of comfort at home.
Spray Foam Insulation Cons:
Getting a spray foam insulation means you may need to deal with a large upfront cost. Other than that, you can also encounter mess and disruption. To minimize internal-wall insulation issues, you should ideally get it done room by room during the renovation or decoration process.
We created a more detailed guide looking at the pros and cons of spray foam insulation and how it compares to other types of insulation.
German Electric Heaters
This type of heating system utilizes electric radiators to generate heat. It comes in different sizes, shapes, and forms to match various circumstances and your heating needs.
With electric radiators, there was previously a guilt associated in terms of environmental issues or a carbon footprint.
Rest assured that the electric heating of old is nothing like it is today and the environment cost has been massively reduced. German Electric radiators are leading the way in this field
They are eco electric radiators that utilize electricity to produce heat when needed. You will find German electric heater installation fairly reasonable and may even cost less compared to new gas-fired boilers.
Most of these eco electric radiators come with smart controls and are programmable. Eco electric radiators are designed to impeccable standards (that famous German efficiency!), with a focus on premium-grade heating system results.
Typically, electric radiators feature advanced heating technology, including adaptive start, geolocation control, open-window detection, among others.
What is the Most Efficient Electric Heating
With electric heating radiators, all the power consumed will be converted into heat output. In fact, the electric radiator is more efficient compared to central heating.
As mentioned earlier, electric heating radiators were previously not as efficient as they are today. Previous electric heating radiators were associated with an increased carbon footprint.
Fortunately, German heating radiators don’t have such a problem. These eco electric radiators offer an energy-efficient and controllable heating solution that can replace your central heating.
You don’t have to worry about your carbon footprint as much since the German electric radiator is efficient and eco friendly.
German Electric Heaters Pros:
One of the notable benefits of installing electric heating radiators is that this radiator type can improve heat retention which give you huge energy-saving benefits.
These electric radiators offer precision temperature control to keep your living space perfectly warm.
On top of that, you can also enjoy other advantages of electric heating radiators such as:
- Eco electric radiators have no carbon emissions
- Energy efficient electric radiators can be powered by renewable resources
- An electric radiator offers a sustainable heating solution
- Installation of eco electric radiators is fairly quick
- Efficient and eco-friendly electric radiators comes with little to no maintenance
- Efficient electric radiators have no risk of carbon monoxide poisoning
- An eco electric radiator eliminates noisy heater fans
German Electric Heaters Cons:
Power cuts are among the drawbacks of wall-mounted electric heating radiators.
While power cuts can be irritating, you’ll still have the saved settings (As mentioned earlier, these radiators come with advanced features like smart controls) on electric heating radiators so the heat can pick up straight where it left off.
What is the Cheapest Electric Heating to Run
When you go for the German electric heating radiator, you have potentially the cheapest electric heating solution, especially if you choose the WIBO heaters we love to install for our customers for this reason. The radiator can even be sourced from renewable power like solar, making it eco-friendly.
You also do not need to spend on plumbing costs and invasive pipework with an eco electric radiator.
What is the Greenest Way to Heat Your Home
It really does depend on your individual budget, needs and the suitability of your property. Each of the solutions we’ve mentioned in this post have their pros and cons but are all fantastic renewable heating options.
Our team of GreenerEnergy experts can help you make the best decision between air source pumps, solar panels and German electric since we have years of experience with them all.
It used to be that installing wall-mounted electric heating radiators in your home meant you were contributing to damaging the environment, but that’s no longer the case.
You can take advantage of the eco-friendly benefits of German electric heaters. The radiator does not rely on combustion for creating heat.
You can power it with the help of electricity from a renewable source of energy or less electricity in general. So, you won’t be contributing to increased fossil fuel scarcity.
Conclusion
If you’re looking to upgrade to a more eco heating system, the options discussed in this post are what we consider the best, cheapest, and eco friendly, at this particular time. You can consider the use of any of these green solutions – yes, including electric heating – and enjoy a number of benefits, from reduced electricity bills to efficient heat performance.
