New Year, New Heating System? Discover Your Options
There’s no better time to make changes than at the start of a new year. So if you’ve been considering installing a new heating system in your home for a while, there’s no time quite like the present. What’s important is making sure that you choose the most suitable and cost-effective system to suit your property. Let’s take a look at the options that might be available to you:
Gas Central Heating
If your home has a natural gas grid connection then gas central heating is likely to be one of the cheapest options available, however it is not cost-effective or sustainable in the long term. This is due to the fact that gas is a fossil fuel, and is particularly expensive in the current cost of living crisis. If you do opt for gas heating, it’s important to select a modern, efficient boiler, such as a condensing boiler, as this will improve efficiency.
Oil Heating
Oil central heating may be another option for your new heating system. If you heat your house with oil then you’ll need a tank outside your home for storing the oil. Oil offers a good return on each unit of energy, however like gas, it is a fossil fuel making it bad for the environment and non-sustainable. The price of heating oil fluctuates depending on global demand.
Electric Central Heating
Electric heating is most commonly found in flats and new-build properties. Electric heating isn’t usually powered by a central system, but rather is made up of separate electrical heaters in each room, such as night storage heaters, and can be paired with immersion heaters. If you live in a flat or new build then electric could be an option for your new heating system, however it is important to emphasise that it’s more expensive per unit than gas.
Renewable Heating
If you’re spending money upgrading to a new heating system then your most cost-effective option in the long run is to upgrade to a renewable heating system. Not only is this more energy efficient and better for the environment, it also removes you from the volatile market of oil and gas prices. Renewable energy heating systems include:
Heat Pumps: Installing an air to water heat pump could help you to reduce heating bills and cut CO2 emissions by more than half. Rather than relying on external fuels, they extract heat from the outside air and convert it to usable heat for the home.
Solar Water Heating: Solar thermal panels use heat from the sun to heat water for the home. As solar energy is renewable it can be a really cost-effective option, however the only drawback is that its efficiency relies on the outdoor climate. This can be challenging in the Irish climate where sunlight isn’t guaranteed all year round!
Biomass Boilers: biomass boilers burn natural ingredients like pallets, wood chips or logs to generate heat via a biomass boiler. Biomass boilers offer a carbon neutral system and are cheap to run, however they do require a significant amount of space and maintenance.
If you would like to hear more about the renewable and energy efficient options that could be suitable for your new heating system, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with the Pipelife team.