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How Do Electric Boilers Work?

Electric boiler are installed in residential, commercial and industrial properties to serve as a reliable source of heat. Unlike other types of boilers that depends on fossil fuel burning to be able to operate, electric boilers are fuelled by electrical energy which ultimately makes it more reliable and powerful compared to its counterparts. This heating option was basically provided for home or property owners who don’t have an access to the main gas supply.

So how does an electric boiler work? Basically, an electric boiler work by heating water. Once heated, the hot water supply is then distributed to various areas across the house or property. In order to achieve the best possible efficiency at the lowest possible costs, new model electric boilers are installed by licensed and professional boiler fitters with the help of a microchip control system. Meanwhile, the microchip control system functions to oversee the management of both temperature level as well as output.

Unlike other types of boilers such as a gas boiler, electric boilers only require minimal service. If you own a gas boiler, it’s crucial to ensure that it’s serviced every single year by a licensed and reliable professional that’s into boiler repair services. During the checks and maintenance services, the gas boilers would need to be checked for possible gas leaks, as well as ventilation poisoning and other problems.

Overall, electric boilers are considered to be one of the most environment-friendly heating system which is more affordable to install in your property than a gas boiler. It represents the most ideal option for homes with gas boiler issues as well as those that are not connected to the main gas supply. What’s more? Electric boilers are also one of the best options for wet central heating and under floor heating.

The cost to charge an electric car in the UK varies between home, work and public charging.

For a typical electric car with a 60kWh battery and ~200 mile range:

• Charging at home: Costs about £9.20 for a full charge. *
• Charging at work: Many employers will install workplace charging points and typically offer free access throughout the day.
• Charging at public locations: Public chargepoints at supermarkets or car parks are often free to use for the duration of your stay.
• Rapid charging: Rapid charging points are normally found at motorway service stations and typically cost £6.50 for a 30 min, ~100 mile charge.

Charging an electric car at home costs about £9.20 for a full charge* and is the most convenient and cost-effective way to keep your car fully charged. Most drivers will charge their electric car overnight, waking up to a full battery every morning.

Average domestic electricity rate in the whole of the UK is about 17p per kWh.

Fully charging a 60kWh electric car will cost between £9.00 and £9.90 (depending on where you live) and give you about 200 miles of range.

* Costs calculated at 17p/kWh based on usable battery is ~54kWh (90%).

You can find out roughly how old your wiring is by simply looking at it. If the wiring around your fuse box is covered in old-fashioned casing, or is damaged or fraid, it may be over 25 years old and need replacing. This is more common in older properties or houses that have been empty for long periods of time.

If you’re thinking of adding a solar battery to your home, you might be wondering whether or not it’s going to work in a power cut. If yes, then you’re not alone as this is one of the most common questions asked when it comes to solar batteries. In this post, we aim to provide you with a detailed answer to solve this concern once and for all.

The answer to this question is, it depends. The main reason why your solar batteries will usually not work or provide your home with the much-needed back up power is as a result of the several threats it poses. You should be aware that both your solar panels and battery are connected to the main grid. When a power cut occurs, your engineers will have to operate on the grid. If the solar panels or batteries are in operation at the period there’s a high chance the engineers would be electrocuted by the electricity that’s being produced. As a result of this, solar inverters are usually designed to automatically switch off once a power cut occurs. However, it should also be noted that if your solar battery possesses backup functionality, you’ll be able to make use of your solar energy in the event of a power cut. In other words, what determines if your home battery would work in a power cut is the availability or otherwise of a backup functionality.

Furthermore, you might also wish to know if your solar panels will continue to charge the battery in a power cut. Well, this depends on the type of backup system you possess. There are some more affordable batteries that are designed to automatically release their stored energy upon the detection of a power cut. And this is mostly because the battery inverter is usually smaller than the solar inverter which allows the energy from the solar inverter to the transmitted to the battery - risking an overload. However, if otherwise, then energy can continue to be transmitted to the battery until its fully charged.

It might be possible to fit electrics in your shed, depending on where it is and what it’s made of. You should get in touch with a qualified electrician to find out whether it’s possible. Never attempt to run electrical cable from your house to an outbuilding!

Are Electric Radiators Expensive To Run?

Just like many home additions, the running costs of electric radiators varies largely on a number of factors. Great number of electric radiators typically comes with an in built thermostat which is designed to turn itself off automatically when not in use in order to save energy.

However the energy provider’s set electricity charge tariff will also have a great influence on an electric radiator’s running cost. Let’s take a look at the running costs of an electric radiator!

A 600 Watt electric radiator ( on a standard electricity tariff) will usually have a running cost ranging between 4 to 6 pence each hour. However you should also take note that this scenario might change in situations whereby the electric radiator is not calling for heat the full 60 minutes of each hour. And this is more likely to be the situation as the thermostat is programmed in such a way that enables it to turn itself off immediately there’s an achievement of your required room temperature level - usually within 10 minutes from the time it was switched on. As a result of this, the running cost per hour of electric radiators will be greatly reduced to just about 1 to 2 pence.

It’s also important to note that enhancing the insulation of your home can go a long way to add to the heat retention value of each room. Consequently, the duration at which the electric radiator calls more heating will be significantly reduced, which in turn, implies a lower electricity bill.

Another key factor that can play a huge role in saving on your heating bills is the programming as well as usage of your electric radiators. Every radiator comes with an independent digital thermostat with a number of 24/7 programming options to help achieve maximum efficiency. When the radiator is properly set according to your lifestyle, you can save as much as 50 percent on your heating bills.

Obviously the performance of a solar thermal system will vary depending on the location of the home, the insulation of the property, and your own hot water requirements. Solar thermal panels are capable of providing all of your hot water requirements from April to September. They will still make a contribution to your hot water needs for the rest of the year, but in general you will need a backup system to further heat the water in the colder months.