When To Choose Gas Or Electric

by Design Radiator Designerradiatorsdirect

The central heating system in privately owned properties has never been a high priority with builders and consequently it seems the cheapest systems are added on almost as an afterthought by the builder.

Conversely, public buildings from offices to hotels where there are both large and small rooms from conference areas to large receptions and single occupancy small bedrooms have to be much more discerning about methods of heating right from the design stage.

There seems to be a battle royal between wealthy nations to see who can build the tallest buildings and the latest are around a kilometre high which involves some quite staggering engineering and understanding of the laws of physics.

Just look at the problems you can have with your header tank of the central heating system in your three bedroom house. How often do you hear strange bubbling noises and the words of the plumber telling you it’s all to do with water levels?

If you live on the eighty-fifth floor of one of these high rise buildings who do you call if the radiators start making strange noises?

The answer is you will not hear any such noise as it is impossible to have a water filled radiator at such heights and this is the reason that electric radiatorsare used instead.

The downstairs lobby and first few floors of the high rise buildings need the most heat. Again, this is all about the simple laws of physics with hot air rising. It is also the area that hotels and office buildings have a constant flow of people coming and going with perhaps outside freezing temperatures whilst trying to keep a constant ambient warmth inside.

The simple expedient of revolving doors or a double sliding door system where the street level door will not open until the one a few feet further into the building is shut, can help preserve heat indoors.

Whatever the choices you make for your home between gas and electric heating the crucial consideration is unit cost of those two sources. Many years ago gas was always cheaper than electric but both have rocketed in price in the past decade.

For this reason designers have been trying hard to perfect the most efficient methods with both. There have been some huge advances with boilers in particular but it must also be remembered that insulating the house is essential to get the best from any heating system.

An obvious example of where electric heated radiators may be better than gas is with towel rails in the bathroom but sometimes entire electric systems can work out more efficiently particularly with smaller properties and obviously in situations where there is no gas mains supply.

In the latter case oil has been used and still is used in many rural areas of the country.

As usual it is all about individual choices but one fascinating off-shoot of the commercial business is the creation of stunning designs in radiators which are now filtering into the private sector meaning whatever radiators you choose they no longer need to look boring.

For more about gas and electric radiators visit https://www.designerradiatorsdirect.co.uk/