Green Building Forum - Heat Pump vs Gas Boiler / cost of electricity vs cost of gas Mon, 25 May 2026 13:15:12 +0100 https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/ Lussumo Vanilla 1.0.3 Heat Pump vs Gas Boiler / cost of electricity vs cost of gas https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=1460&Focus=16960#Comment_16960 https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=1460&Focus=16960#Comment_16960 Sun, 23 Mar 2008 17:09:44 +0000 saillandc Heat Pump vs Gas Boiler / cost of electricity vs cost of gas https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=1460&Focus=16961#Comment_16961 https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=1460&Focus=16961#Comment_16961 Sun, 23 Mar 2008 17:18:37 +0000 CWatters http://www.nottenergy.com/energy-costs-comparison2

This is the only place I've found a comparison that includes "boiler" efficiency. See middle column.]]> Heat Pump vs Gas Boiler / cost of electricity vs cost of gas https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=1460&Focus=16963#Comment_16963 https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=1460&Focus=16963#Comment_16963 Sun, 23 Mar 2008 18:10:30 +0000 tony
Future energy prices should be taken into account too.]]> Heat Pump vs Gas Boiler / cost of electricity vs cost of gas https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=1460&Focus=17029#Comment_17029 https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=1460&Focus=17029#Comment_17029 Mon, 24 Mar 2008 11:59:16 +0000 James Norton Posted By: tonyair seal and insulate the house first then IF you need a heating system

...hot water....?

J]]> Heat Pump vs Gas Boiler / cost of electricity vs cost of gas https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=1460&Focus=17030#Comment_17030 https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=1460&Focus=17030#Comment_17030 Mon, 24 Mar 2008 11:59:50 +0000 James Norton http://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=1453&page=1#Item_1]]> Heat Pump vs Gas Boiler / cost of electricity vs cost of gas https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=1460&Focus=17031#Comment_17031 https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=1460&Focus=17031#Comment_17031 Mon, 24 Mar 2008 12:00:21 +0000 James Norton
J]]> Heat Pump vs Gas Boiler / cost of electricity vs cost of gas https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=1460&Focus=17052#Comment_17052 https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=1460&Focus=17052#Comment_17052 Mon, 24 Mar 2008 13:40:57 +0000 tony
Solar for hot water and dont throw away the heat from it either.]]> Heat Pump vs Gas Boiler / cost of electricity vs cost of gas https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=1460&Focus=17058#Comment_17058 https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=1460&Focus=17058#Comment_17058 Mon, 24 Mar 2008 14:00:30 +0000 James Norton Heat Pump vs Gas Boiler / cost of electricity vs cost of gas https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=1460&Focus=17059#Comment_17059 https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=1460&Focus=17059#Comment_17059 Mon, 24 Mar 2008 14:35:02 +0000 tony Heat Pump vs Gas Boiler / cost of electricity vs cost of gas https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=1460&Focus=17060#Comment_17060 https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=1460&Focus=17060#Comment_17060 Mon, 24 Mar 2008 14:46:28 +0000 James Norton
J]]> Heat Pump vs Gas Boiler / cost of electricity vs cost of gas https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=1460&Focus=17062#Comment_17062 https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=1460&Focus=17062#Comment_17062 Mon, 24 Mar 2008 14:51:16 +0000 tony Heat Pump vs Gas Boiler / cost of electricity vs cost of gas https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=1460&Focus=17067#Comment_17067 https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=1460&Focus=17067#Comment_17067 Mon, 24 Mar 2008 16:26:06 +0000 jamesingram
I'd have thought if your on mains gas you'd be mad to use anything else to heat your home
for the next 20 year or so , other than solar for hot water and perhap wood , though if
we all used that we'd probably have a smog problem

Heat pumps could make more sense when put up against oil and lpg , but again the cost difference is high
and as mentioned if you spend the money on air tightness/insulation then get the cheapest heating system you can
as hopefully it wont need to be used much]]> Heat Pump vs Gas Boiler / cost of electricity vs cost of gas https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=1460&Focus=17072#Comment_17072 https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=1460&Focus=17072#Comment_17072 Mon, 24 Mar 2008 17:22:55 +0000 RonnieS
Might electricity prices uncouple from gas prices?
What if wind (in Scotland) and nuclear in England helped keep electricity prices down but gas supplies were physically constrained by political events in Eastern Europe? Most users can't readily switch from gas.

BR

R]]> Heat Pump vs Gas Boiler / cost of electricity vs cost of gas https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=1460&Focus=17074#Comment_17074 https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=1460&Focus=17074#Comment_17074 Mon, 24 Mar 2008 17:25:04 +0000 James Norton
What about an immersion heater element in the multi coil thermal store?

J]]> Heat Pump vs Gas Boiler / cost of electricity vs cost of gas https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=1460&Focus=17076#Comment_17076 https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=1460&Focus=17076#Comment_17076 Mon, 24 Mar 2008 17:31:48 +0000 tony Heat Pump vs Gas Boiler / cost of electricity vs cost of gas https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=1460&Focus=17077#Comment_17077 https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=1460&Focus=17077#Comment_17077 Mon, 24 Mar 2008 17:32:18 +0000 jamesingram
The need to import more/all our gas is certainly a problem regarding energy security
Generally we have electric to most home , perhap when the above problem become more of a issue
the technoligy/price of ASHP/GSHP and electric heating systems will have improved
also the renewable generation input into the national grid will have increased
I'm guessing this to be in around 20 years time perhaps it will be sooner]]> Heat Pump vs Gas Boiler / cost of electricity vs cost of gas https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=1460&Focus=17079#Comment_17079 https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=1460&Focus=17079#Comment_17079 Mon, 24 Mar 2008 18:31:27 +0000 James Norton Posted By: James NortonWhat about an immersion heater element in the multi coil thermal store?

Purely as inexpensive future proofing in relation to Ronnies point:

Posted By: RonnieSJames, Might electricity prices uncouple from gas prices?


Wasn't thinking about plugging the thing in !.

J]]> Heat Pump vs Gas Boiler / cost of electricity vs cost of gas https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=1460&Focus=17206#Comment_17206 https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=1460&Focus=17206#Comment_17206 Tue, 25 Mar 2008 21:51:07 +0000 Footprints I posed a similar question a few days ago and never really came to a satisfactory conclusion.
Am I to understand from this series of comments that I am up a gum tree?
I am using LPG Ideal Mexico 75000 btu`s, my heating engineer suggests a wall mounted LPG , I`m using £200 per month at the moment he says I will reduce radically, but gets cagey when I ask by how much
Has anybody any ideas?
I want to get rid of dangerous gas anyway and just learned of ASHP, would it be cheap to run, could I reduce installation cost by doing it myself?
Would oil be cheaper?
I`m floundering around in the dark, I`m an OAP, i`ve little money, but I`ve obviously got to do something and fast.
Is there a plan of action I can follow
Footprints]]> Heat Pump vs Gas Boiler / cost of electricity vs cost of gas https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=1460&Focus=17209#Comment_17209 https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=1460&Focus=17209#Comment_17209 Tue, 25 Mar 2008 22:09:32 +0000 jamesingram there was a link I posted for you

jim]]> Heat Pump vs Gas Boiler / cost of electricity vs cost of gas https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=1460&Focus=17211#Comment_17211 https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=1460&Focus=17211#Comment_17211 Tue, 25 Mar 2008 22:18:00 +0000 jamesingram
draught proof
insulate
these may be free have a look here

http://www.energysavingtrust.org.uk/proxy/view/full/2019/grantsandofferssearch

try and get some more quotes on a new boiler/heating system , lpg/oil/ASHP]]> Heat Pump vs Gas Boiler / cost of electricity vs cost of gas https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=1460&Focus=17216#Comment_17216 https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=1460&Focus=17216#Comment_17216 Tue, 25 Mar 2008 22:58:59 +0000 tony Heat Pump vs Gas Boiler / cost of electricity vs cost of gas https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=1460&Focus=17245#Comment_17245 https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=1460&Focus=17245#Comment_17245 Wed, 26 Mar 2008 14:26:31 +0000 timevans2000
ASHP would not save you money when compared to mains gas. it would be approximately the same when you compare kWh for kWh. A smallish ASHP would set you back £7k. A new gas boiler would be a fraction of this. I am not sure of current lpg gas prices but this form of heating used to be more expensive than oil.
If it was me, I would only replace the lpg gas boiler with another one if the first one was bust. You would be better making sure you had spent the money on air tightness improvements, cavity wall insulation, loft insulation and double glazing. When you have done all this your running cost should be much improved]]> Heat Pump vs Gas Boiler / cost of electricity vs cost of gas https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=1460&Focus=17248#Comment_17248 https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=1460&Focus=17248#Comment_17248 Wed, 26 Mar 2008 15:59:38 +0000 Chris Wardle Heat Pump vs Gas Boiler / cost of electricity vs cost of gas https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=1460&Focus=17252#Comment_17252 https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=1460&Focus=17252#Comment_17252 Wed, 26 Mar 2008 16:30:11 +0000 tony Heat Pump vs Gas Boiler / cost of electricity vs cost of gas https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=1460&Focus=17256#Comment_17256 https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=1460&Focus=17256#Comment_17256 Wed, 26 Mar 2008 17:05:13 +0000 chipedwood Heat Pump vs Gas Boiler / cost of electricity vs cost of gas https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=1460&Focus=17272#Comment_17272 https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=1460&Focus=17272#Comment_17272 Wed, 26 Mar 2008 19:56:46 +0000 Footprints Thanks for comments,
To save time I have copied and pasted the information I gave in the previous discussion, apologise for the longwindedness
James - I am following up insulation and cavity fill and will do from OAP aspect, but while I will expect better results, I cannot believe I couldn`t get by without some method of heating house and Hot water
Chris - Size of house below.
Layout - difficult, but it was an old cottage said to be 600 years old in parts, used as a post office,3 small rooms at the front and dormers above them, which I guess were bedrooms (they are still there,but dormers now roofed over - so in fact it is just roof space)
The 3 rooms are now bedrooms, 2 singles and a decent sized double.
If you imagine looking from the road, driveway is to the right and front door between thew first and second room to the keft.
Still looking from the front a wing at the left was probably added after the war and now houses 2 bathrooms and a bedroom (enormous 20x15ft)
To the right hand side an extension has been made year 2000 parallel to the driveway and this houses the kitchen approx 7`6 wide (i.e.it is the new end to the old cottage) a side entrance/hallway /lobby and behind that the sitting room (approx 15x15)
so we are now at the rear of the house, between the enormouse bedroom and the sitting room lies the dining room (open plan to the hallway and with sliding patio door to the outside rear garden)
Insulation - see below
Hot water cylinder heated by primary flow & return from boiler below, it has an immersion heater but no connection to it
Present Boiler Ideal Mexico 75000btu - Age - the ark I think - free standing, flue through roof - air supply iffy
Corgi fitter says it will have to go anyway - costing £200 per month at 37p per litre usage 7-9am,5.30 - 10pm, present weather temperature indoors approx 62 deg F.
Fitter suggests LPG balanced flue boiler fitted to outside wall, says easy job approx 2 days £2k and definite saving in usage costs, but gets very cagey when asked figures or even likely proportionate reduction.
Anyway reason I am searching around for alternatives is
Don`t like Gas, don`t like the supplier (he charges what he thinks he can get away with) treats us as captives and I`m sure prices will go through the roof , and I don`t know the technology of how the stuff is produced, but I bet they don`t pipe it from a hole in the ground without refining it in some way.
House insulation approx 4" + some loft boarding over some of it
Solid floor/ Carpet (mostly) approx 1350 sq ft , it`s a bungalow so thats the ceiling area as well
Ceiling height varies from 7`10-8`6" (say avg 8`3")
Outside wall length approx 190 lin ft of which 80 lin ft is cavity (doubtful if there is any infill)
Radiator area (measured both sides ) 104 sq ft, singles with fins on the back & foil pushed down
No Thermostatic valves, but I doubt if it was a designed system anyway.
I have done a heat loss calculation and it comes out at 44000 btu`s plus allowance for DHW.
One supplier asked me what the ambient temperature was, sorry I don`t know, but during the last few days the lowest I got hereat 8AM at Torksey was 32 degrees F., what should I quote?
Is this enough info?, if you want to check my heat loss calculation I would let you have room sizes
This is an old much extended cottage and we moved in here in September, we have had a few frosts and got by heatwise with the addition of fan heaters, without switching on central heating all day ( mainly for the reason that it is eating into our savings and frightening me to death!)
Sorry just one final thought, you mentioned 24/7 5months usage, I wouldn`t expect to do this, but I know so little about the ASHP system that I don`t know it`s capabilities,or how it is meant to work
Also remembered my electricity supply co. can give me economy 10 - should I have it anyway, even if I don`t go ahead with an electrical heat system?
Thanks for watching,
Footprints]]> Heat Pump vs Gas Boiler / cost of electricity vs cost of gas https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=1460&Focus=21026#Comment_21026 https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=1460&Focus=21026#Comment_21026 Mon, 19 May 2008 13:10:58 +0100 wogone Posted By: CWattersSee Table..
http://www.nottenergy.com/energy-costs-comparison2


Just to update, the link is now: http://www.nottenergy.com/energy-costs-comparison3

So, to answer the first question, they think a heat pump with a COP of 3.5 will save money relative to gas, which I think is pretty realistic to expect.]]> Heat Pump vs Gas Boiler / cost of electricity vs cost of gas https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=1460&Focus=21040#Comment_21040 https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=1460&Focus=21040#Comment_21040 Mon, 19 May 2008 13:58:46 +0100 CWatters
http://www.nottenergy.com/energy-costs-comparison3

Scroll down to the table. The only thing cheaper than mains gas is a GSHP or a wood fire. An ASHP is 50% more expensive to run than mains gas at the moment.
I would suggest that the capital cost of a GSHP would make that unattractive for an OAP. Overall I think I would go for mains gas if the connection costs aren't too great. Perhaps get a quote for that.]]>