Which heating system is right for me?

Most people in West Yorkshire have traditional central heating systems which heats their whole house. However, with new advances in technology, there are so many more heating options available today. But which heating system is right for you and your home?

The most common type of central heating system has a boiler at its heart. These, traditionally, are powered by either natural gas, oil, or liquid petroleum gas.

Not all boilers are the same though – here are the three main types:

• Combi boilers provide both heating and hot water directly from the boiler, with hot water delivered on demand when a tap is turned on. They’re compact, efficient, and ideal for small homes with limited space.
• System boilers provide central heating and store hot water in a cylinder, delivering a ready supply to multiple taps. These are ideal for homes with high hot water demand and multiple bathrooms.
• Heat only boilers which are also known as regular boilers, work in a similar way to system boilers but also have two header tanks to store cold water. These are good for homes with high hot water demand or in areas with low mains water pressure.

Modern boilers are much more efficient than older models, so they can save you money on energy bills. They need to be professionally installed to make sure they run safely and efficiently and they need to be serviced annually.

It costs around £3,700 to upgrade an older inefficient boiler to a new efficient boiler with good controls. If your older boiler has broken or is ready to be replaced, upgrading it for a new A-rated boiler can save you up to £500 annually.¹

¹Energy Saving Trust

Want a greener, more fuel-efficient alternative to a traditional central heating boiler? You should consider a heat pump.

Air source heat pumps are the most popular type of heat pump. They can heat your home and create hot water using free heat from the air. This makes them more efficient than normal boilers:

• Heat pumps deliver 300 to 400% more energy per unit of electricity they use.
• A-rated boilers convert only 90% of usable energy into heat.

Air source heat pumps are suitable for most houses in West Yorkshire. They’re relatively small and compact, and need no more maintenance than a traditional boiler.

When you think solar panels, you instantly think of them providing extra electricity for appliances around the home. But they are capable of so much more. They can also heat your home and water, as well as charging electric cars or storage batteries. And you can even sell extra electricity back to the grid.

Combining solar panels with an air source heat pump could be the ultimate green way to heat your home and hot water – all the things that a traditional central heating system can do, but with free electricity and no fossil fuels.

Direct electric heating typically uses electric storage heaters and electric radiators which tend to heat individual rooms. This type of heating is usually cheaper to install that other heating systems as you just either plug or wire them in. They’re low maintenance too and only need a safety check every five years.

Electric storage heaters cost £750 to £1,000 each and electric panel heaters are cheaper at around £300 to £500 per heater. The downside though is that they cost more to run than a gas boiler because electricity is currently more expensive per unit than gas. Also, electric storage heaters are less controllable than traditional central heating systems.

To help meet net zero targets, the Government wants us to choose greener, low-carbon alternatives to traditional fossil fuel powered systems. That’s why there’s funding available to encourage homeowners to choose low-carbon systems like heat pumps. The Home Energy West Yorkshire team are here to help you access any available funding.

As part of our impartial free energy advice service, we can direct you to sources of trusted certified solar panel installers. Simply get in touch or use our free online home checker.

If you need help to decide which home heating system is right for you and your home, contact our team of experts or use our free online home checker.