A few things that are wrong with this video, at least outside of the UK. 1. Heat pumps have a coefficient of performance of 4:1 which means that they produce 4x the heat energy per kWh than simple resistive heating. 2. The costs to install here in Australia are half what you quote in the video. 3. Ours is a reverse cycle unit that acts to cool the house in summer and aside from cleaning the air filter there is no other maintenance required, and it's been in operation now for 16 years. 4. No matter what heating you are putting in, not also upgrading the insulation on your home is silly if you are looking to save money, and underfloor heating is the most efficient of all, especially if powered with a heat pump. 5. Hot water heat pumps are also a thing, meaning that you can reduce your electricity use for that as well. 6. The same controls and timers can be applied to heat pumps.
Hi there, Thank you for sharing your thoughts with us! It's interesting to hear perspectives from outside the UK, and you've brought up some really valid points. There's no denying how efficient heat pumps are, and it's fantastic to hear about the lower installation fees and reliability you've experienced in Australia. It's a bit of a different story in the UK though. Costs, urban density, climate, insulation levels and a lack of qualified installers present challenges for homeowners who are looking for low-carbon alternatives or are not connected to the gas network. Everyone’s circumstances are different though, which is why we always recommend people do their own research to see what works for them. Thanks The ERD Team
Good effort at not totally bashing heat pumps. Obviously you don't sell them so this was always going to be an 'electric radiators are best' video. You might be right saying that a heat pump might cost up to 40% more than gas, but you didn't say how much electric radiators will cost more than that. Given a heat pump will be at least 250% efficient, versus maximum 100% for an electric radiator, the latter will cost at least the difference between gas unit cost per kwh and electricity - or approx 400% more than gas at today's prices. Funny, you didn't point that out. :D And for anyone who thinks infrared panels are the solution - only if you like to be warm on the side facing the panel and cold on the other. It's very much line-of-sight heating with virtually nothing off axis. They are a terrible idea that will promote cold spots and mould. At least with an electric rad, the whole room gets warm and with a heat pump, you'll be paying at least 2.5 times less in energy bills to heat your rooms, usually the difference is more like 3-4 times less.
There's also the pointing out of negatives for heat pumps that have an equivalent negative for electric radiators but not mentioning it. e.g. electric radiators would need wiring in properly if replacing a central heating system, so definitely some upheaval there. Stating about might be needing a 3-phase supply, which only really comes into effect when you have a heat loss of >16kW, which to handle that with electric radiators would need 70A dedicated to just the radiators. At least they didn't go with heat pumps don't work in cold weather.
Hi there, Thanks for getting in touch. As experts in the electric heating industry, we always aim to educate as best we can. There are many layers to the heat pump vs electric heating debate and you raise some interesting points. We understand that choosing a heating solution entirely comes down to personal preference and the specific needs of a property. As always, we recommend everyone do their research to find the perfect system for their space. However, it’s worth noting that heat pumps aren’t always a viable option for some - whether due to space, costs or simply personal preference. When looking at installing an entirely new heating system, electric heaters come out at £3,000 - £4,000, plus they’re super easy to install and do not require yearly maintenance checks. Compare that to £7,000 - £35,000 that you could be paying for heat pumps as well as the huge disruption required should you need to retrofit, plus annual servicing costs and electric becomes a much more viable option for many. If you keep an eye out, we do have a video coming very soon comparing the running costs of different heating systems which may answer some of your questions. We also have tons of resources on our website addressing this very topic to help offer further guidance. Thanks The ERD Team
@@BenIsInSweden Hi there! You're absolutely right, electric radiators would need a professional to hardwire if replacing an entire system - this is something we always recommend as it's an important part of the installation process. If you only need one or two radiators, many can be installed DIY. Installing a heat pump as an entirely new heating system requires fitting new piping, the heat pump itself as well as new and larger radiators or underfloor heating, plus annual servicing. While this may work for some, it might not be viable for all. We understand this comes down to personal preference and there are many pros to both systems, which is why we encourage everyone to do their research to find what works best for them. We hope this helps answer your question - we do have several other resources explaining installation for both systems on our CZcams channel and our website, if you're looking for any further information. Thanks The ERD Team
Hi there! Thanks for getting in touch. You're absolutely right, an electric boiler is another alternative to gas central heating with a range of pros and cons. If you're considering making the switch, we'd always recommend doing thorough research to find the perfect solution that works for you and your space. Thanks The ERD Team
A few things that are wrong with this video, at least outside of the UK.
1. Heat pumps have a coefficient of performance of 4:1 which means that they produce 4x the heat energy per kWh than simple resistive heating.
2. The costs to install here in Australia are half what you quote in the video.
3. Ours is a reverse cycle unit that acts to cool the house in summer and aside from cleaning the air filter there is no other maintenance required, and it's been in operation now for 16 years.
4. No matter what heating you are putting in, not also upgrading the insulation on your home is silly if you are looking to save money, and underfloor heating is the most efficient of all, especially if powered with a heat pump.
5. Hot water heat pumps are also a thing, meaning that you can reduce your electricity use for that as well.
6. The same controls and timers can be applied to heat pumps.
Hi there,
Thank you for sharing your thoughts with us! It's interesting to hear perspectives from outside the UK, and you've brought up some really valid points.
There's no denying how efficient heat pumps are, and it's fantastic to hear about the lower installation fees and reliability you've experienced in Australia. It's a bit of a different story in the UK though. Costs, urban density, climate, insulation levels and a lack of qualified installers present challenges for homeowners who are looking for low-carbon alternatives or are not connected to the gas network. Everyone’s circumstances are different though, which is why we always recommend people do their own research to see what works for them.
Thanks
The ERD Team
Good effort at not totally bashing heat pumps. Obviously you don't sell them so this was always going to be an 'electric radiators are best' video. You might be right saying that a heat pump might cost up to 40% more than gas, but you didn't say how much electric radiators will cost more than that. Given a heat pump will be at least 250% efficient, versus maximum 100% for an electric radiator, the latter will cost at least the difference between gas unit cost per kwh and electricity - or approx 400% more than gas at today's prices. Funny, you didn't point that out. :D
And for anyone who thinks infrared panels are the solution - only if you like to be warm on the side facing the panel and cold on the other. It's very much line-of-sight heating with virtually nothing off axis. They are a terrible idea that will promote cold spots and mould. At least with an electric rad, the whole room gets warm and with a heat pump, you'll be paying at least 2.5 times less in energy bills to heat your rooms, usually the difference is more like 3-4 times less.
There's also the pointing out of negatives for heat pumps that have an equivalent negative for electric radiators but not mentioning it. e.g. electric radiators would need wiring in properly if replacing a central heating system, so definitely some upheaval there. Stating about might be needing a 3-phase supply, which only really comes into effect when you have a heat loss of >16kW, which to handle that with electric radiators would need 70A dedicated to just the radiators.
At least they didn't go with heat pumps don't work in cold weather.
Hi there,
Thanks for getting in touch. As experts in the electric heating industry, we always aim to educate as best we can. There are many layers to the heat pump vs electric heating debate and you raise some interesting points. We understand that choosing a heating solution entirely comes down to personal preference and the specific needs of a property. As always, we recommend everyone do their research to find the perfect system for their space.
However, it’s worth noting that heat pumps aren’t always a viable option for some - whether due to space, costs or simply personal preference.
When looking at installing an entirely new heating system, electric heaters come out at £3,000 - £4,000, plus they’re super easy to install and do not require yearly maintenance checks. Compare that to £7,000 - £35,000 that you could be paying for heat pumps as well as the huge disruption required should you need to retrofit, plus annual servicing costs and electric becomes a much more viable option for many.
If you keep an eye out, we do have a video coming very soon comparing the running costs of different heating systems which may answer some of your questions. We also have tons of resources on our website addressing this very topic to help offer further guidance.
Thanks
The ERD Team
@@BenIsInSweden Hi there! You're absolutely right, electric radiators would need a professional to hardwire if replacing an entire system - this is something we always recommend as it's an important part of the installation process. If you only need one or two radiators, many can be installed DIY.
Installing a heat pump as an entirely new heating system requires fitting new piping, the heat pump itself as well as new and larger radiators or underfloor heating, plus annual servicing. While this may work for some, it might not be viable for all. We understand this comes down to personal preference and there are many pros to both systems, which is why we encourage everyone to do their research to find what works best for them.
We hope this helps answer your question - we do have several other resources explaining installation for both systems on our CZcams channel and our website, if you're looking for any further information.
Thanks
The ERD Team
Is there not an option for an electric boiler too?
Hi there!
Thanks for getting in touch. You're absolutely right, an electric boiler is another alternative to gas central heating with a range of pros and cons. If you're considering making the switch, we'd always recommend doing thorough research to find the perfect solution that works for you and your space.
Thanks
The ERD Team
Lousy explanation, cop is the key to explanations