How to make electric heating economical

When thinking about which heating system to choose for a house or summer cottage, one often thinks about using electricity. The advantage of this type of energy carrier is its environmental friendliness, “cleanliness” and high reliability of electric heaters. The minus – a considerable price, because of which electric heating is not the most popular way of heating.

What it can be

Heating a house with electricity can be done in different ways. Whatever type of heating you choose, its cost-effectiveness depends largely on how well the house is insulated. This issue should be given maximum time.

First of all, you need to decide on the type of system: it can be air, water and steam, you can still heat with warm floors. Let’s briefly run through the main advantages of each system.

Steam heating (not to be confused with water heating)

Steam heating is very effective, but dangerous – the temperature of heating radiators and pipes going to them about a hundred degrees (higher or lower depends on the type of selected system). The system is very similar to water, but more economical in the stage of arrangement: much less sections of radiators are required, pipes can be taken smaller cross-section.

In general, in view of the high danger, it is prohibited in public and apartment buildings, but in a private house it can be done. As a heat source in this system can act as an electric steam boiler. So this is also one of the varieties of electric heating, although quite unpopular.

Air

Air heating with electricity can be organized with the use of convectors or other heaters working on electricity – ceramic heating panels, infrared radiators. These systems are good because they immediately begin to warm the air in the room. Also attract low costs at the stage of arrangement – there is no need to build anything. Buy heaters, install, turn on, start to warm up.

The disadvantage of this method of heating – active air circulation in the room (uncomfortable) and with such heating the air is too dry (you need to install to increase humidity). Another disadvantage is the need for almost constant operation. If electric heaters are installed with thermostats, this is not so critical, because when the set temperature is reached, they will turn off. But the low inertia leads to the fact that the room cools down quickly and, therefore, most of the equipment is in operation.

Among all electric heaters, infrared units are considered more economical, but they also “pull” a decent amount of electricity. So this method of heating is often used as an additional – for the time of severe cold weather. The second area of application – dachas, which live only periodically. With this mode of visits on arrival, you can heat only the necessary rooms. In this case, the plus of this type of electric heating is that it is not afraid of freezing (only when selecting heaters pay attention to whether they tolerate freezing).

Electric floor heating

This electric heating can be both additional – to increase the level of comfort, and the main. Electric underfloor heaters can be of different types:

• heating cables (resistive and self-regulating);
• heating cable mats (easier to install);
• carbon films (with infrared radiation);
• carbon mats (not yet very reliable in operation).

Electric heating with underfloor heating requires calculation. Like any other, it must make up for heat losses. The only difference is that the heating elements have a large area and one square meter can have a very small power. Read more about calculating the power of electric floor heating here.

This option of electric heating is suitable only for houses with permanent residence – too much time (and resources) is spent on heating the concrete slab, in which the heater is usually “packed”. And that’s kind of a disadvantage. But on the other hand, a large heated mass contribute to maintaining a stable temperature in the house. Another positive point: for such a slab to cool down completely, it takes a few days, so that temporary power outages in this case are not very terrible.

Electric heating with warm floors can not be called very economical. The amount of payment depends on the degree of insulation of the house. But it is worth remembering that it is necessary to make an electric warm floor only in a pair with a thermostat and temperature sensors. In this case, the heaters will be turned on only part of the time and the bills will be relatively small. Well, the fact that the warm floor – the most comfortable way of heating, probably needless to say.

Water heating with electric boilers

In fact, this is a familiar to everyone heating system with pipes, radiators and coolant (water or non-freezing liquid), which circulates in the system. The only difference is that the boiler runs on electricity. Electric boilers are of three types:

• on heating elements;
• induction;
• electrode.

Boilers on heating elements are the most common. Induction and electrode are used less often. Manufacturers (and many users) say that they are more economical. There are still debates about the economy, but there is no argument about the size. Induction boiler looks like a piece of pipe of medium diameter. It takes up very little space, is easy to install, can operate in an autonomous mode.

With electrode a little more complicated: you need to monitor the condition of the electrodes, select the composition of the coolant (usually pour a certain amount of salt to increase the conductivity of water). So that periodic maintenance for such a boiler – a necessity.

What type of electric heating to choose

Choose the type of heating system usually based on its purpose. Electric heating dacha is more rational to do air type – less cost for installation, low inertia – this is what is required. But this is only in the case if you do not plan to maintain in it all winter plus temperature.

For a house of permanent residence, electric floor heating or water heating are suitable. By the way, the warm floor can be made and water, but whether it makes sense when using an electric boiler, you need to think. Both of these systems have a large inertia, which can rather be assessed as a plus – long cool down. The disadvantages of these systems – high costs when installing.

When installing electric floor heating under the tiles requires laying heating elements in the screed, and it takes a lot of time. If the floor covering is laminate or linoleum (special), everything is much easier. Electric floor heating under laminate (and linoleum) is laid on a level base, on a special substrate. Laminate flooring or a rigid base for linoleum (plywood) is mounted on top.

Electric water heating is done as standard. However, in some cases there is an opportunity to save money.

How to make electric water heating economical

In many regions, multi-zone tariffs have been introduced. If your region has such tariffs, it is possible to minimize the cost of electric heating. This requires the installation of a multi-tariff meter and a heat accumulator (TA). A thermal accumulator is a large container of water. In our case, it serves to accumulate heat during the “night”, cheaper tariff.

During the time when electricity is much cheaper, the water in the tank is heated to quite solid temperatures. During the action of high tariffs, heating does not work, and the temperature in the network is maintained with the help of the heat that is accumulated in the heat accumulator. This system really helps to save money, but the specific result depends on the region – tariffs vary greatly from region to region.