I have 6 flats, all built in the 60/70's that i want to update, they all have Electric Only (no gas to the block)

I have looked at storage heaters, direct panel heaters, wet electric central heating systems

At the moment, they have Economy 7 Tariffs with under floor heating, or were this failed old storage heaters

The issue is this puts tenants off, so we are looking to update

Whats the current installation on new builds, if they were not on the gas main?

We like the idea of a Wet Electrical Central heating system, so each room has a radiator, pipework and looks like the standard household heating and hot water you would get from a gas combi

The best tariff i can see would be the Economy 10 tariff were you have low periods morning, noon and night, but there is only a few energy companies that offer this, and i'm worried what if they discontinue it!! E7 only give lower cost at night when you not bathing or needing heat

Large flat roof, but 25+ years warranty left on the new roof covering, so can't add solor panels (never minding the logistics of wiring 6 flats up), Gas installations would put cost through the roof too

Ideally need a solution, that does heating and hot water and doesn't cost the earth to run Former Mod/Member, with the most post & Chicken George Arch nemesis

How about propane?

Looks like natural gas to the tenant, boilers very similar to natural gas.

It should be possible to meter the gas to each tenant, conveient as natural gas, no silly night time tarrif.
It should be possible to do some remote telemetary so that the supplier knows when to fill up.
I believe if you sign up with a supplier, some will supply the tank outside - but they obviously then charge more for the propane. Tangiers Orange - gone, missing her
Replaced by Ewok what a mistake - now a happy Disco Sport owner

We have Calor LPG with a 4000 litre buried tank. I believe they provided the tank, we had to make the hole, but it was a new build so all done by the contractor. All that's visible is the turret. There's a 25p per day standing charge.

Do you own the block? If not then installing a tank might be problematic I assume.

Our's has the remote telemetry so they auto fill when necessary, you just need to be able to provide them unaided access to the property.

Current Calor price is 56p/litre, but have just renewed the 2 year contract at 44p/litre with a guaranteed max increase in price of 3.5p/litre per 6 months.

I wouldn't know about metering from the tank though.

We couldn't source a large enough LPG boiler so had to go with two. With individual flats thought I imagine that wouldn't be a problem.

You will I believe also have to bury the pipework from tank to building, and you must have an accessible emergency stopcock. So you'd need to somehow limit who had access to this.

We used to have oil, and whilst LPG is more expensive overall the price does not fluctuate, so fill ups in Winter don't cost an arm or a leg.

I suggested the connection to the gas main, then use slave meters for each flat to find out how much each tenant used to calculate their bill.

But the consensus was that would be a logistical nightmare, when tenants don't cough up their share, at least when they are added on to the energy suppliers accounts direct thats their problem

I think propane would be good, but would require 6 separate tanks and then the approval of six tanks in a housing estate, explosion risks etc Former Mod/Member, with the most post & Chicken George Arch nemesis

And the pikeys haven't yet found a way of stealing calor gas.

Unlike oil which does go missing, 2000 litres of oil just waiting to be thieved, outside, no burgler alarm, and you can run your transit on it  Tangiers Orange - gone, missing her
Replaced by Ewok what a mistake - now a happy Disco Sport owner

i know, one of the other properties has oil and the tenants rang to say the system had stopped working, with the we have a full tank as it was filled last week, queue engineer and a dipstick showing empty shortly after  Former Mod/Member, with the most post & Chicken George Arch nemesis

Electric boilers do work, not sure of running costs, but have fitted two on one bedroom conversions.
I think they were dimplex and run underfloor heating and a megaflo type cylinder.
Will find out from clients how they feel it costs?

Hi,

Bottled propane might be the cheapest option installation -wise.

We use 2x2 47kg bottled gas with automatic switchover so hassle free, just a call when one set runs out (red marker) and they come and replace the empties, no need for us to be present

Current cost is £114 per refill (2x47kg) which with prudent use provides hot water and up to 11 rads from a conventional condensing combi for 3-4 weeks in the depths of winter.

Not as cheap as mains gas (not an option here) but competitive with fluctuating oil prices.

Hope this helps Kola is the big solid black German Shepherd, Dobbie is.......a breed you've never heard of......yet;)

wood pellet boiler sell heat to the tenants and get paid tarrif At work
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"I can't always believe facts I read on the web" - Charles Dickens

winner by default of the tractor vs caravan race

Have you considered an air source heat pump. Basically an air conditioning system working in reverse. They are very efficient so heating costs would be similar to mains gas.

And apparently going to be the next green deal, when the finish the free combi boilers Former Mod/Member, with the most post & Chicken George Arch nemesis

A friend of mine is on with the ASHP at the min (Think there out next week to fit it all)

Hes found a government backed deal (grant) where as he pays for the full initial install but he will receive 2k per year for 7 years.
Sure he said it means the system would be paid for after 3years in his case.

Im sure green deal have started with ASHP ,Sure they give £1500 towards the system and you pay anything above.

If you would like some more info on what my friends doing pm me and I will have a chat with to see what I can find out about it.

http://www.energysavingtrust.org.uk/Genera...entive-RHI At work
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"I can't always believe facts I read on the web" - Charles Dickens

winner by default of the tractor vs caravan race