What type of Heating

[savage82]

I have a 1 bedroom flat in Edinburgh (second floor). At the moment there is no heating other than plug in convectors. The shower is an electric one which is very poor in pressure and difficult to regulate.

The Hot water is supplied via an immersion and hot water cylinder fed from a cold water storage tank. The flat has newly layed laminate floors in all but the bedroom, so it would be disruptive to lift but will do if it is required.

Would it be best to fit a pressurised water system which will also feed a new shower & maybe white meter heating or go for a full gas heating system.

The flat is South facing with double glazing so gets lots of sunshine & appears to be warm (not sure what its like in the winter yet though!) Any advice would be much appreciated.

Thanks
Lea

[Hard@it]

If there is not enough pressure for normal use do not fit a combi, but if you really want central heating then fit a proper boiler with a sealed system., and a cylinder for hot water. If you must have pressure shower then get a mira type which has an inbuilt pump,but still connect it to your 'poor' mains. Hard@it

[jam79]

if you want to keep your electric heaters, you can get what is called an unvented cylinder. this gives hot water pressure at the cold mains pressure.

[Hard@it]

Jam79 Do not take this the wrong way but savage 82 said that he was in a top flat with poor pressure, so I doubt an unvented cyl. would work. But in saying that, it could be that good pressure is at the main but the shower is not passing properly, although I doubt it. I think the easiest and surest way is a power shower. Hard@it

[Hard@it]

A response on this question/answer would be appreciated !!!! Hard@it

[savage82]

Hi,
Thanks for the advice. The shower is old so we are going to try and buy a new one.

The heating scenario is an issue because I feel that GCH won't be used efficiently because it is a warm flat. However the need for heating in the winter is needed and plain electric heatings aren't ideal so was wondering if anyone knew of better, money efficient methods?

[KARL]

If you have properly heated property on all sides (i.e. including entrance hallway/staircase) then one of the best things you could do would be to insulate any outside wall(s) as thoroughly as possible to preserve heat captured from the surroundings - insulation is in fact always worth the expense. If it is a modern-ish property this will be easier than with an older (say Victorian) one although then still possible (we have foam injected into the space behind the lath/plaster). Beyond that, any heating (water or space) is likely to be subject to fossil fuel prices and you are left with searching for the most cost efficient and the relativity may conceivably vary through time. If you have the space you could consider using off-peak electricity to heat up a buffer tank (full of captive corrosion proofed water) from which you can then take hot water (at mains pressure through a heat exchanger) and space heating (through radiators) during "peak" time. It seems almost certain that you will need space heating in the coldest months unless you are against heating on principle. McDonald of Glenrothes will make a tank to measure but these are not cheap. Gas heating would in all likelihood (certainly ?) be more disruptive than an all-electric solution, but just make sure you put any radiators/heaters under the windows which gives you maximum comfort perception - putting them away from there amplifies any sense of draughts. You will need an imaginative tradesman to entertain non-bog-standard ideas.