Best heating systems for your home

Mary
Authored by Mary
Posted: Thursday, August 26, 2021 - 20:20

Heating your home is a necessity in the UK. Good heating systems help keep the house warm in the winter months and also help you save on your monthly bills. The most common heating systems in Scotland, Wales, and England are central gas heaters. However, there are more than a million that are not connected to the gas grid. Unfortunately, this occurrence is quite common in apartment complexes (blocks of residential buildings) and rural areas.

Many homes in Scotland still use oil heater systems, with only Larne and Belfast connected to natural gas heating systems. For people off the gas grid, the only options in the UK are electric, oil, and LPG. Choosing which type of heating system is needed for your home is essential in the long term. The correct heating system will help you save money and also provide the best comfort to your home.

Let us look at some of the heating systems available, so you can make the best choice for your home.

Gas Central Heating:

If you’re lucky to have your house directly connected to the gas grid, the cheapest system for your home is the gas-fired central heating system. If you choose an efficient, reliable boiler, you can save plenty of money in the long term. Savvy homeowners ensure they add heating controls to reduce the energy and optimize it for personal use. Some advantages of using a gas central heating system are that the modern variants are extremely energy efficient, and replacing old standard gas boilers with the newer ones is pretty straightforward. The other benefit of using gas heating systems is that you do not need to store the gas since it is directly piped to your house.

Electric Central Heating:

Electric central heating is ideal for homes that do not have mains gas. It becomes easier for users without access to gas lines since all homes in the UK are connected to the electricity grid. Night heaters are the most efficient electrical heating systems since they use electricity supplied at night-time rates (which is cheaper). This heater heats specialized heat-storing or retaining ceramic bricks, which heat your home throughout the day. Night heaters disperse heat slowly throughout the day, allowing the home to stay heated for longer. However, there is a chance that the heat may run out, and the evenings may get cold again. To combat this issue, some heaters allow immediate heat whenever needed.

Oil Central Heating:

Like its electric counterpart, central oil heating is meant for homes that aren’t connected to the gas grid. Heating oil is fired in a boiler to heat water. This water is then used for central heating via radiators and hot water to all taps in your home. Most of the oil-fired combi gas boilers (heat-only and condensing) come with internal hot water storage. Gas combi boilers have instant heating functionality.

Heating oil is also delivered by road and is usually stored in a tank. You would have to rent an oil storage tank or purchase one from the supplier.

LPG Central Heating:

LPG (Liquid Petroleum Gas) central heating is also used in several UK homes. LPG is usually delivered by a tanker and stored in tanks (mostly in backyards or gardens). The storage and delivery systems are the basis for the difference between gas central heating systems and LPG systems. Many boilers that are designed for gas mains can easily be converted to LPG central heating systems.

These heating systems work similarly to gas central heating systems, where the LPG-fired boiler heats up the water, spreads heat to the house, and taps via the radiator. Most LPG central heating system homes are not connected to the gas grid, which necessitates using alternative sources.

Biomass Heating Systems:

Biomass heating systems are used as alternatives to oil, electric, gas, and LPG. They are also called wood heating systems. These systems are great for people believing in organic materials like wood pellets or logs. The heat from burning these organic products generates heat and hot water.

Many people like the idea of a wood-burning stove in the living room. This could be because it makes the area seem cosy and liveable. A benefit of this system is that you can easily connect it to a boiler to heat water for the rest of your house.

There are other heating systems. One of the most common ones in the UK is gas central heating systems. However, if your home is not connected to the gas grid, you could look at other options that suit your need and requirement.