How does an electric boiler work?

Although, all boilers need electricity to function accordingly, electric boilers actually turn electricity into heat. Instead of burning a fossil fuel, like gas or oil, an electric boiler pushes the water from your central heating system over an electric element to heat it up. The water then gets pumped around the system, and is directed to either your radiators, or taps and shower, depending on whether you require heating or hot water.  

New boilers often cost anywhere from £500 to £2000. On top of this fee, you’ll also have to cover the cost of installation. This figure can be influenced by a number of factors including the size of the boiler and where it’s being installed. Fortunately, electric boilers tend to be simple and cheap to install because they don’t require a flue, condensate pipe or gas line.  

The running costs of an electric boiler vary, and are usually dependent on each property’s level of insulation, as well as their electricity tariff and preferred temperature settings. Although, there are some evident advantages to owning an electric boiler, they’re more expensive to run than those that operate with gas. 

Due to being a cost-effective fuel, gas has proven to be a popular choice for home heating systems. However, as gas is a fossil fuel, when it’s burnt, it releases carbon emissions into the atmosphere. Therefore, to combat the detrimental impact of gas on the environment, you can turn to an electric heating system, and lower your carbon footprint.       

Electric boilers are a viable alternative for households that aren’t connected to the grid, or for smaller homes that have a low demand for heating and hot water. On the other hand, electric boilers aren’t as suitable for larger homes, as they struggle to meet the needs for heating and hot water. In this instance, gas boilers remain the more reliable option.  

If you already have solar panels on the roof of your home, then an electric boiler could be a useful addition to your home heating system. Making this transition could lead to lower energy bills as you’re using electricity that’s been generated by your solar panels, which takes advantage of a free source of energy, directly from the sun. Also, electric boilers tend to be extremely efficient, meaning that less energy is wasted in the process of heating your home. In comparison to gas, oil and LPG boilers, which burn fossil fuels, electric boilers don’t produce any carbon emissions.  

One of the main reasons why homeowners might opt to install a gas boiler over an electric one, is the difference in running costs. The running costs of electric boilers are considerably higher than gas boilers.  

Electric boilers come with the benefit of not burning fossil fuels to generate heat. However, quite often, the electricity used to power the boiler itself, comes from fossil fuels. Additionally, if you have a larger home with multiple bathrooms, then gas boilers are probably a better choice. This is because electric boilers usually struggle to produce enough hot water for multiple taps, without losing pressure.