Am renting a place, and find that having a heated water tank a complete waste of electricity and space. I'd like to ask the landlord to get rid of it and replace it with an instant system. I'd then like to use that space for a dishwasher.
So, just wondering on a general costage, what sort of systems there are, and so forth ..
Thanks
I guess a bit of extra information probably would be useful.
I'm in a modern one bed flat, and it's all electric. I only use the hot water for an occasional bath, washing plates and hand basin. I already have an electric shower, so there's not a lot of demand for hot water.
On Sat, 18 Nov 2006 11:33:18 -0000 someone who may be "elyob" wrote this:-
Electric instant water heaters are available, though they deliver water slowly. The largest sort one will see in a house are just about acceptable for filling a kitchen sink. Forget about using one to fill a bath.
Otherwise you will need to go for gas. That means finding space for a boiler, or multipoint heater. These are as large as some hot water cylinders.
Ask your landlord to spend a bundle unnecesarily, plus make it unrentable to whoever comes after you? Ha ha.
NT
Unrentable? Are they that bad then?
Electric ones are, yes. In an all electric house, immersion heaters are the only way to go.
tim
On Sat, 18 Nov 2006 13:07:09 +0000 someone who may be David Hansen wrote this:-
Forgot to add, the landlord will also gain some extra responsibilities with gas and so may not be keen.
Are what that bad? Youre proposing to have no hot water supply. (An electric instant water heating is far from a hot water supply)
NT
I was investigating an electric alternative to an immersion heater, I wasn't proposing no hot water supply.
However, if an electric alternative is not as good, then it's not an option.
On Sat, 18 Nov 2006 15:03:45 -0000 someone who may be "elyob" wrote this:-
Consider the flow rate from your electric shower. What wattage is it?
Then consider what rate of water a 9.5kW instant heater will produce
water heater.
Filling a bath took 20 minutes. 9kw is going to take an hour.
The higher rated devices may not be fitted into UK domestic property as they require a 3-phase supply.
tim
On Sat, 18 Nov 2006 16:27:36 -0000 someone who may be "tim\(yet another new home\)" wrote this:-
The wiring to it must have been very sound.
I once lived in a house where an ancient gas geyser filled a bath in a similar timescale. It wasn't fun, especially in winter when the bath was cooling almost as rapidly as the water warmed it up.
I suppose the OP could as the landlord to replace the bath with an upright one, which would speed things up somewhat.
The landlord would love that.
I think the bottom line is that in an all-electric flat an immersion heater in a well insulated cylinder is a reasonable option. I assume that the cylinder concerned is properly sized, properly insulated and operated on an off-peak tariff which charges it fully. For someone living alone such an arrangement should provide more than adequate hot water without topping up at peak rate, at a reasonable cost. If it does need topping up often then it is either not properly designed/installed or is not being used properly.
Whether your landlord decides to upgrade the HW system in your home is beyond your control. You can ask of course, you can offer to pay more rent when the job's done, and you can be as helpful as possible whilst the work is being done.
Even if your Landlord is minded to do the work (to improve the capital value and rental attractiveness.) it may still be prohibitively expensive.
I assume you don't mean to replace the HW cylinder with a number of instant electric HW heaters that would be a step backwards in most people's view.
I assume you mean you want a gas or oil fired combi boiler. I assume that the current space heating is probably electic night storage heaters.
So you are looking as
1) A gas supply - several hundred quid if it's possible. 2) Replace the storage heaters with a wet CH system and combi boiler say £3000. The work is not normally done whilst a tenancy is in progress.Next time you look over a flat to rent : _check it out first_.
Even in the current buyer's market (in most areas), when renting it is still necessary to compromise as the potential supply is much smaller than as a buyer. I doubt that the method of water heating comes high on anyone's lists of must haves.
tim
Renting always means compromise, unless you've got deep pockets.
NT
20 minutes? A time unit also known as "almost as long as a combi"
No wonder the continentals smell like they do
Why should you landlord even consider it? what advantage is it to him?
I suggest you try turning off the immersion heater when it is not required. When I had an immersion heater in my one bed flat, turning on the immersion for 15 minutes in the morning created enough hot water for shaving and washing plates, hands etc. For an occasional bath just remember to turn it on in advance.
And some not so large at all. A Main Multi-point is what he needs if gas is available. Cheap and small enough.
There are duel element immersion heaters, both in one unit. A long one for baths and a short one for sinks. It is just a case of screwing one in and one out (assuming a top mounted job), and some switching gear to switch from one to the other.
Pistols at dawn or swords?
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