Running Costs

There are two stages to heating a property, the first is 'lifting' the temperature and the second is 'maintaining' the temperature - the costs for each stage differ considerably.

Lifting the temperature to the required comfort setting will require the heater to run on full power; the cost for this can be calculated very easily:-

Kw rating of electric heater multiplied by the Kwh cost which can be found on your electricity bill.
e.g. 2.3Kw heater x Kwh of 9p = 20.7p to run on full for 1 hour.

1 Kw (kilowatt) = 1000w
Kwh (kilowatt hour) = cost to run a 1Kw electric heater for 1 hour.

When the temperature reaches the required setting, it then needs to be maintained; this is much harder to calculate as it depends on the 'total heat loss' of your property and the outside temperature.
Total heat loss is the combination of heat lost through surfaces (walls, windows, floor and ceiling) and heat escaping through ventilation.

The heat lost through walls is calculated by using the U-values of materials used in the construction of the building. 'U-values' are the amount of heat lost through 1 sqm of material when the outside temperature is 1 degree lower than the inside temperature. Therefore a room with a u-value of 75 would lose 75w of heat for every 1 degree difference in internal and external temperature.

A multiplication is then made to allow for the heat which escapes from the room through ventilation. This figure is very hard to calculate as it includes air escaping through badly fitted doors and windows - as a guide we would suggest adding 33%.

The result would be a total heat loss of 75w x 1.33 = 99.75w for every 1 degree difference in the required internal and external temperatures.

Therefore an outside temperature of 16 degrees and an internal temperature of 21 degrees gives a difference of 5 degrees and the heat required will be 5 x Total Heat Loss.
5 x 99.75w = 498.75w Heat Required - for ease in calculating the running cost we will round this figure up to 500w or 0.5Kw.

To calculate this running cost, the Kw required should be multiplied by the Kwh cost.
i.e. 0.5Kw x Kwh of 9p = 4.5p to run for 1 hour.

Controlling the electric radiators to come on only in the rooms and at the times you need will substantially increase your savings - the Ducasa Digital Programmer allows 24hr/7day control with comfort, economy and frost protection.

Unlike traditional central heating the Ducasa electric radiators can be controlled independently which means bedrooms can be left unheated during the day.

Lifetime running costs of the Ducasa electric radiator are favourable compared to traditional gas or oil central heating when you consider the installation and servicing costs. Installation is not only quick (less than a day), which saves money, but is also less obtrusive than fitting pipes.

A typical gas central heating system can cost £4,400 to install compared to around £2,600 for Ducasa electric radiators - PLUS Ducasa electric radiators do not need annual servicing which can save you another £1,500 over the lifetime of a typical gas or oil boiler.

Careful choice of your electricity tariff will result in further economic savings - read about the tariffs