font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica">quote:<hr height="1" noshade>Originally posted by nickjohn
font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica">quote:<hr height="1" noshade>Originally posted by winter_blues
I had a look at GreendealGB and they advertise no credit checks but its along term commitment hat isn't getting about able press. Look into it carefully.
I looked into solar panels before and would like a new boiler but need to research this further ...
A friend of mine installs solar panels, the photovoltaic ones. He feels that the quality of the systems fitted is not strong and that there are some systems out there that will struggle to work for 12 - 15 years let alone 25 so any investment may not be that good long term. I also know someone who was "persuaded" to install water solar panels and he gets enough hot water for one shower a day so is not impressed..
If the government keep investing in wind turbines and the like the best form of heating will be to use electric boilers in place of gas ones. We have installed a few and they are a lot simpler than traditional gas ones and when viewed over a 10 year period work out quite competitive..
You are right about solar panels and wind turbines - all rubbish at current prices.
Be wary of electric boilers as well. I do some work with the Building Research Establishment, and last I heard was that electric heating - in whatever guise, is (and always has been) extremely expensive.
Simple rule of physics: The amount of energy required to heat your home is the same whether it is supplied by gas or electric.
So with the best gas prices coming in at just under 4p per kWh, and the best single tariff electric prices at around 12p per kWh, swap a gas boiler for an electric one, and your heating costs nearly treble. Even if you said the new electric boiler was near-enough 100% efficient (which it is not) vs your old outgoing gas boiler at say, 50% - the electric cost is still twice the price.
It explains why our monthly gas and electric bill for a 3-Bed semi, is near-enough the same amount as our all-electric one-bed flat.
Just my opinion though.
My opinions are just that: Based on my experience and being a self-employed IVA customer.