Electric Radiator Running Costs and Energy Usage | Electrorad

Electric Radiator Running Costs And Energy Use

‘What is the running cost of your radiators’ and ‘ how do the running costs compare with X Company electric radiators’ are regularly asked questions.

The correct answer is “ The running costs depend on a number of factors” and “The running costs will be the same as X company electric radiators “ The factors affecting running costs are:  the electricity tariff at the property, the thermostat setting, the nature of usage ( on/off or continuous ) and the heat loss of the rooms and the property.

All electric resistance elements are 100% efficient at turning fuel input into heat output, therefore all electric radiators from all manufacturers have the same efficiency and the same running cost. The quality of the thermostat and timing controls can have an effect by ensuring only the heat wanted is produced at the times wanted. Our products have PI electronic thermostats  ( The most accurate available ) with an accuracy of +/- 0.2 deg C.

Let’s assume the average current electricity cost per kwh ( per unit ) of 12p. This means that a 1kw radiator would cost 12p per hour to run if heating at full power for the hour. The next bit is where it gets a bit tricky to calculate. If the thermostat is set to 20 deg C for example, once the room reaches 20 degrees C the thermostat will turn the power off to the radiator. From this point onwards, the thermostat will ensure that the only heat emitted is enough heat to counteract the heat loss of the room and therefore keep the room at a constant 20 deg C. For example, if the room has a heat loss of 200 watts per hour, the 1kw radiator will only produce 200 watts of heat in that hour. That would mean only being on intermittently for a total of 12 minutes in each hour.