There are electric air-to-water heat pumps, but whether you can use them
will depend on the kind of radiators you already have installed. We have
fin-tube radiators in our 1950 house, which require a higher temperature
water than the air-to-water heat pumps can produce, so we ended up with a
new gas boiler. Our existing boiler was kaput and we are into the cold
weather, and our house is brick which complicates adding additional
exterior insulation, and we need new windows too to make it all work, or I
would have more seriously considered a Passivhaus retrofit.
Where are you Chris? I have some Passive House colleagues in Ireland who
might be able to hook you up with a local person. Actually, try contacting
these folks: http://passivehouseacademy.com Ask for Tomas or Bob.
Rob in Seattle
On Thu, Nov 29, 2012 at 9:45 PM, Chris Barker <ftog@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> Thanks, Ken, but electricity is not a great source of energy in the UK.
> It's expensive (I use a wind-power source) and I have not heard of an
> electric boiler. I pay 14p per Kwh during the day, 7p at night
> (0000-0700). If I don't go with the heat pump, I'll be considering
> connecting to gas.
>
> Chris
>
> On 29 Nov 2012, at 22:01, Ken Norton <ken@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>
> >> From what you are describing of your furnace situation, I'd be looking
> > very seriously at an all-electric solution. Until I experienced it in
> > our condo (our complex was 100% electric with no gas), I would have
> > never considered it.
> >
> > It's also a little more guilt-free since here in Iowa almost 25% of
> > our power comes from wind.
>
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