Running Cost Estimates
One of the most common questions we get about electric floor heating, is how much does it cost tor run?
The factors determining running costs of any systems are:
- External Temperature
- Desired internal temperature
- Insulation levels / heat-loss
- Length of time the heating is to be on.
- Using on-demand or off peak electricity
Whilst here in Australia , insulation levels may not be as good as many European countries, this is compensated for by the fact that the external winter temperatures here are in most cases, considerably higher.
This coupled with the relatively short heating season in most states & the fact that electric floor heating usually operates at high efficiency levels, means that this type of heating will be an economical option in most cases.
Heat output
The typical heat loading over an average installation is around 120watts per square metre of floor area in main living areas & up to 200w/sqm in bathrooms. The typical winter heat losses from the building would be less than half of this figure, but the overload factor is built in to provide a faster warm-up time when a 'heating boost' is required or if the temperature drops suddenly.
Advanced control
The advanced digital thermostat we use in most installations measures the temperature in regular 20 second cycles & then delivers just the right amount of power during the next cycle in order to maintain a constant temperature. This avoids the 'peaks & troughs' associated with many other forms of heating. Depending on the heat loss, our controller can deliver between 0% & 100% of the maximum output of the system during a cycle (signified by bar indicators on the digital display) Whilst every property is different & the requirements of each state differ, an average power consumption of 35% of the maximum output has been used for calculation purposes.
Therefore taking 120 watts per sqm, running 35% of each hour the heating is switched on, the consumption would be approx 42 watts per sqm per hour.
At a typical price of 13 cents per kwh, the cost would equate to approx 0.5 cents per per sqm per hour on average with the maximum possible cost being approx 1.5 cents per sqm per hour during the initial warm-up phase. Or to put it another way, the consumption would equate to small 40w light bulbs placed in rows 1 metre apart throughout the home.
Example
So for a 150sqm building heated for a 3 month winter (90 days x 8 hours per day = 720 hours) x 42 watts per sqm per hour - the annual consumption would be 150 sqm x 720 hours x 42 watts = approx 3024 kwh. If the price of a kwh is for example 13 cents then the cost would be $0.13 x 3024 = approx $393 per year!
Note the figures given above are for demonstration purposes, but in our opinion are representative of the typical cost of heating an average sized home in WA, NSW, VIC, SA.
The following tables has been taken from the WA sustainable development office & estimates based on a 60sqm area in WA the annual running costs for an 'on-demand' electric floor heating system would be between $140-$160 whilst for the 150sqm area the cost increases to $350 - $390
The off-peak costs however are much lower at $75 for a 60sqm area & $175 per year based on 150sqm
Whilst these figures may be slightly higher than some of the other forms of heating, the decision about heating systems should not base on running costs alone.
Underfloor heating requires no servicing or maintenance & is controlled digitally by electronic thermostats with timers. Underfloor heating is also considered by many experts to be the most ideal form of heating available for the human body!
Approximate Annual Running Costs - 60sqm area
Approximate Annual Running Costs - 150sqm area
Technical
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Central heater figures based on heating an area of 150 m2 in a typical insulated house for a Perth heating season (with a heating requirement of 2250 kWh/year). |
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Space heater figures based on heating an area of 60 m2 in a typical insulated house for a Perth heating season (with a heating requirement of 900 kWh/year). |
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Portable heater figures based on heating an area of 30 m2 in a typical insulated house for a Perth heating season (with a heating requirement of 450 kWh/year). |
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The Coefficient of Performance (COP) for reverse cycle air conditioners ranges from 2.07 to 3.15 and is derived from the Government's Energy Rating website. For ducted reverse cycle air conditioners, an additional allowance has been made for duct losses. |
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Ducted gas heaters operate with an efficiency of 51% to 87%, which is derived from the Australian Gas Association's January 2001 'Directory of Certified Gas Appliances and Components'. An additional allowance has been made for duct losses and electricity use (eg fan use). |
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Flued gas heaters operate with an efficiency of 60% to 88%, which is derived from the Australian Gas Association's January 2001 'Directory of Certified Gas Appliances and Components'. An additional allowance has been made for electricity use (eg fan use). |
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In floor electric and Radiant panel electric heaters operate with an efficiency of 80% to 90% due to heat losses through the floor (in floor electric) and ceiling and walls (Radiant panel electric). |
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Open fireplaces operate at an efficiency of 10% to 15%, with the majority of heat lost up the chimney. |
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Slow combustion wood heaters operate at an efficiency of 65% to 75%. |
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Portable electric heaters operate at an efficiency of 100%. |
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Portable gas heaters operate at an efficiency of 82%. This includes an allowance for increased ventilation requirements and electricity use (eg fan use). |
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Portable kerosene heaters operate at an efficiency of 75%. This includes an allowance for increased ventilation requirements. |
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Our products can be found at the following displays:
Sydney Floor Heating
Showroom (by appointment only)
Unit 2, 29 Leighton Place
Hornsby
NSW 2007
Tel 02 9456 3214
Fax 02 9456 0303
Email Us
Home Ideas Centre
61 - 63 O'Riordan Street
Alexandria
NSW 2015
Tel (02) 9304 4900
www.homeideas.com.au
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