We are all conscious of our energy consumption and with the rising cost of power, the running costs of an electric in-floor heating system is a popular question when it comes to deciding whether to install one in your home. We chat with the experts at Comfort Heat to learn how to calculate your running costs and why it may be cheaper than you think
Working out the running costs of an electric in-floor heating system is a simple calculation that consists of:
- The heat load of your heated floor, measured in watts
- The price that you pay for electricity
How to work out the heat load for your electric in-floor heating system
The heat load of your floor is noted on all documentation from Comfort Heat. The load is measured in watts and for a typical bathroom will range from around 500 watts to 1200 watts.
If you’re a Comfort Heat customer and unsure of the heat load of your heated area, you can call their office (02 9133 8124) or calculate an estimate based on 175 watts per m2.
How to break down the price you pay for electricity
Finding the price you pay for electricity is on the back of your electricity bill. The unit of measure for your bill is listed in kilowatt hours. If kilowatt hours means nothing to you then then think of it like this.
If your electricity pricing schedule is a flat rate, (Option 1), then to run your 1000 watt vacuum cleaner for 1 hour will cost you 26 cents. If you are on a time of use pricing schedule, (Option 2), then to vacuum for one hour during peak times will cost you 52 cents, off peak time 13 cents and shoulder times 22cents.
There are a few options when it comes to pricing.
Option 1 : One flat rate usually around 26 cents per kWh (kilowatt hour)
Option 2 : Time of Use rates as seen below;
Peak times – 52 cents /kWh [2pm-8pm Monday – Friday]
Off peak – 13 cents /kWh [10pm-7am Monday – Sunday]
Shoulder – 22 cents /kWh [All other times]
How to calculate the cost of your electric heating
Comfort Heat’s formula for calculating the cost of your electric in-floor heating system is:
[watts ÷ 1000] x [price you pay for electricity] x 0.65 = cost to heat your floor per hour
Although only an estimate, it converts the wattage of your floor into kilowatts (the measurement your bill uses), multiplies this by the price of your electricity, and then multiplies this by 0.65 – as Comfort Heat estimates that your floor will be on 65% of the time after hitting its ideal temperature. Keeping doors closed and the heat within a room can lower this number further.
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