The gas boiler ban: What it means for Manchester homes and the options available

The Electric Heating Company is here to help you make the switch from gas boilers, which are likely to be banned in new builds in the future

Nicola Roy

By Nicola Roy

If you're currently feeling lost about how you can reduce your carbon footprint, you're not alone.

With government regulations changing all the time, it can be unclear exactly what we need to do and when, especially when it comes to issues in the home like heating and energy saving.

A gas boiler ban for new builds is set to come into place within the coming years, so there's never been a better time to learn about the alternative options for heating your home.

Even if the ban won't affect you at the moment, there's no doubt that the future of heating is low-carbon, so why not be prepared and learn the facts now?

The Electric Heating Company is one of the leading providers of electric heating and hot water products in the UK since 2005.

With expert advice and excellent service always a priority, the company provides a wide range of products that are convenient to install and easy to use.

So, if you're planning on moving into a new build within the next few years, or you just want to learn more about greener heating systems, here's what you need to know about the alternatives to gas heating.

Why are gas boilers being banned?

Electric boilers such as the Slim Jim could soon replace gas boilers in new builds 

The UK government has the ultimate goal of reaching net zero carbon emissions by 2050.

Broadly speaking, the gas boiler ban is a way of trying to tackle climate change by eliminating the fossil fuels that are released into the air when we use gas.

At the moment, around 14% of the total emissions produced in the UK come from gas boilers in the home.

The ban was originally to come into place by 2025, however it now looks like a few more years will be added on to give low-carbon heating options the chance to continue to develop.

It's also important to note that only new build homes will be banned from having gas boilers installed.

However, making the switch to electric heating is one of the best ways to reduce your carbon footprint, and could be easier and more convenient than you think.

The benefits of electric

Electric radiators are compact and virtually noise-free 

Aside from the environmentally friendly attraction of electric heating, there are so many more ways that make them more convenient than gas.

Stephen Birds, owner of Manchester-based company Steve Birds Electrical, has been working with The Electric Heating Company and using its products for the past nine years.

In this time, he's installed electric heating systems in many old houses that never had a gas system, since they belonged to miners back in the 1930s and 40s and therefore used coal instead.

He said: "They didn't need to use gas, so those are the prime candidates, and new apartment blocks that are being built too. The replacement of an existing gas boiler is quite common.

"For old converted houses, it's easier to run cables than it is to run pipework."

Since electric boilers don't have a flue, they can be installed nearly anywhere in the home - in a cupboard or under the stairs for example - and don't need to be fitted to an external wall like gas boilers do.

They contain much fewer components too, therefore less maintenance is required and they are virtually noise-free.

In addition, they are around 99% efficient and can regulate temperatures around the home much easier than gas boilers, which are rarely over 93% efficient.

However, installing electric heating is just one of many ways new homes can adapt when the ban on gas boilers comes into place.

What's the alternative?

Although electric heating remains the cheapest to install, air source heat pumps are also becoming more and more popular in UK homes.

These work by absorbing air from the outside, which is then compressed and turned into a fluid, to heat up your home and water supply.

They generally deliver heat at lower temperatures over much longer periods of time, meaning that although they are efficient, it's likely that the insulation in your home will need to be improved - especially as we're coming into winter.

And, there's the chance that you'll need planning permission before it's installed.

For the quickest and easiest way to go green, electric heating is the best option.

Electric heating: Know the facts

Electric heating produces zero emissions, making it completely environmentally friendly, since we don't need to rely on fossil fuels or connect to the gas mains.

Gas is a non-renewable resource, meaning it'll eventually run out and we'll have to use alternative sources of energy to heat our homes - such as electricity.

As such, government targets for making homes more energy-efficient are soon set to be written in law, to ensure that goals are more likely to be stuck to.

It's predicted that in the coming years, gas boilers will no longer be installed in new build homes, as part of the government's efforts to reach net zero carbon emissions by 2050.

A huge 85% of the UK's population currently rely on a gas boiler to heat their home, and in turn, this accounts for 14% of the carbon emissions produced by the UK.

Although the government targets are subject to change, the time to act is now.

Find out how you can switch to electric heating in your home and help the UK along its journey to being net zero by visiting The Electric Heating Company's website.