Electric water heater for 1 bed flat?
Electric water heater for 1 bed flat? For a one-bedroom flat, the best electric water heater is usually a compact 80-litre direct unvented electric hot water cylinder, provided the flat has suitable mains water pressure, enough space for the cylinder and a 240-volt, 1-phase electrical supply.
For a one-bedroom flat, the other option is an instant electric water heater; however, to achieve an adequate flow for a showerhead of around 7 litres per minute, you will need a 15kW instantaneous (tankless) water heater, which requires a 3-phase electrical supply to the flat. This limitation is the main reason people use a storage water heater, as they cannot be powered by a 1-phase, 240-volt supply, which is the common electrical supply in flats in the UK.
However, if you have a 3-phase power supply to your flat , and the amps available (you’ll need 21.7 amps on each of the 3-phase power supply), then please see this webpage – Electric instantaneous water heaters from 10kW to 36kW
80-litre electric storage water heater for a small (one-bedroom) flat
A direct unvented cylinder heats stored water using an electric immersion heater and supplies hot water at mains pressure. This makes it a great option for a small flat with a bathroom, kitchen sink and occasional shower or bath use. Because the water is stored, it can usually provide better hot water comfort than a small instantaneous electric water heater, especially where a bath or standard shower is required. An immersion heater is an electric water heater fitted inside a hot water cylinder, and the units come with a cylinder thermostat and insulation to avoid wasting energy.
For many one-bedroom flats, a smaller cylinder is usually more practical than a large whole-house system. The cylinder should be sized around the number of occupants, hot water outlets and usage pattern. If the cylinder is too small, the flat may run out of hot water; if it is too large, the system may waste energy heating water that is not used.
However for 99% of flats, an 80-litre direct hot water cylinder is usually suitable; these are detailed in full on this webpage – Direct unvented hot water cylinder from 80 to 500 litres
Where hot water demand is very low, such as a studio flat with only a basin and kitchen sink, a small undersink or point-of-use electric water heater may be enough. However, if the flat has a shower or bath, a properly sized electric unvented cylinder is normally the better all-round choice.
You can improve running costs by using a timer, effective cylinder insulation and, where suitable, an off-peak electricity tariff. Energy Saving Trust notes that some electric systems can use cheaper overnight electricity, and we advise making sure immersion heaters are on an Economy 7 heating tariff so as to use the cheaper night period rather than using an unnecessary daytime boost.
In simple terms, the best electric water heater for a one-bedroom flat is usually a small, well-insulated direct unvented electric cylinder with a timer, thermostat and correctly sized storage capacity.
