Cost guide
How much do immersion heaters cost?
An element replaced is £150 to £300 including the part. A thermostat alone is £80 to £150, which is why it is worth testing first. A new immersion where none exists, including the circuit, is £350 to £700.
Typical prices
Ranges, not quotes. A quote depends on your room.
| Work | Typical UK price |
|---|---|
| Immersion element replaced | £150 to £300 |
| Immersion thermostat replaced | £80 to £150 |
| Immersion switch or timer replaced | £90 to £180 |
| New immersion circuit from the board | £200 to £450 |
| Full immersion installation where none exists | £350 to £700 |
| Twin element cylinder, both replaced | £280 to £500 |
In a hard water area, ask for an Incoloy element rather than the copper one that comes as standard. It costs a little more and it is the difference between replacing it every four years and every ten.
What moves the price
- Whether the fault is the element, the thermostat or the supply, which is what the first half hour establishes.
- How seized the element is, and whether the cylinder survives its removal.
- Vented or unvented cylinder, which changes the isolation procedure and the qualification needed.
- Access to the cylinder. An airing cupboard packed to the ceiling adds time somebody pays for.
- Whether the circuit, the switch or the timer also need replacing.
- Element length and type, and whether an Incoloy element is specified for hard water.
Who quotes for it
Questions about immersion heaters
How long should an element last?
Five to fifteen years, and hard water shortens it considerably because scale builds on the element and cooks it. In a hard water area an element is a consumable rather than a fitting.
Is my immersion expensive to run?
On a day rate, yes: it is direct electric heating with no efficiency gain anywhere. On an off peak overnight rate it is reasonable, which is the whole reason for the timer and the lower element.