Need Help! Running Storage Heaters on Standard Tarrif??

thistledome

Hello
I hope one (or more) of the knowledgeable posters can help me.

My 82 yr old Mother has turned all her heating off due to her electric company telling her she's using too much electric, and now September's here she's getting cold.

She has storage heaters in her flat, and used to be on Economy 7. About 5ish years ago (can't remember exactly, but it's a few years) she moved to Staywarm and so paid a fixed amount per month for electricity.

Now she is with Eon and they phoned in July and told her she's using too much electric. Is this because she's running her storage heaters at a standard tarriff rate or what? It's definitely the heaters using all the electric because we looked at the meter when they're on and when they're off to compare.

Sorry if this sounds a bit daft or confusing but it's because we're daft and confused! Is there a cheaper way to run these heaters? She can't have gas in her block, it's not allowed.

Thanks for reading.

Cardew

All forms of electrical heating* give out exactly the same amount of heat for the electricty used.

The only reason for having storage heating is that they are designed to use cheap electricity available at night on economy 7.

So using storage heaters on a standard tariff gives you the very worst of both worlds.

Your alternatives are to go back on Economy 7 with storage heaters, or throw away the storage heaters and use £20 fan heaters when warmth is required.

*excluding heat pumps.

thistledome

Thank you. Funny, I was just reading some of your old posts on other threads and returned to find your reply here. I was considering persuading her to buy a new electric central heating system with posh new radiators until I read your posts.

albyota

thistledome, as it getting colder, you need to resolve this with the energy supplier, the tariff should be E7 (two rate meter) and the storage heaters need to be set up properly, medium input, minimum output, for this time of year. As it gets colder this should be adjusted to med/max input, medium output, the settings may differ from this though, trial & error may be the route, is the property well insulated/ double glazed? good luck.

amtrakuk

thistledome wrote: »

Thank you. Funny, I was just reading some of your old posts on other threads and returned to find your reply here. I was considering persuading her to buy a new electric central heating system with posh new radiators until I read your posts.

Although expensive designer radiator companies say theirs is more efficient etc this is wrong. ALL heating is as efficient as each other. If you are going down the electric radiator road. I would goto Argos and look for 415/9201. They are £45.00 and look like regular radiators, wall mounting or free standing. I have replaced an older glen oil filled radiator with one of these and am very impressed.

Why spend £1000s when £45 will doe exactly the same?