Night storage heating v convector heating - Help!

fsh78

Hi

I currently have night storage heating, I have never really worked out how to use it properly and one of the dials on the heater in lounge has now snapped off, the heaters are at least 15 years old. My question is do I replace the old heaters with new night storage heaters or as an electrician has advised, go for convector heating. I have no idea what to do and would really appreciate any replies.

Thanks!

Ada3050

Night storage heating is exactly what it says. It stores the heat over night to release it during the day. What make are they?
I have them, some of mine are twenty years old and still work ok. The way to use them is turn the output control to minimum before you go to bed, and open it back up when you get in from work. The input control is used to set the amount of heat stored, ie 1-3 in warmer weather and up to 6 when the colder weather is here.
I would then use the convector's to top up in the evening. These will give instant heat when the storage heaters start to run out.
Do a search will bring up some more answers, but used correctly they are a good form of heating.

Oldernotwiser

Night storage heaters are useless if you're out at work all day as all the stored heat has gone by the time you get in. I also hate the fact that they're on all night when you're in bed.

PasturesNew

I have one right here, it's ugly and scares me. I have no idea how to use it and would be petrified to turn it on. They're just scarey and ugly - and as ONW says, by the time you get in from work most of the heat's gone.

Ada3050

Well mine don't run out at night, and the slight heat leakage helps keep the damp away.
Storage heating is not for everyone, but if you know how to use them they are fine.

izools

Storage heating certainly hits the energy bill significantly less than Convector heating.

You have two controls - input and output.

Input controls how hot the bricks get before the element stops heating them. The bricks store heat.

Output controls a flap inside, the flap covers a slot into the sealed metal compartment that contains the heat storing bricks.

Input should be up to 5 or 6 in winter, and output should be opened (turned up) when you feel the chill, and put down to nil when you go to bed to make sure the heat doesn't run out from the bricks the following morning.

The Economy 7 meter will click on to heat up the bricks between 11PM and Midnight, then again between 1AM and 7AM.

The cost of electricity per unit is normally about 1/2 or 1/3 off peak as it is peak, so running a convector heater before 11PM could cause a significant increase in your electricity bill, potentially doubling it.


I'd say keep the storage heaters, use them as I've suggested above, and purchase a Panel heater (normally they are half a killowatt so cheaper to run on-peak) for top up

Katie-Kat-Kins

Keep the storage heaters, if you are electric they are the cheapest heat. But learn how they work. They are a bit ugly, but are not scary. They are safer than having a gas boiler or gas fire. They don't leak all their heat if used correctly.

Do check your tariff though, the times for E7 vary and some people are on E10 which gives an afternoon or evening boost, which means you get extra cheap heat later on when you need it most.