Storage vs halogen heaters

Lindsay:-)

Hi,

I have just moved into a 1 bedroom bungalow which is freeeeezing, the only heating I have are 3 storage heaters which are on economy 7.
I have been trying not to use them as I have been told they are quite expensive to run but I am really cold and need some heat, a friend of mine has a halogen heater and says they are really good and efficient but I don't know which would be more economical to use.
The storage heaters I have are the big old browm ones.

Any advice on which would be best would be great, I'm a bit strapped for cash so don't want to use the storage heaters if they are going to be really expensive compared to something else.

Thanks,
Lindsay

Happy_frank

The storage heaters should be more economical as they use overnight electricity (about 1/3rd the price) to warm up. However they can be difficult to control and have a habit of running out of stored heat by early evening, so you may still need the halogen heater as well.
Unfortunatlly no electric heating in cheap (then again neither is gas heating now)

Princess_kate

I live in a flat with storage heaters, which i hav never used, was told they are almost impossable to control & goin by my neighbours when its freezing out & they all have their windows open lettin all the heat they just paid for out im guessin theyre right. Changed to a normal electric tarif from economy 7 as there was no point paying the extra service charge for cheap electric at night when i wasnt using it!! girl on the phone said it was the best thing i could have done!! I use oil heaaters now, just got a big 2500kw 1 from b& q for £45 with thermostat & timer which i hav in the lounge & got a smaller 1 in the bedroom & just run to the bathroom!! have a halogen heater fitted in there for getting out of the shower in the cold mornings tho!!
Kate :A

ManAtHome

The storage heaters can be good for background heating, topped up with halogen or fan heaters which are more directional. The storage heaters are cheaper if the weather forecast is correct (and you remember to adjust the settings) - pretty sure most of them let you regulate the input heat (warm the bricks up a little or a lot) and output (basically just a flap to let the heat out part or fully open).

Lantik

I had storage heaters in my house and had Transco pipe gas, and had a combi-boiler fitted and central heating rad fitted throughout... cost about £3,500 to complete (compared to £10k which British Gas quoted).

Storage heaters in houses are rubbish (for want of a better word). In flats they are more than adequate though.

Also if you go down the route of a combi-boiler you'll also lose your hot water tank and won't have to use expensive immersion heaters...

Hope this helps.