Night Storage Heating - can someone explain

emilydaniels65

Dear all,

My partner and i are looking to buy flats at the moment, and for what we can afford everyone seems to have these night storage heaters. In fact the one we are most interested in is a 70's built 2 bedroom flat with big old bulky storage heaters.

Can someone please explain, whether it is possible to replace these with modern night storage heaters that may be cheaper and would look nicer? Also what are the other options? (There is no gas in the building?) In doing this what sort of questions would we need to ask when buying?

The flat probably wouldnt be getting much sun as its on the lower ground floor so i can imagine would be quite cold, but the price for the flat is very good so we could afford to change the heating systems for something better, if available. Also we both work 9-5 and ive heard night storage heating is not very good for this?

Thankyou for your help.

ED

macman

If no gas, then electric heating is your only other option, and will always be more expensive. Switching to a non-E7 tariff and using panel heaters on standard rate will be even more expensive. It's possible that you could replace your old bulky storage heaters for more modern ones, which are generally able to control the input and output more precisely-that way you are more likely to get enough heat to last through the evening.

ra200

I agree panel convector heaters are better macman what size is your home and how much do your panel heaters cost to run?

macman wrote: »

If no gas, then electric heating is your only other option, and will always be more expensive. Switching to a non-E7 tariff and using panel heaters on standard rate will be even more expensive. It's possible that you could replace your old bulky storage heaters for more modern ones, which are generally able to control the input and output more precisely-that way you are more likely to get enough heat to last through the evening.

ra200

I would go for dimplxs elx or plx panel heaters they ae very good there is a guide on their site on what size heaters you would need for your home http://www.dimplex.co.uk/products/domestic_heating/installed_heating/how_much_heat_do_I_need.htm

emilydaniels65 wrote: »

Dear all,

My partner and i are looking to buy flats at the moment, and for what we can afford everyone seems to have these night storage heaters. In fact the one we are most interested in is a 70's built 2 bedroom flat with big old bulky storage heaters.

Can someone please explain, whether it is possible to replace these with modern night storage heaters that may be cheaper and would look nicer? Also what are the other options? (There is no gas in the building?) In doing this what sort of questions would we need to ask when buying?

The flat probably wouldnt be getting much sun as its on the lower ground floor so i can imagine would be quite cold, but the price for the flat is very good so we could afford to change the heating systems for something better, if available. Also we both work 9-5 and ive heard night storage heating is not very good for this?

Thankyou for your help.

ED

PasturesNew

Yes you can get more modern ones.

How it works is: the electricity meter has "two meters". Between a certain time at night and a certain time the next morning (let's guess at 10pm to 6am) one meter is counting; the rest of the time the other meter is counting.

The night-time meter has a cheaper rate than the norm. During the hours of darkness a correctly set storage heater will will the bricks that are inside it with heat. Once the cheap meter turns off, the storage heater turns off it's heating and switches to letting that heat escape (which warms up your room).

During the daytime, however, anything you use will be at a higher rate than the norm.

If you're out all day then you'll come home to find the heaters are cold.

If you do change your heating, you need to look at getting the meter changed so you're just charged one rate 24/7.

If you keep things as they are and just ignore the storage heaters, then any electrical heating you turn on during the daytime rate will be costing you an arm and a leg.

fatbelly

No great problem to replace with modern ones.



The old ones will be very heavy and the temptation is to dismantle them where they stand - don't allow anyone to do this as they may contain asbestos.

HappyMJ

emilydaniels65 wrote: »

Dear all,

My partner and i are looking to buy flats at the moment, and for what we can afford everyone seems to have these night storage heaters. In fact the one we are most interested in is a 70's built 2 bedroom flat with big old bulky storage heaters.

Can someone please explain, whether it is possible to replace these with modern night storage heaters that may be cheaper and would look nicer? Also what are the other options? (There is no gas in the building?) In doing this what sort of questions would we need to ask when buying?

The flat probably wouldnt be getting much sun as its on the lower ground floor so i can imagine would be quite cold, but the price for the flat is very good so we could afford to change the heating systems for something better, if available. Also we both work 9-5 and ive heard night storage heating is not very good for this?

Thankyou for your help.

ED

Don't bother. As you are working 9-5 you'll have a warm flat during those hours it'll run out about 8pm then you'll have to use top up heating at full peak rate. Storage heating is fine for weekends or if you are home all day but it's pointless if you are at work. Just leave the current system in. Use convector heaters in the evening and use them sparingly which means it'll be colder than a flat heated with gas central heating...but....being a small flat it shouldn't cost too much depending on how warm you want it. Budget for about £150 per month for the coldest winter months and about £30 per month for summer. Average of £90 per month. That'll keep it really nice and warm.

maxmack1

I have a 3 bed semi heated by storage heating as therer is no gas in my village. You can switch to more modern neater units, and some electric companies also offer Economy 10 tarriff (EDF do), rather than e7. This gives you an additional boost of cheaper rate electric mid afternoon which ensures that the output lasts the evening. Ours are kept on a low input to keep the chill off and we use a real fire to boost when its really cold ( you could use the panel heaters reccommended above). I wasnt at all keen on the idea when we moved in, but actually its OK, although more expensive than gas.