Storage heater advice and economy 7 heating

rrwfotr

Hi I've moved into a new house a month or so ago and switched to Nopwer dual fuel. I noticed that we had ecomony 7 electric meter and as I work from home usally during the week, and use a laptop and braodband during the day I though it best that I switch to a standard tarrif. However now I have been using the central heating system for the last month I wondering if it was a good move? Are storage heaters expensive to run??

I would like some advice from people who have used these systems before, basically the central heating is gas but I think the hot water is based on a elctric heating / stroage system that stores the hot water in a bolier tank.

What I would like advice on would be, should I swich back to economy 7, will it coast me alot more to heat hot water on a normal tarrif. I work from home so would i be best ok not using economy 7 heating? Any adice would be welcomed.

During the day I use a laptop and modem router with the TV on usally so not sure how much electric that takes up?
Thanks.

penrhyn

It might be worth fitting a timer and running the immersion over night to take advantage of the cheap rate,as can dishwashers and washing machines. Make sure your tank is well lagged.
Is there no heating coil in the HW tank from the central heating?

rrwfotr

The system has a timer etc, so would it be best I switch back to economy 7, is using the storage heating system quite heavy on the elctric on a nomal electric tarrif?

penrhyn

These are sample rates from Equipower, what you pay may be different but they give a useful comparison:

Standard Day Rate: 9.36p/kwh

Economy 7

Day units 10.97p/kwh
Night Units 3.73p/kwh

Take a meter reading and run the water heater for a few hours then take another reading you can easily work out what its costing you to run.

2nd reading- 1st reading = units in kw/h * rate = Cost in pence.