Moving from Storage Heaters to Electric

Tudor85uk

Hi all,

We are currently in an all electric house with no access to Gas. We currently have DuoHeat storage heaters in the house. We are looking for something more efficient and modern.

We first looked at the option of upgrading the storage heaters but then came across Electric heaters that have internal plates that get heated and store the heat, so in theory the heater would operate for 10-15 mins in the hour to heat the plates, then the plates release the heat, with the heater topping up as required to match the temperature requested on the thermostat.

Has anyone had any experience with these types of heaters, we looked at Fischer which was out of our price range and currently looking at Aeroflow radiators that work in the same fashion.

Just wondering if anyone made the leap from storage heaters to these electric heaters with a storage element and what there thoughts are.

Thanks

Ebe_Scrooge

I've not come across these heaters you describe, but it sounds as though they're some sort of "hybrid" - essentially a standard electric heater with a small amount of storage capacity ? If so, I don't really see what advantage they offer.


All electric heaters are 100% efficient - a 1KW heater consumes 1KW of electricity, whether it's a £10 cheapy from Argos or a £1000 fancy German brand. The only difference is in how they give out the heat - for instance, a fan heater will give heat immediately and stop giving heat as soon as it's switched off. An oil-filled rad will take a while to warm up, but continue to give heat for a while after it's switched off. But in terms of running costs, there is absolutely no difference at all.


If you're stuck with having only electric heating, then the only way you can save money is to make use of cheaper off-peak rates - which generally means storage heating. Oh, and of course make sure your house is as well-insulated as possible.

jk0

They're a con. Don't be taken in.

Tom99

The heaters are very expensive and you will go from using the E7 rate to the day rate which will probably be at least twice as much per Kwhr.

Tudor85uk

This is one worry, the investment into the heaters and the actual savings that could be made.

Does anyone with storage heaters have any recommendations for what’s best to upgrade to? We want some control over what heat is given out and when, Dimplex Quantum had a temperature control but unsure as I read it has a fan, don’t want noise from heaters

Thanks

jk0

Duoheat are about the best you'll find without a fan. Though two out of three of mine have required expensive modules replacing (£100+) in the nine years I've had them. Quantum are even more complicated, so likely to need expensive parts.

Your most 'economical' storage heater therefore is likely to be one without any electronics in it. My basic ones are over 30 years old and have only required a couple of thermostats that were around £30.

matelodave

Anything that uses leccy on demand - like panel heaters, radiators, halogen or fan heater etc will cost you whatever you pay for peak rate energy.

Storage heaters use cheap rate electricity and will cost you between one half and two thirds less than peak rate (have a look at your energy bill to check your tariff and the cost)

The only way you'll save money with an electric radiator of any description is by not turning it on

As said above, electric heating is 100% efficient, so if you need 2kwh to heat your room then it will use 2kwh from whatever heating source you give it whether it's filled with metal plates, magic dust, ground gold, ceramic or even some recently discovered exotic fluid.

So your option is to pay 7p a kwh overnight and store it for use during the day or pay14-15p a kwh (or more) and use it when you want it.

If you decide to fit radiators or panel heaters of some description then a £20 one from Argos with a thermostat will keep you just as warm and cost you the same amount to run as a £500-£750 from Fischer or some other so called Eco heater.

Dont be fooled by the description digital either, the only benefit is that the room temperature control might be a bit more accurate say +/- half a degree instead of 2-3 degrees but you pay a lot more for the dubious benefit

Have a look here, there are pages of them and they'll all use the same amount of energy and cost the same amount to run when delivering the same amount of heat
http://www.argos.co.uk/browse/home-and-garden/heating-and-cooling/heaters-and-radiators/c:29444/