Electric heating options

millie1986

Hi,
I've just bought my first property, a 1 bedroom flat, and am considering heating options. I can't have gas or oil, and at present there are storage heaters. The one in the lounge is fairly new and I've been told is fairly efficient, but the one in the bedroom is older. Am I likely to be best keeping them or is there another type of heating I should consider? I have seen electric panel heaters that claim to be energy efficient - should I consider replacing the older heater with one of those? How do running costs compare? Any advice would be much appreciated - my family home has oil heating and I have no experience with electric.
Thanks

[Deleted User]

Storage heaters on an E7 tariff are the cheapest form of electric heating.
All electric heaters convert 100% of electricity into heat.
There are no magic electrical heaters out there, it is all sales rubbish. A £2000 heater is just as good as a £30 one from Argos.
Also panel heaters would not use E7 tariff but full price electricity so are more expensive to run.
Stick with what you have.

Graham1

You should expect it to be significantly more expensive than oil central heating for the same size of property, but with just one bedroom and two heaters it ought not to be terrible. The majority of your consumption will probably be at the night rate so you need to make sure you are on a tariff with a reasonably low cost per unit at night. Try measuring your consumption for day and night units over a few days so you have some estimated consumption figure to put into a comparison site. Some low cost per unit tariffs have a higher fixed charge so you need to know your consumption to choose the best tariff. And of course by Jan/Feb you will be using even more electricity so now is the time to make sure you will not be over paying.

Richie-from-the-Boro

Welcome to the real world. ALL electric heating is equally efficient. One kW is one kW.

electric panel heaters that claim to be energy efficient

Claim is just that, a claim - not a fact. A £20 panel from LidL is as efficient as any £500 panel filled with snake oil or built with Paul Daniels magic aluminium or even your grannies one bar electric fire.

Look storage radiators on E7 are the cheapest form of electric heating. A thermostatic controlled panel with a timer is an alternative for a bedroom. Choose a 2-3kW, set it for 2 1/2 hour periods, to come on 30 mind before bed and 30 mins before getting up.

Set your living area 'damper closed' and as high as you need to be comfortable. Your bedroom can be an on-demand timed panel heater - only on when needed. Best of luck.

Cardew

millie1986 wrote: »

I have seen electric panel heaters that claim to be energy efficient -

As they are 100% efficient, that is a claim that can be substantiated!


Efficiency is defined by how the heater converts electricity into heat.



So just to ram home the points made above, all other electrical heaters are 100% efficient from a £8 fan heater or £20 oil filled radiator. Also your older storage heater in the bedroom will still be 100% efficient.