Storage heaters

mrsyardbroom

I'm fed up with lighting the mutlifuel stove every day. It's expensive to run and needs a lot of upkeep. I'm thinking of getting a storage heater to replace it but there are so many different types I feel a bit lost in an alien world of electricity. Can anybody recommend any storage heaters that are efficient and can deliver up to 4kw of heat? The heat needs to e controllable as I wouldn't need anything like that most of the time. Are they expensive to install? I would need a wiring circuit put in.

Gerry1

Presumably there's absolutely no way you can get mains gas? That would be your best bet.

Storage heaters are expensive to run so don't jump from the frying pan into the fire, it could be an expensive mistake.

If you do change, consider Dimplex Quantum because they're well insulated and don't waste so much heat overnight (and during the day if you're out).

Fuel Prices

Energy Cost Comparison

Richie-from-the-Boro

a brick is a brick [old post]

.1.

A brick is a brick :

- each brick will hold 1.48kWh of cheap heat and depending on insulation will release it over the next 17 hours
-
- each of the (up to 4) vertical 850W elements sits in the gap between 4 of these bricks

- each brick is 230x190x50 - if you divide the total amount of heat you want by 1.48 you know how much stored heat you need
-
- a NSH tin comes in 4 varieties up to a 16 bricker 16 x 1.48kW = 23.8kWh of stored heat
-
- equivalent to a 1.4kW heater permanently supply of 'cheap electrical background heat' 24 not 17 hours per day

If its out of heat by say 5 or 8 or 10pm then its because you have under-specified the tin storage needs and need more bricks or you have the damper open in which case it is not good-radiative but bad-convective.

Placement of a NSH should where aesthetically possible should be direct-line to your self, the benefit of radiated direct heat is much the same as [felt] IR heat. Keeping the living area at say 15°C is from my point of view medically unsafe and socially unreasonable, (2018-19 GOV recommends 18-19°C) it's your house, you decide.

.2.

I gave you my annual CAC and % counter distribution in #2 your job would be to get to the highest possible % use of the cheap rate and then by definition the lowest possible cost to your home assuming you have already a [non-deemed] contract/online account/submitted [and photographed] meter readings [and do so each month] and have the best tariff you can get with any provider.

Best of luck !

mrsyardbroom

The nearest mains gas is half a mile away and the gas board is unwilling to supply the village. The smokeless fuel I'm buying is costing me £23 a week and it isn't even the coldest part of the winter. It gets more expensive than that. At the moment I'm using free kindling but last year I ran out and had to pay for it. During the coldest part of the winter I reckon it was costing me £35 to £40 a week just to keep one heater going. I'm sure a storage heater would be cheaper than that.

Gerry1

Usual advice not to be shy about claiming everything to which you may be entitled: Warm Home Discount, Winter Fuel Allowance, Grants, Priority Services Register etc.

mrsyardbroom

I'm on the priority register, I've applied for the warm home discount, I've asked about grants and they are available to people who claim benefits. I've applied for pension credits but they most likely won't process my claim before the end of the winter. It's taking around 4 to six months and I've only been waiting for 9 weeks.

More advice for people who don't have a large income. Earn what you can online through surveys etc. and put the money into a savings account. Don't fritter money away on small things all the time, save it. Grow your own veg, and cook your own meals from scratch. Instead of buying new get what you can free from people who are giving stuff away.

Gerry1

Whatever you do, avoid this company !

mrsyardbroom

Thanks. My late husband contacted them a while ago and we got endless phone calls and advertising mail etc. We sussed them out though and gave them a wide berth.

WhoIsThat

Duplicate thread

Already posted here:
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6072619/storage-heaters

Mister_G

WhoIsThat wrote: »

Duplicate thread

Already posted here:
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6072619/storage-heaters

Yes, but this is the correct place for it.

mrsyardbroom

Someone told me it was in the wrong place and I couldn't delete it. If you're an admin please can you delete it.