Anyone used the Electric Heating Company (EHC)?

shopping_queen_2

Hi - I'm looking for some help / advice please?  
My 86 year old mother is moving into a one-bed retirement flat that currently has some very old storage heaters. My sister has the exact same heaters in her flat and has suggested that we replace these - she finds that they do not give off a great heat and are difficult to control.  My mother currently has a gas central heating system in her home and is used to turning the heating up and down at will and has it on a lot - even during the summer months!!
We were recommended a company - the Electric Heating Company, who supply a range of electric heaters. We've been advised that the DSR Heat Retention Radiators would be good for my mum. They are, however, pricey - c£800 for one and c£600 for another plus £125 for the wifi controller. The installation is a further £250. 
I've been doing some research on here and have seen some very negative reviews of other companies that offer similar products. I'm also concerned about runnings costs, although it's only a one bed flat. There's no option to have GCH fitted as it's a retirement complex with no gas (for safety reasons). 
Does anyone have any experience with the Electric Heating Company (EHC)? They seem very professional, however, it's a considered purchase and I don't want to make a costly mistake. 
Thanks in advance for any advice you can offer. 
 
 

Robin9

No, no, no !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 
Replace by conventional storage heaters and find some means of locking the controls off

Gerry1

Just read the Fischer thread.  These are just the same, expensive to install, expensive to run because they use full price electricity. 

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/3516223/fischer-storage-heaters/p1

Who recommended them? Someone hoping for a nice little kickback? They haven't done you any favours.

daveyjp

A Dimplex oil filled radiator will retain heat and be much cheaper.  It will however cost the same to run as any electric heater of the same power whether it be a £20 fan heater or a £800 'magic bricks' heater.

Keep the storage heaters and learn how to use them.

Gerry1

Keep the existing storage heaters.  As she won't be out all day there's no point in replacing them for new ones, or clever ones that are designed to minimise the heat output during the day and release it using a fan in the evenings. The only advantage would be cosmetic.

If an old storage heater doesn't give out sufficient heat it's probably a failed element or two, or a dodgy thermostat, both easily fixed.  You can easily check for a failed element.  When the E7 cheap rate has kicked in, switch everything off apart from one storage heater and turn its input control to maximum.  Count the number of red LED flashes on the meter per minute.  If the LED is labelled 1000 imp/kWh and it flashes about 28 times per minute, then it'll flash about 1700 times per hour, corresponding to a load of 1700W.

Then check the rating plate on the heater, or look up the model number online.  If it is rated at 2550W (three 850W elements) then 1700W consumption suggests that one element has failed.

matelodave

There are several reasons that storage heaters dont give out enough heat. As Gerry says it could have a failed element or thermostat - relatively cheap & easy to replace. They may be operated incorrectly so that they don't fully charge or retain the heat long enough, so it.s worthwhile learning how to use the controls properly and finally they are frequently undersized and so do not deliver sufficient heat to keep the place warm.

Try using the storage heaters and if necessary supplement them with a portable heater but be aware than any extra heater will be using peak rate leccy which usually significantly more expensive than off-peak.

Please don't be persuaded to change them for any sort of convector, radiant, or magic "heat retention" heaters containing moondust, fairy oil or other exotic materials - they will cost a fortune to buy and even more to run as they use peak rate electricity..They don't retain heat any more than an oil filled radiator from Argos and you may have to get the wiring changed so you can use peak rate leccy instead of E7 at the heating sockets.

Gerry1

Another reason that old storage heaters don't give out sufficient heat can be that they were once on an Economy 10 tariff or suchlike.  By today's standards they were very under dimensioned, started cooling down after lunch and needed an afternoon or evening boost.  However, these tariffs are being withdrawn and / or becoming prohibitively expensive, and it's now virtually impossible to switch supplier.

Check the existing tariff at the retirement flat.  If it's not Economy 7 you'll need to change to it, and probably add another storage heater or change to larger ones.

But whatever you do, don't even consider any form of heating that uses full price daytime electricity.