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Storage Heater questions (and hopefully answers!)

What it says in the title - with energy bills only going one way for the vast majority right now, let's see if the hive-mind can get people using their storage heaters more efficiently and, as a result, more cost-effectively.  If there's stuff you're not sure about, or you've just moved into a property with storage heaters and you don't know where to start, post here. To help best inform responses including your heater model (s) and an idea of your property type and lifestyle (So for example Quantum QM100, rural bungalow atop a hill in the north of England, working couple both out all day) will help greatly. 

If any regulars here who are used to living with Night Storage Heaters have any handy hints they can add to the thread that would be brilliant - the thinking is let's see if we can make a forum "go to" thread for helping those with NSH's of all types. 

I'll start with: Check the weather forecast - and forecast temperatures in particular - regularly as that informs where the input in particular needs to be set. No sense in having input on high during an unseasonably warm spell, but similarly if -8 is forecast for a couple of days ahead, you don't want to be caught out. 
🎉 MORTGAGE FREE (First time!) 30/09/2016 🎉 And now we go again…New mortgage taken 01/09/23 🏡
Balance as at 01/09/23 = £115,000.00 Balance as at 31/12/23 = £112,000.00
Balance as at 31/08/24 = £105,400.00 Balance as at 31/12/24 = £102,500.00
£100k barrier broken 1/4/25
Balance as at 31/08/25 = £ 95,450.00. Balance as at 31/12/25 = £ 91,100.00
SOA CALCULATOR (for DFW newbies): SOA Calculator
she/her

Comments

  • Swipe
    Swipe Posts: 6,163 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Photogenic Name Dropper
    I concur, weather forecast daily checking is a must and also look out for cloudy and sunny days as it can make a huge difference in your heating requirements.
  • Zaul22
    Zaul22 Posts: 420 Forumite
    Third Anniversary 100 Posts Name Dropper
    With mine I find that with max input and 0 output, the heat all runs out by about 8pm. I'm not sure it's even worth using on work days. 
  • Zaul22 said:
    With mine I find that with max input and 0 output, the heat all runs out by about 8pm. I'm not sure it's even worth using on work days. 
    Make & Model please so people can offer suggestions. 

    Have you checked that the internal baffles are definitely operating (if you turn the output knob one way then straight back the other you can usually hear them moving)? 
    🎉 MORTGAGE FREE (First time!) 30/09/2016 🎉 And now we go again…New mortgage taken 01/09/23 🏡
    Balance as at 01/09/23 = £115,000.00 Balance as at 31/12/23 = £112,000.00
    Balance as at 31/08/24 = £105,400.00 Balance as at 31/12/24 = £102,500.00
    £100k barrier broken 1/4/25
    Balance as at 31/08/25 = £ 95,450.00. Balance as at 31/12/25 = £ 91,100.00
    SOA CALCULATOR (for DFW newbies): SOA Calculator
    she/her
  • EssexHebridean
    EssexHebridean Posts: 25,951 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    A further thought on your post @Zaul22 - remember that you are still getting the advantage of the heat being put out by the heater earlier in the day as the overall temperature will be warmer than it would be without it. Even if you need to use an additional source of heating in addition from mid evening, that will still be doing less work to keep the comfortable temperature than it would be if you were heating the home from a lower starting point right from when you got in from work. My guess is that the storage heater will still work our cheaper from you than a traditional electric heater. 
    🎉 MORTGAGE FREE (First time!) 30/09/2016 🎉 And now we go again…New mortgage taken 01/09/23 🏡
    Balance as at 01/09/23 = £115,000.00 Balance as at 31/12/23 = £112,000.00
    Balance as at 31/08/24 = £105,400.00 Balance as at 31/12/24 = £102,500.00
    £100k barrier broken 1/4/25
    Balance as at 31/08/25 = £ 95,450.00. Balance as at 31/12/25 = £ 91,100.00
    SOA CALCULATOR (for DFW newbies): SOA Calculator
    she/her
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