Storage heater, panel heater decision

MARKMAKAVELI

Hi everyone, we live in a flat I own. 2 bed - floorplan shown below.

Situation
Ancient storage heaters, lose heat my mid afternoon, even on max input, min output.


Proposed Solution
Storage heater being moved to point 4 where we sit as larder units are being fitted at point 3 for extra storage. We've been told we need a storage heater in living room then 2 x panel heaters in bedrooms.

We'll have a new born soon so need to ensure that she's not too warm/cold through the night in bedroom 1 or 2. We are likely to move out in a year, but hopefully I can rent this it out.

Shortlisted:
Electrorad High Heat retention storage heater -  Heats 15m2 - £751
Steibel panel heater - Heats 15m2 and that's smallest they do - £103 each x 2

Conclusion?
I have priced up storage heaters in bedrooms, which adds another £1k on so ideally wouldn't do this. I'd be really grateful to get your thoughts please? 

BarelySentientAI

We've been through the pros and cons of panel heaters vs storage heaters with you on at least two other threads.

We will not be able to add anything new here.

Scot_39

How big is that area for the 1 nsh moved from 3 to 4 ?

Looks more than 15m2  and with 3 windows and 2 external walls it could be a push.


And I wouldn't by choice put a conventional panel below 4 a window or on an external wall 1,4.

Putting heat at potentially the losiest places is not efficient - but  4 as a nsh i assume with fan to push air away maybe less important.

MattMattMattUK

For the benefit of others the history of this thread is here:
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6412257/looking-at-upgrading-my-old-storage-heaters-and-would-really-appreciate-help/p1

MARKMAKAVELI said:

Hi everyone, we live in a flat I own. 2 bed - floorplan shown below.

Situation
Ancient storage heaters, lose heat my mid afternoon, even on max input, min output.


Proposed Solution
Storage heater being moved to point 4 where we sit as larder units are being fitted at point 3 for extra storage. We've been told we need a storage heater in living room then 2 x panel heaters in bedrooms.

We'll have a new born soon so need to ensure that she's not too warm/cold through the night in bedroom 1 or 2. We are likely to move out in a year, but hopefully I can rent this it out.

Shortlisted:
Electrorad High Heat retention storage heater -  Heats 15m2 - £751
Steibel panel heater - Heats 15m2 and that's smallest they do - £103 each x 2

Conclusion?
I have priced up storage heaters in bedrooms, which adds another £1k on so ideally wouldn't do this. I'd be really grateful to get your thoughts please? 

The advice remains the same, get Dimplex Quantum storage heaters in all rooms, not panel heaters.

With regard to position 4, I would not move a heater under a window, it increases heat loss/waste if curtains are above the heater.

Swipe

If you are moving out in a year I'd just make do with what you have for one more winter and do nothing.

Stubod

We are in a "similar" situation. ie ancient (30 year old) storage heaters in all rooms, some of which are never/hardly used. We were lucky enough to aquire 2 almost new Quantums on a freecycle site at no cost. Over the last couple of winters we have only used 2 NSH, one in the hall, and one in the main living room. (We also use a wood/coal fire in the living room to provide heat in the evening when the NSH have given up the ghost. 

We decided to remove the NSH in the kitchen and replace it with a plinth heater as we only need heat occasionally and it did not seem cost effective to use the NSH for the limited time we needed heat. 

We don't bother heating any of the upstairs bedrooms, (2 are not occupied), and we prefer a colder bedroom so we just use an electric under blanket which we put on 10 mins before we go to bed). It does not bother us that the old heaters "leak" heat during the day as we now no longer work and prefer to have a gentle release of heat during the day.

We are planning to use the "new" (large) Quantum in the hall to help heat the main core of the house during the day.

We have removed a faulty NSH from the 2nd bedroom and have replaced this with a wall / panel heater as the room is only used occasionally. We will use the 2nd (smaller) Quantum in the diniing room which is open plan to the living room as a bit of a back up should we need it.

It is worth mentioning that the old style NSH only need one 240 volt supply, but all the new ones also need a seperate 24 hour supply to run the timers and provide a "boost" if needed. ie you need to make sure you can install a 2nd 24hr. supply if you are futting newer NSH's.....

..I just wish there was a more energy efficient / lower cost solution toelectric NSH..!!

BarelySentientAI

Stubod said:

..I just wish there was a more energy efficient / lower cost solution toelectric NSH..!!

NSH are roughly 100% energy efficient.  Just like all electric heating.

The lower cost solutions are wet central heating from a gas boiler (cheaper) or a heat pump (can be cheapest).

Stubod

...yes I am aware of that, and I have been trying to find an organisation that can advise of any realistic alternatives for our situation but keep drawing a blank. Both gas and oil are supposed to be being phased out, so the only real alternative is air source, but also heard lots of negative reviews unless you have a "new build" with modern insulation. So just wondering what is the best option for people in older properties with NSH???

BarelySentientAI

Stubod said:

So just wondering what is the best option for people in older properties with NSH???

Insulation and NSH.

Scot_39

Stubod said:

We are in a "similar" situation. ie ancient (30 year old) storage heaters in all rooms, some of which are never/hardly used. We were lucky enough to aquire 2 almost new Quantums on a freecycle site at no cost. Over the last couple of winters we have only used 2 NSH, one in the hall, and one in the main living room. (We also use a wood/coal fire in the living room to provide heat in the evening when the NSH have given up the ghost. 

We decided to remove the NSH in the kitchen and replace it with a plinth heater as we only need heat occasionally and it did not seem cost effective to use the NSH for the limited time we needed heat. 

We don't bother heating any of the upstairs bedrooms, (2 are not occupied), and we prefer a colder bedroom so we just use an electric under blanket which we put on 10 mins before we go to bed). It does not bother us that the old heaters "leak" heat during the day as we now no longer work and prefer to have a gentle release of heat during the day.

We are planning to use the "new" (large) Quantum in the hall to help heat the main core of the house during the day.

We have removed a faulty NSH from the 2nd bedroom and have replaced this with a wall / panel heater as the room is only used occasionally. We will use the 2nd (smaller) Quantum in the diniing room which is open plan to the living room as a bit of a back up should we need it.

It is worth mentioning that the old style NSH only need one 240 volt supply, but all the new ones also need a seperate 24 hour supply to run the timers and provide a "boost" if needed. ie you need to make sure you can install a 2nd 24hr. supply if you are futting newer NSH's.....

..I just wish there was a more energy efficient / lower cost solution toelectric NSH..!!

Quantums are pretty much afaik an exception as can be run from one 24/7 live supply - but that has to be isolated at consumer unit and point to point dedicated wiring from cu per heater - just as the restricted supply in dual wiring mode would be.

You just need to set charge times carefully to match metering.