Electric heating

wrf12345

As a stop-gap, at least, consider a halogen heater, decent ones are £30-40 quid on eBay and just plug-in to a socket, It will heat you up on one bar, circa 660W, so about 16p an hour, rather than the whole room. An electric blanket and extra duvet for the bedroom might also help.

Just a thought, make sure you are not still on the E7 tariff as the day rate is a lot higher than the std tariff.

Robin9

@kb1956     Just checking.

When you were using the storage rads I presume you were on E7.  When you had the panel heaters put in did you change to the SVT ?  If do didn't then the panel heaters are costing even more as the day time rates on E7 are more than SVT

Have you had the Winter Fuel Allowance ?  Reread your post  as you purchased in October you will have missed the cutoff date

kb1956

Robin9 said:

@kb1956     Just checking.

When you were using the storage rads I presume you were on E7.  When you had the panel heaters put in did you change to the SVT ?  If do didn't then the panel heaters are costing even more as the day time rates on E7 are more than SVT

Have you had the Winter Fuel Allowance ?  Reread your post  as you purchased in October you will have missed the cutoff date

I didn't actually use the old storage heaters as they didn't work and yes the panel heaters were on SVT. I'm seriously considering having new storage heaters put in then I can go back on E7 but wondering if they continue to put out heat all day as I'm at home most of the day ??

daveyjp

I've stayed in cottages with modern storage heaters and they were giving out heat all day.  Most also have a boost function.

However in a large room in a poorly insulated property if heat is lost faster than it is released, keeping a room warm will always be an expensive undertaking.

Reed_Richards

kb1956 said:

Robin9 said:

@kb1956     Just checking.

When you were using the storage rads I presume you were on E7.  When you had the panel heaters put in did you change to the SVT ?  If do didn't then the panel heaters are costing even more as the day time rates on E7 are more than SVT

Have you had the Winter Fuel Allowance ?  Reread your post  as you purchased in October you will have missed the cutoff date

I didn't actually use the old storage heaters as they didn't work and yes the panel heaters were on SVT. I'm seriously considering having new storage heaters put in then I can go back on E7 but wondering if they continue to put out heat all day as I'm at home most of the day ??

A storage heater that runs out of heat later in the day doesn't have enough storage capacity.  This shouldn't happen if your storage heaters are suitably sized, in order to to match the heat loss from each room.

tlcgrantham

kb1956 said:

Robin9 said:

@kb1956     Just checking.

When you were using the storage rads I presume you were on E7.  When you had the panel heaters put in did you change to the SVT ?  If do didn't then the panel heaters are costing even more as the day time rates on E7 are more than SVT

Have you had the Winter Fuel Allowance ?  Reread your post  as you purchased in October you will have missed the cutoff date

I didn't actually use the old storage heaters as they didn't work and yes the panel heaters were on SVT. I'm seriously considering having new storage heaters put in then I can go back on E7 but wondering if they continue to put out heat all day as I'm at home most of the day ??

    As you’re on SVT but may go back to storage heaters an option now could be EDF FreePhase Static Tariff. It has 3 different fixed rates daily instead of 2.

                11:00pm - 6:00am 10pkwh less than SVT

                4:00pm - 7:00pm.   8pkwh. more than SVT

               All other times.        5pkwh less than SVT
 
  All above prices are rounded and depend on your Electricity region.

         1. No Cost and would save money whatever you choose to do.

          2. No Exit Fees and rates fixed for a year

          3. Free Electricity when wholesale price is zero or negative.

          

    

kb1956

tlcgrantham said:

kb1956 said:

Robin9 said:

@kb1956     Just checking.

When you were using the storage rads I presume you were on E7.  When you had the panel heaters put in did you change to the SVT ?  If do didn't then the panel heaters are costing even more as the day time rates on E7 are more than SVT

Have you had the Winter Fuel Allowance ?  Reread your post  as you purchased in October you will have missed the cutoff date

I didn't actually use the old storage heaters as they didn't work and yes the panel heaters were on SVT. I'm seriously considering having new storage heaters put in then I can go back on E7 but wondering if they continue to put out heat all day as I'm at home most of the day ??

    As you’re on SVT but may go back to storage heaters an option now could be EDF FreePhase Static Tariff. It has 3 different fixed rates daily instead of 2.

                11:00pm - 6:00am 10pkwh less than SVT

                4:00pm - 7:00pm.   8pkwh. more than SVT

               All other times.        5pkwh less than SVT
 
  All above prices are rounded and depend on your Electricity region.

         1. No Cost and would save money whatever you choose to do.

          2. No Exit Fees and rates fixed for a year

          3. Free Electricity when wholesale price is zero or negative.

          

    

I have just had an electrician round to look at another job and his advice was to go for oil filled radiators. He has been an electrician for a long time and he has never recommended storage and said that oil filled radiators can keep the heat for a lot longer than storage heaters. So I may now go for oil filled radiators 🤔

Scot_39

kb1956 said:

Looking for advice on which heating to go for. I live in a one bed flat in a converted house and unfortunately there is no gas supply in the building so I have no choice but to have electric heating. When I purchased the property in October the old storage heaters were past their best so on the advice of my electrician I had them replaced with panel heaters. These were absolutely useless especially as the lounge is 26 square metres and the ceiling is 2.7 metres high. The other rooms are considerably smaller but the lounge where I spend the majority of my time is the one that is causing me the most concern. As the new panel heaters were costing a fortune to run I have asked the electrician to remove them so I'm currently without any heating. At the moment I'm relying on electric throws and thermal clothing to keep me warm. My neighbour above me has storage heaters but her monthly bill is £180 and that's something I can't afford on my pension. I'm therefore looking for advice on the best type of heating to go for. Thank you 

Have you literally had the heaters removed ?  Why  ?

In the unoccupied rooms het for only a few hours a day likely a better option than nsh.

And more to the point why did the electrician agree to do it leaving you with no real space heating going into winter ?

Id stay well clear for both fitting in first place and removing - or at least not advising you about costs / risks..


When you switched to panel heaters did you switch say from e7 style tariff to get cheaper day rate power - or were you running on e7 day peak (say 26p single rate vs 15p off peak 32p day peak on e7) . 

Did you look at smart tariffs instead - for tge panels -  before having them removed - things like Cosy gives 3 off peak periods- - 4-7am, 1-4pm and 10pm- midnight  at half sr - a day rate cheaper than e7 peak - but would need to avoid heavy use 4-7pm.  Other suppliers use different timings and price weightings.

https://octopus.energy/smart/cosy-octopus/


Nsh work by shifting the night rate purchased energy to all day space heating.  But their expensive to buy. A full size top end hhr nearer the £900 + fitting -  a decent lot 20 might do for someone in all day - £200-250  less (dimplex xle, creda tsre sister  firm as does Quantums mentioned above) and both might need electrical work depending on wiring and cus remaining after panel upgrades.  

Given size you might need 2 in living room for harshest winter days.

You need serious advice on costs to install and run nsh or alternatives -  beware snake oil salesman - and likely energy savings from other work like windows.

Energy savings trust for instance estinates only £140  savings when upgrade a semi from single glazing.

https://energysavingtrust.org.uk/energy-at-home/


Of course heat might not be tgd only reason for tge upgrade.

But the bottom line is an old building - are walls solid stone or cavity by tbe way ? -  with large room -26m2 and 2.7m ceilings  - and probably large windows to boot, is going to be expensive to heat.  Far more so with electric.  

See the cost comparison provided by  @QrizB in his footer link here for 10000kWh pa - highef yhan most all electric homes would try to use for cost reasons -  tge Ofgem median apl 3lectric tdcv 3900kWh.  Cost £1229.  But pretty easy to exceed imo.

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/78557202/#Comment_78557202

What does the epc for flat say estimated energy costs  for heating in kWh ?

WiserMiser

Your old NSHs probably only needed one or two new elements, probably about £20 plus fitting.  Your useless electrician should have checked.  Would you scrap a car just because a headlight bulb had failed?

Here's the Storage Heater Sanity Test.

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/78890149/#Comment_78890149

Scot_39

kb1956 said:

tlcgrantham said:

kb1956 said:

Robin9 said:

@kb1956     Just checking.

When you were using the storage rads I presume you were on E7.  When you had the panel heaters put in did you change to the SVT ?  If do didn't then the panel heaters are costing even more as the day time rates on E7 are more than SVT

Have you had the Winter Fuel Allowance ?  Reread your post  as you purchased in October you will have missed the cutoff date

I didn't actually use the old storage heaters as they didn't work and yes the panel heaters were on SVT. I'm seriously considering having new storage heaters put in then I can go back on E7 but wondering if they continue to put out heat all day as I'm at home most of the day ??

    As you’re on SVT but may go back to storage heaters an option now could be EDF FreePhase Static Tariff. It has 3 different fixed rates daily instead of 2.

                11:00pm - 6:00am 10pkwh less than SVT

                4:00pm - 7:00pm.   8pkwh. more than SVT

               All other times.        5pkwh less than SVT
 
  All above prices are rounded and depend on your Electricity region.

         1. No Cost and would save money whatever you choose to do.

          2. No Exit Fees and rates fixed for a year

          3. Free Electricity when wholesale price is zero or negative.

          

    

I have just had an electrician round to look at another job and his advice was to go for oil filled radiators. He has been an electrician for a long time and he has never recommended storage and said that oil filled radiators can keep the heat for a lot longer than storage heaters. So I may now go for oil filled radiators 🤔

No.

Really - think what exactly did he say - keep heat as in retain heat in the heater - or keep as in  keep rooms hotter for longer - at increased running costs - by continuinely recharging during tne day at day rates - just like your panel heaters were doing.

And he also may not have any experience of modern lot 20 and hhr programmable room air thermostat regulated night storage heaters.  Thry really as chalk and cheese by comments of those who have upgraded.

Basic Physics
Your room needs a fixed amount of kWh of energy per day - to maintain a given temperature profile.  You need a regulated heat source -  time and temp programmable with thermostat - to achieve that - and one that ideally charges at the lowest rates / kWh to control your bills.

Oil filled radiators have more thermal mass than say a convector panel heater - but will cool quickly once remove power.  Even gne most opti istic wall mounted glossies talking maybe 1.5-2hrs , less with some, and as cool will give out progressively less heat. 

I use plug in OFR - but on e10 at my off peak rates - before need my nsh even on min settings - they are not wall mounted and they are certainly not nsh substitutes.  Lucky if my largest 9 fin  c10 kG model even retains heat for 30m-1hr on typical settings once power off.  A large wall mounted can weigh twice that though.

They may be a slightly better match to run across say a cosy off peak gap - like 3hrs 4-7 than other panels. 

But if run on sr they will cost the same as any non ashp style heating.

Wheras a nsh is designed to last 24 hrs from a 7 hrs night charge if properly sized for room losses.   And at a night rate that can be 40-60% of single rate depending on region and supplier.

And if you have a smets2 meter and use meter alcs to switch a restricted feed to  modern nsh - you can get  new tariffs like Snug and its 9p/kWh rate as well - including 1hr boost in afternoon.

Did he quote a brand / model for these potentially magical oil filled rads - and a cost ?