Modern Storage Heaters versus Standard Electric Radiators

ConnyWebster

I'm new here and was hoping for some advice. I have old storage heaters in my 2 bed flat, no gas connection. I have just had a new Smart Meter installed by Octopus and on std tarrif, waiting for them to revert me to Econo10 which is what I had before.

One of my storage heaters has packed up, I have two in the living room, which in coldest periods i need to top up with plug in heaters as the room is very large and has no insulation to the flat roof, heat escapes through large windows and a skylight, and the flat roof itself.

I want to upgrade the heaters as they are 20+ years old now, and my heating bill in winter is extortionate, up to £16/day in the coldest periods. Will I be better off billing-wise and warmth-wise if I upgrade upgrade both Storage Heaters (to Dimplex Quantam or Ecostrad Magma HHR) or change them to two standard electric radiators (Dimplex Q-Rad or Alu-Rad).

Based on my old Econo-10 tarrif, I used 77% of my energy during off-peak and 23% during peak, on average over a year. I wasnt able to boost the storage heaters outside off-peak hours, but I want to be able to do that, the newer style storage heaters can do that.

I think I wil be better off overall with standard electric radiators, and they are cheaper to buy, can anyone convince me otherwise? I will retain my Econo10 tarriff as i think it makes sense either way.

Thanks!

ChaunceyGardiner

Apart from the installation cost, how do you think a panel heater, using peak rate electricity, will save you money?

born_again

For a idea on how much std electric rads cost. Just look at this video

https://youtu.be/PStChTdgRa0?si=uFS1hnrmc1pX9CD7

twopenny

I knew someone who had the new storage heaters and said they were great and a lot more economical. But that's a while back and there are different ones again now so needs some research.

Have you got heavy curtains with thermal linings and do you close them when the room isn't in use? Tuck them onto the window sill so you aren't heating a cold draught.

The skylight needs a blind. Heat rises

QrizB

I think I wil be better off overall with standard electric radiators, and they are cheaper to buy, can anyone convince me otherwise?

Are you certain that Octopus will even offer you Economy 10? That's not one of their standard tariffs and (unless they've definitely said otherwise) they're likely to move you to Economy 7.

E7 doesn't have the afternoon or evening top-up period that E10 offers. On the other hand E10 tariffs tend to have more expensive "cheap rate" electricity when compared to Economy 7 or smart heating tariffs like Octopus Snug.

So your options are essentially:

• Get rid of all your storage heaters and switch to single-rate electricity. Pay 26p/kWh for all your electricity, including the 77% of it that you're currently paying maybe 18p/kWh for. This will cost you more, every year, forever.
• Repair your faulty storage heater (or replace it with a refurbished traditional storage heater) and stick with E7 or E10. Cheapest upfront cost and similar ongoing costs to your previous situation.
• Replace your storage heaters with modern Lot 20 storage heaters with smarter controls and a built-in boost element. Probably the most expensive upfront (likely to be £2-£3k) but cheapest ongoing energy bills, especially if you can switch to Snug or similar.

Fellow traveller @Rosie1001 has been through the change from E10 to Snug recently and is very happy with the outcome.

WiserMiser

Reparing old storage heaters is easy. The parts are usually cheap and easily available (probably only a thermostat or an element or two) and your local friendly sparks will be able to fit them.

If you're at home all day it may not be worth replacing them, just fix them and then make sure you know how to operate them. https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/78890149/#Comment_78890149

https://youtube.com/watch?v=UeB3Xf_qKvA

They'll waste some heat overnight but it'll take quite a while to recover the capital costs. Also factor in the cost of the extra wiring for the 24h circuit they need. In theory you can program some HHR NSHs to mimic the E7/E10 times, but it's a very high risk strategy because it's all too easy for some charging to take place at the very expensive peak rate.

Whatever you do, panel heaters / standard electric radiators are a definite NoNo !

Scot_39

Wasnt aware Octopus in general offered E10.

And years ago now only saw 1 or 2 posts when gave e7 rates to old noj smart meters with e10 alcs heater timings. But given they have acquired millions from other suppliers - maybe they now do have a legacy e10 offering like EOn Next.

Ovo will now quote me e10 - but their even more expensive than EOn off peak iirc c2p / 10% for me in EM.

did they give you e10 prices ?

As @QrizB post above their smart tariff for meter controlled (restricted feed) nsh is Snug - 9p off peak and a day rate both cheaper than their standard e7 when last checked.

But vs e10 10 hrs only guar 6 hrs overnight (but typically give 7 or more from users tariff charts here) and 1 hr in afternoon c3pm GMT.

my neighbours upgraded old to quantum hhr after move to e7 from e10 - the old lossy heaters didnt cope with e7 the hhrs did. And Dimplex do claim an operating cost saving vs old nsh - 27% - and upto 47% vs panel radiators.

https://www.dimplex.co.uk/company/news/mythbusters-quantum-vs-night-storage-heaters

£16 to me sounds like a hideous figure and high use makes likely cost pay back faster if can reduce via more efficient heating and / or insulation.

Id get some quotes from a reputable local builder to see what can be done, but only after you check to see - if not already if help available.

Have you checked if you are eligible for any of the grant schemes - the old outgoing eco or the new warm homes plan (iirc) - that can cover insulation and actual heater upgrades.

And have you considered heat pump instead - you could perhaps go air to air rather than wet radiator based - as wont have any wet radiators currently - with a new reduced BUS grant - to get more heat per kWh of metered electricity.

https://energysavingtrust.org.uk/grants-and-loans/boiler-upgrade-scheme

and if you arent familiar with a2a - can be standalone or multiroom

https://energysavingtrust.org.uk/advice/air-to-air-heat-pumps/

EssexHebridean

A definite vote for the Dimplex suggestion from here assuming that heat pumps or - they are entirely a different beast to the old style box of bricks heaters, far more akin to central heating and almost as controllable! In terms of heat loss overnight, they do lose some, but it's a far cry from the heat gushing out of the less insulated older ones while charging - and in a living space, what they do lose will just help keep the overnight chill off.

If you were going to switch to heating via standard electric heaters then you certainly wouldn't want to go back to an E7/E10 style peak/off peak tariff as a huge amount of your energy used for heating is going to be on a higher-than-SVR basis if you do.

WiserMiser

Do the easy Storage Heater Sanity test on the one that still works. You may have a failed element or even two.

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

RetiredYorkie

I can offer real world experience of the Ecostrad HHR's, having just had 5 installed in my flat.

Like you I have 2 in the lounge (20+ m2 with 2.7m ceiling and 2 french doors with glass panels above up to ceiling height). A so and so to heat.

The rooms have been very cosy so far, even with outside temperatures down to -6°. That said the units have never charged for the full 6 hrs programmed in the charge cycle except the first time they were switched on. The hall and one of the lounge units even "skip" a charge on occasion because the rooms are still warm. They have never been topped up later in the day since the units do not lose heat rapidly like the older units do.

Yes the initial outlay is quite high but I expect them to last a good number of years with little to no servicing.

As to running cost, I am fortunate to have a decent 2 rate tariff and ~90% of my use is offpeak. So far the units have been using between 25-40 kWh depending on the outside temperatues and at that level all my rooms are above 18° all day and evening with the lounge averaging about 21°.

All in all I have been pleased with them and as the saying goes "they do what they say on the tin".

If you need any more information I'll be glad to help.

RedFraggle

Another quantum owner here. I have 2 125RFs. One in the lounge (15 x14) one in the kitchen (16 X 10). Middle flat, built 2000, french doors in lounge to balcony, large windows and further door to balcony from kitchen. They heat at 21 from 8am til 10pm no problem. Apart from the running cost I prefer then to GCH. They're fantastic.