Electric heaters

Hugbubble

Hi all

Hope you can help.

Just bought a flat and due to move in next month. We went back for a another, probably final viewing and measuring up, and I had a closer look at the heaters. They are dimplex convection (i think) heaters- this wasn't a surprise, we have saved some money for if we decide to put in stoarge heating later. However, in the airing cupboard, I noticed there is a timer to allow these heaters to be programmed when to come on/ go off.

Has anyone any experience of using these type of heaters this way? Apart from the fact that we don't have a scooby how the timer works (it is an electronic thing)- although I'm sure we'll work that out. What would be the most economical way to time these heaters? The water heater in the flat is on E7 but don't know about the heaters. It seems unlikely they would be any use in the middle of the night anyway!

Any thoughts appreciated.

Cardew

It seems strange that they would put the flat(new build?) on an Economy 7 tariff and not have storage heating.

So are you sure they are not the Dimplex Duo-Heaters? These are a combination of storage heating and convection heating.

If they are straight convection heating, it pretty much doesn't matter when you use them - you just have them on for as short a time as possible to maintain a reasonable level of comfort.

Although it will be difficult to work out a pattern of consumption until you have lived there some time, it may be that it will pay you to move from E7 to a normal tariff; the heaters will use the majority of your electricity and the extra you pay for E7 daytime electricity might more than cancel out your savings at night for the immersion etc.

Hugbubble

Defo not these new duo heaters. There are no bricks in them. (Which is a shame because this would be what we may consider having installed).

The flat isn't new build as such. It is a warehouse conversion. Looking at other flats for sale in the block it doesn't seem like anyone has bothered to have storage heating installed which could mean 1) it is toasty warm without or 2) the fact that it is a listed building may mean it isn't possible.

I am hoping for the former but if you have any further thoughts, please let me know....

Cardew

I am pretty certain that a listed building will not place any restrictions on the type of heater. I owned a warehouse conversion in a listed building(in London) and it had gas CH.

I suspect the sole reason for 'normal' convection heating is simply down to cost of installing.

As said above, I would certainly compare costs between E7 and a normal tariff as soon as you get an idea of consumption.

Bear in mind that although people will advise you that you can use your appliances on the E7 rates, this may well not be possible because of the noise problem in flats. A washing machine on spin cycle bouncing about ain't pleasant for your neighbours!!! In fact some flats ban use of appliances at night for that reason.

My gut feeling is that you will be better off on a normal tariff as your heaviest use will be heating during the day.

mute_posting

Hugbubble wrote: »

1) it is toasty warm without or 2) the fact that it is a listed building may mean it isn't possible.

It may be number 1.

Monitoring the temperature in my flat for the past 6 months, I have never seen it drop below 17 or 18 deg C and the heating has never been on once (I wasn't living there at the time, just finnishing rennovations but was there at all times of day and night, in all weather conditions)

I can only assume that neighbours above and below are sat in their beach shorts all winter with their heating cranked up lol.

MP