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Electric Storage Heaters

Electric storage heaters are a less expensive way of using electricity to heat homes than fan heaters, oil filled radiators or radiant electric bar heaters, all of which use on-peak electricity which is your every day electrical tariff. Storage Heaters use electricity supplied at a cheaper night-time rate (although some tariffs also have a mid-afternoon boost) to store heat in special heat-retaining bricks. These then give out heat slowly and are designed to keep warm for the whole of the following day. You can only get cheap night-time electricity if you are on an off-peak tariff such as Economy 7, Comfort-plus Control or Total Heating Total Control.

Storage heaters have a charge control (or an automatic charge control) which adjusts the amount of heat stored overnight. An automatic charge control does this by measuring the temperature in the room and if it is milder, stores less heat (saving money in the process).

Storage heaters give out their heat in two ways:

• by radiation from the front panel - this cannot be turned up or down, so will give out heat continuously, day and night (as long as there are still warm bricks behind it);

• by convected heat in the form of warm air. This can be adjusted simply by flaps above the heat store, which can constrict the airflow through the store, so reducing the amount of heat taken from the store. More sophisticated storage heaters also have a fan which can blow air over the storage area to produce a heat boost; however it will also cool the heater down more quickly and if used too much may result in the storage heater getting cold before the evening when it is able to be heated up again.

Storage heating systems installed are normally supplemented with panel heaters which would be installed in bedrooms or a downflow heater installed in a bathroom which don't require to be heated all day. The other rooms in the house such as living rooms, sitting rooms, dining rooms and hallways is where storage heaters would be installed as these require greater heat to provide comfort. This type of system is best controlled by an electrical tariff such as Comfort-plus Control or Total Heating Total Control.

Of course, installing a heating system is a one-off expenditure that is designed to pay off in the long-run and our professional trained staff will help you to make an informed choice which is right for you.