Storage Heaters: Issues, Disadvantages and How To Replace
By Dynamic Heaters
Do you use storage heaters in your home? If so, did you know that you could be heating your property in a much more efficient manner? There are a large number of homeowners across the country that are still using storage heaters instead of radiators, and there are a number of disadvantages that are associated with this. Not only are storage heaters inefficient but they can be much more expensive and heat distribution is generally a lot poorer as well. With that being said, continue reading to discover everything you need to know about replacing your storage heaters with radiators.
What are the issues with storage heaters?
There are a large number of people who use storage heaters for their home, or they have acquired a property that already has heaters installed. If this applies to you, we definitely recommend that you install radiators instead. There are a number of reasons why this is the case.
One of the main reasons is that storage heaters are designed to run on the Economy 7 tariff. This can be quite misleading. A lot of people believe that this is going to save them money because of the term economy. However, this is not the case. You only make savings if you use your storage heater during the off-peak hours. Therefore, depending on your energy needs and usage, storage heaters can actually end up being very expensive. You’re only going to get the cheap rates during the seven hours on an evening. Throughout the remaining 17 hours, you are going to be charged much higher rates. A lot of homeowners find that this is a lot more expensive.
In addition to this, heat distribution is another area whereby storage heaters lack. You are going to have no control over the distribution of heat if you go down this route. This means that the heat can be a lot more uncomfortable. You may have a lot of heat in one part of the room and then the other part of the room is freezing cold. Combine this with the expense that comes with having your storage heaters turned up high during peak hours, and it is not hard to see why this isn’t a great choice.
Electric Radiators Vs Storage Heaters
Rather than be fixed to work on a schedule based on Economy 7 hours, Electric Radiators can be used as and when you need them. There is a lot more flexibility with your central heating system and it means that you don’t need to have an electrical appliance running when you don’t need it.
Our electric heaters are fitted with a 24/7 thermostat. You can programme your electric heater to your optimum temperature and set each electric radiator to come on when you need them. Storage heaters are built to store heat during the night when the tariff is cheaper, then released during the day. This leaves a period where the heater isn’t heating the room efficiently.
Electric heaters are also much more economical than storage heaters, to the point that many electric providers won’t provide your home with a smart meter if your property makes use of them. Electric radiators are therefore more efficient, more friendly for the environment and cheaper to run.
How to remove your storage heaters and replace them with electric radiators
The best thing to do is get an electrician to remove your storage heaters for you. This is because it is not a simple matter of disconnecting the heaters from the wall. This is because storage heaters are always directly hardwired into the wall, meaning it is never as straightforward as taking the plug out of the socket.
Your electrician is going to need to rewire or remove off-peak circuits, convert the sockets for your storage heater into regular sockets, earth and install circuit breakers where needed, as well as test, write a report, and provide a certificate. This can take between one and two hours per storage heater, so do keep this in mind. Your electrician should also be able to dispose of your storage heater safely as well, which is another benefit of using their service.
In terms of installing your new electric radiators, this is something your electrician will also be able to assist with, especially if you’re opting for the wall-mounted kind. They will mark where the brackets will go, drilling holes in as and where needed, and they will then be able to screw the mounting brackets onto the wall and hang your radiator accordingly. They will fix the radiator safely into place as well. Of course, this may be something you want to do yourself if you feel competent in doing so. If not, it is always best to hire an electrician.
As you can see, there are many benefits that are associated with replacing your storage heater with a radiator.
We can remove and replace your storage heaters for you
Our team includes experienced and certified electricians who can safely remove your old storage heaters and also fit replacement electric radiators for you. We’ll make sure everything is done in a safe, efficient, and effective manner. We provide free surveys where we can provide a quote for all work. We will be more than happy to help you in any way that we can.