Updated: Sep 26, 2023
In many incidence storage heaters can be a beneficial asset to your home, this guide aims to convey what storage heaters are, how one can use them and what sort of cost they are.
What are storage heaters?
Storage heaters store heat using off-peak energy. What makes them do that? By warming interior ceramic bricks at night, when the National Grid is less stressed. The following day, they gradually release heat.
Due to their excellent insulation, storage heaters can retain heat for a considerable amount of time. You’ll probably pay less for your energy and have lower bills because they use off-peak electricity, which is less expensive than ordinary rate electricity.
How to use your storage heater?
Controls for storage heaters are often located on the top of the heater. Unless there is a cold snap, you shouldn’t need to mess about with the dials much after you’ve discovered the ideal heat setting.
The two settings you’ll most frequently utilise for storage heaters are as follows:
The main factor in determining your operating expenses is input, which regulates the amount of heat retained during off-peak hours. As a general guideline, set the input to low in warm weather and to a higher setting to store more heat in colder conditions.
The heater’s output determines how much heat is released into the space. Make sure the output switch is lowered or off at night or when you’re away from home to prevent heat loss.
How much do storage heaters cost?
The cost of storage heaters varies greatly based on the type and brand you select. Modern variants can cost up to £400, although basic ones start at about £150.
Storage heaters that cost more money typically have higher operating efficiencies.
If there is already wiring in place, installing a replacement storage heater typically costs around £70, however, if new wire is required or if the installation is new, the cost will be higher. Location affects prices. We offer eco storage heaters via the eco4 scheme if you cannot afford one. Please check your eligibility here.
What are the benefits of storage heaters?
Flexible Sizing and Placement Options: Storage heaters come in various sizes, allowing you to choose the right capacity for each room’s heating requirements. Additionally, their standalone nature means they can be placed strategically for optimal heat distribution in each room.
Low Maintenance Needs: Because storage heaters typically have fewer parts than other heating systems, they require less maintenance. The heating components may often be kept operating efficiently with routine cleaning and sporadic examinations.
Storage heaters do not require a chimney or special ventilation system: In contrast to some conventional heating systems. They become a simpler alternative for many properties as a result of the necessity for less additional building work.
Independent Heating: Storage heaters offer an independent heating alternative for homes not linked to the gas grid because they only use energy. In rural or distant places where access to gas infrastructure is constrained or non-existent, this might be helpful.
Less Noise Pollution: Storage heaters work quietly, decreasing noise pollution in your house because they don’t rely on fans or air circulation to deliver heat.
Potential for Low Carbon Emissions: Compared to heating systems that rely on fossil fuels, storage heaters can help places where power is produced mostly from renewable sources with regard to carbon emissions.
Comfortable and Even Heat Distribution: Storage heaters gently release heat throughout the day, bringing your living space’s temperature under control and more uniformly. This may result in a comfortable setting free from the rapid temperature changes that certain other heating systems frequently cause.
Storage heaters do not require ductwork: or plumbing to deliver heat, in contrast to central heating systems that do. As a result, the heat delivered to the rooms where they are installed is more effective than if you were concerned about heat loss through ducts or pipes.
Smart Controls and Energy Management: Many contemporary storage heaters are equipped with programmable thermostats and smart controls. This enables you to create personalised heating plans that correspond to your daily patterns, ensuring that rooms are warm enough when you need them while using less energy when they are empty.
Reduced Fire risks: Unlike gas heaters and wood-burning stoves, storage heaters don’t use open flames or flammable fuels, which lowers the danger of fire risks. They are therefore a safer alternative for homes, particularly those who have kids or pets.
Storage heaters don’t require a boiler or fuel storage: which might take up precious space in a building. Instead, they run entirely on electricity. Storage heaters are therefore perfect for small homes or flats.
Easy upgrading: Installing storage heaters in an existing structure may be rather straightforward, particularly if power is already there. Due to its simplicity of installation, you may quickly modify your heating system without undertaking extensive modifications.
Why can storage heaters be environmentally friendly?
Integration with Renewable Energy
By integrating storage heaters with renewable energy sources, the eco-efficiency of these devices may be further increased. Storage heaters can be used in conjunction with solar or wind energy systems to store surplus electricity as heat, offering a green and sustainable heating option.
Long lifespan
Storage heaters have a reasonably long lifespan when kept up with, and their waste is kept to a minimum. In comparison to certain other heating systems that have shorter lifespans or create non-recyclable components, this means they don’t need to be changed as frequently, resulting in less waste.
Programmable thermostats and timers
These are precise heating controls that are included in contemporary storage heaters. With the help of these cutting-edge controls, customers may create customised heating programmes that fit their daily schedules and occupancy patterns.
Energy waste is reduced by pre-programming the heaters to shut off or limit heat output when rooms are empty. This degree of control makes sure that energy is only utilised when it is required, leading to additional energy savings and improved environmental efficiency.
Utilising off-peak energy
Storage heaters’ capacity to benefit from off-peak energy rates is one of the main reasons they are regarded as environmentally friendly. When demand for power is lower during off-peak hours, electricity providers frequently offer lower rates. Storage heaters release the heat they store from this less expensive power during the daytime when there is a greater need for it.
Storage heaters work to balance the load on the electrical grid by using off-peak electricity, which eliminates the need for peak power generation, which frequently uses fossil fuels. The usage of storage heaters can greatly reduce carbon emissions and advance a more sustainable energy system in areas where off-peak electricity is produced from renewable sources.
What are some of the disadvantages?
Less heat control than other systems
Storage heaters can be designed to emit heat at specified times, but they don’t have the same level of fine-grained control that some other heating systems can. It can be difficult to attain ideal comfort without human modifications in areas where occupants have changing heating demands throughout the day, such as in offices with fluctuating occupancy or in families with members who have diverse schedules.
Seasonal Inefficiency
Storage heaters work better in cold areas when heating is needed continuously and for an extended period of time. The stored heat may not be fully utilised in areas with mild winters or during transitional seasons, resulting in energy waste. In these circumstances, using alternative heating techniques like heat pumps or electric radiators may be more cost-effective.
At UK Energy Management we understand that storage heaters can be expensive which is why we offer the eco4 scheme in order to fund eco storage heaters. You can find out more via contacting us.
