Modern storage heaters
Discussion
We're currently house-hunting and one house we've looked at has had the radiators taken out and replaced with storage heaters as well as solar panels and some batteries at the same time. My knowledge of storage heaters is that they're the things old people had in their houses 30 years ago, have they improved recently?
I'm not sure if they're a good thing or bad to have in a house! We both work from home so will need heating in the daytime if that's useful information.
The estate agent blurb just says "Energy-efficient features added in 2024, including solar panels and a WiFi-controlled heating system, reducing running costs and supporting modern, sustainable living", these are the only images I can find from the rightmove photos:
I'm not sure if they're a good thing or bad to have in a house! We both work from home so will need heating in the daytime if that's useful information.
The estate agent blurb just says "Energy-efficient features added in 2024, including solar panels and a WiFi-controlled heating system, reducing running costs and supporting modern, sustainable living", these are the only images I can find from the rightmove photos:
Electric heating is usually a bad idea, read much more expensive than oil or gas. But if it is powered by "free" renewable sources then that's a bit different. You would want to look very carefully at the bills and any money recouped from the grid from oversupply. I'd be wary but it might be doable. How the power is deployed depends on your choice. Storage heaters can only be basically what you remember with more modern features like wifi control etc or there are oil filled radiators. They work fine but are expensive usually. So look carefully
DKL said:
Electric heating is usually a bad idea, read much more expensive than oil or gas. But if it is powered by "free" renewable sources then that's a bit different. You would want to look very carefully at the bills and any money recouped from the grid from oversupply. I'd be wary but it might be doable. How the power is deployed depends on your choice. Storage heaters can only be basically what you remember with more modern features like wifi control etc or there are oil filled radiators. They work fine but are expensive usually. So look carefully
It will only be powered by 'free renewable resources' for a few months in the summer.It's expensive unless you can power it only on cheap off-peak electricity.
It can work, on an extremely well insulated home, where you save by not having a boiler and its servicing costs.
Are those even storage heaters? They don't look big enough to store any heat.
My father last year replaced 25yr old storage heaters in his flat with new ones. Much better as they can sense room temp, clever timing for using off peak energy costs, and more. It's knocked about 20% off his electric bill.
However, any storage heater will cost more than a heat pump or gas. Insulation and airtightness needed.
However, any storage heater will cost more than a heat pump or gas. Insulation and airtightness needed.
My first house had storage heaters. Wherever the electricity comes from, the great disadvantage is lack of controllability. They're designed to load up with cheap energy then dissipate it over the next 12-24 hours. Whether you like it or not.
Frankly in your shoes it would put be off buying, despite all the EA soundbytes. I suspect the current owner just got suckered in on a 'green deal save the planet' scheme. Interesting that they invested a huge amount in it only last year, but are now moving. I certainly wouldn't pay a premium for it.
Frankly in your shoes it would put be off buying, despite all the EA soundbytes. I suspect the current owner just got suckered in on a 'green deal save the planet' scheme. Interesting that they invested a huge amount in it only last year, but are now moving. I certainly wouldn't pay a premium for it.
Night storage heaters have improved in recent years, we’ve fitted 100’s of these in our rentals -
https://www.dimplex.co.uk/products/installed-heati...
https://www.dimplex.co.uk/products/installed-heati...
Simpo Two said:
My . Wherever the electricity comes from, the great disadvantage is lack of controllability. They're designed to load up with cheap energy then dissipate it over the next 12-24 hours. Whether you like it or not.
That's not necessarily the case. My father's sense room temperature and have weather forecasts. 18 years ago I lived in a house with THTC storage heaters - where Scottish Power looked at weather and reduced or increased how much energy they took in.
My father's ones are also insulated. Any energy not used that day is stored for next day.
As I said, they've saved about 20% off his bill. He's lived there 15+ years so knows his bills well.
My son had storage heaters in his last flat. Worked well but really expensive. £200 a month and he was hardly there. Storage heaters by there very nature are designed to store heat from lower cost electric at night and release it during the day, not sure how that would work with solar.
Many properties need modern storage heaters now for increasing EPC. For the particular house, you do need to look at how they actually made the overall system, it might be good or bad.
I had storage heaters in my first flat, they were more bulky but also attached to the wall. I think they were great and I'm also looking to replace one of my rentals with storage in a few years, EPC and in general low costs.
I had storage heaters in my first flat, they were more bulky but also attached to the wall. I think they were great and I'm also looking to replace one of my rentals with storage in a few years, EPC and in general low costs.
My in laws had these fitted in an older house.
Electricity is around 4X more expensive than gas from the off and the solar provision will only be meaningful in the months when it’s least required (regards heating).
On the plus side, a lot of that gas energy is wasted transferring it from a gas to heat (in the the boiler) and then moving that heat around the house to where it’s needed (at the radiators).
On the top of that, a wet system needs a lot of approved / certified maintenance and a new boiler maybe every twenty years.
So it might be “only” twice as expensive or if like my in laws you tune the heaters in each room accurately to save energy on less occupied rooms, a little better. You can still do this with valves on a wet system but the heat has usually already been delivered via the supply pipe.
Electric heating is 100% efficient in comparison.
There should be little if any costs to maintain and no surprises annually with the lottery of service costs.
I wouldn’t discount on electric heating alone, but ask to see the historic heating bills.
It might be that it had a wet system in recent memory and you can compare the two (or if they have a neighbour with a similar house, be cheeky and ask what their traditional bills are, but be aware some folks like to sit at twenty degrees all day and some can live in a fridge!)
And if you really like the house, you can always install a gas system back in, even if just downstairs for minimum disruption to benefit from lower gas costs?
That would be a known cost via 3X quotes so work out how long you intend to stay and if it’s worth it?
Electricity is around 4X more expensive than gas from the off and the solar provision will only be meaningful in the months when it’s least required (regards heating).
On the plus side, a lot of that gas energy is wasted transferring it from a gas to heat (in the the boiler) and then moving that heat around the house to where it’s needed (at the radiators).
On the top of that, a wet system needs a lot of approved / certified maintenance and a new boiler maybe every twenty years.
So it might be “only” twice as expensive or if like my in laws you tune the heaters in each room accurately to save energy on less occupied rooms, a little better. You can still do this with valves on a wet system but the heat has usually already been delivered via the supply pipe.
Electric heating is 100% efficient in comparison.
There should be little if any costs to maintain and no surprises annually with the lottery of service costs.
I wouldn’t discount on electric heating alone, but ask to see the historic heating bills.
It might be that it had a wet system in recent memory and you can compare the two (or if they have a neighbour with a similar house, be cheeky and ask what their traditional bills are, but be aware some folks like to sit at twenty degrees all day and some can live in a fridge!)
And if you really like the house, you can always install a gas system back in, even if just downstairs for minimum disruption to benefit from lower gas costs?
That would be a known cost via 3X quotes so work out how long you intend to stay and if it’s worth it?
Edited by 996Type on Sunday 10th August 10:53
Rough101 said:
119 said:
That pic looks like a bog standard convector heater?
Indeed, storage heaters sit on the floor as they’re full of bricks, that being the thermal store.This is the property in question
https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/163816034#/...
But I'm not convinced the furniture in the photos is real, when we viewed it it was empty and was in a bit of a state.
I think it was built in the 1920s, from what I understand someone bought it in 2021 and started renovating it but died recently so obviously never finished so you have things like these new electric heaters in but the pipes for the old system are sticking out from the floorboards.
MesoForm said:
But I'm not convinced the furniture in the photos is real, when we viewed it it was empty and was in a bit of a state.
They're not, those are photoshopped in.The heaters look like reasonably modern electric radiators, but they're not storage heaters. I'll be honest though, if you're flush enough to be looking at a 700k house, I don't think you need to break sweat over your heating bills.
Horses for Courses. We wouldn't be without storage heaters in our holiday cottage, brilliant background heating for when we're not there much in winter, supported by a small wood burner when we are there. No maintenance and only 8p unit off peak. Leccy company has tried many times to get us onto a smart meter but our scenario dictates it's far cheaper not to.
They are modern electric panel heaters.
I have a place that is electric only that had horrible old storage heaters in it and when i renovated it I put in modern panel heaters that can controlled remotely and individually or as a whole system. When I am there in the winter I find that I heat individual rooms because heating the whole house would be absolutely prohibitive cost wise. Doesnt really make an issue if there is just 1-2 of you living there but if you have a family and there 100% the cost would be crazy. I guess with the solar this would come down dramatically.
I have a place that is electric only that had horrible old storage heaters in it and when i renovated it I put in modern panel heaters that can controlled remotely and individually or as a whole system. When I am there in the winter I find that I heat individual rooms because heating the whole house would be absolutely prohibitive cost wise. Doesnt really make an issue if there is just 1-2 of you living there but if you have a family and there 100% the cost would be crazy. I guess with the solar this would come down dramatically.
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