Electric radiators This not only reduces running costs but saves energy and minimises the environmental footprint of your home. For this reason, they're one of the most popular options for replacing storage heaters.
A heat pump (air to air, aka air conditioning) is a great replacement for storage heaters. New IoT storage heaters and the new wiring needed would've costed more than my heat pump.
There is no point changing storage heaters unless the ones you have are damaged/defective or too small for the space. The cost savings just don't exist. Electric heating is all basically 100% efficient with any savings coming from just turning it off/down - something you could surely manage yourself!
Modern storage heaters are far more effective and there's no sign of them being taken off the market any time soon. The bigger question should be whether Economy 7 will be phased out. Without cheaper nighttime tariffs, storage heaters would be all but redundant.
While storage heaters can be cost-effective for those on specific electricity tariffs, their inability to provide heat on demand can be a limitation for some households. On the other hand, electric radiators offer immediate warmth. They can be more energy-efficient, making them an attractive option for modern homes.
Older storage heaters with manual controls can be less efficient and cost more to run. If you're thinking of replacing old storage heaters, you could: get a more modern storage heater - 'high heat retention' storage heaters are the most efficient.
Another alternative to using a space heater is using a duct booster fan. Duct booster fans are blower fans designed to increase airflow through the ductwork. They can be a great help for those hard-to-heat rooms.
The latest storage heater models have been improved in terms of how efficient and easy to control they are. New models can hold more heat for longer periods, and include better insulation to ensure heat is only released when it's needed (often via a fan-assisted system).
An Economy 7 tariff could help you save money if you use more electricity at night, for example for electric storage heaters, or to charge an electric vehicle (EV). Available on- and off-peak rates may vary, so you should shop around for the right deal.
The typical lifetime of a storage heater is 10 to 15 years. Parts can fail sooner. In newer 'Lot 20' models a second supply for the control circuits and typically a fan to disperse heat into the room. The background to this is Lot 20 - a piece of Europe wide legislation.
Adjust your output dial to suit your daily routine
To make the heat last all day, we recommend you leave the output dial on the minimum setting if you're out during the day. If it gets colder during the evening, turn the dial up higher to let the remaining heat escape faster.
Economy 10 is one example. It's similar to Economy 7, but offers – you've guessed it – 10 hours of cheaper electricity rather than seven. These cheaper hours are usually split into three different periods, so you get extra boosts of cheap electricity during the day. It needs an Economy 10 meter too.
Not only are they inefficient when it comes to heating homes but they're prone to malfunctions and can be expensive to maintain. In the long run upgrading to a more modern system is usually a smart financial decision.
The storage heater will have two power circuits, one for on-peak and one for off-peak (Economy 7) electricity and two power switches on the wall next to it . The off-peak switch is just a switch as it has a dedicated electricity circuit. The on-peak switch has a fuse as it is part of another electricity circuit.
As of 2023, the UK Government has indicated that the Economy 7 tariff is being phased out. This is in alignment with their plan to close all coal-based power plants by 2030. However, off-peak tariffs in general are not being phased out, though there might be changes in how they're managed.
An Economy 7 tariff is best suited to people who have electric storage heaters and a hot water tank. The idea is that you heat the electric storage heaters overnight and that they slowly emit the heat the next day, and that you heat all your hot water for the next day overnight too.
What can I do if I don't want an Economy 7 tariff? Just get in touch and ask us to switch your smart meter from 'Economy 7' mode.
The three main electric heating options for replacing old storage heaters are Smart High-Heat Retention Storage Heaters, Ceramic Core Electric Radiators (also known as clay core) and Thermal Fluid (oil filled) Electric Radiators. There are also other options available such as Infrared Heaters.
Storage heaters should usually be replaced about every ten years, so you may be thinking of updating to a newer model. If so, we have all the information you could need before making the upgrade.
You can take storage heaters to a recycling centre. Please note: before taking storage heaters to the recycling centre, you need to check whether it has an asbestos brick inside. This can be done by researching the product on the internet.
Electric radiators provide a much more modern experience in every way - their control, looks, heating technology and energy-efficiency are a cut above storage heaters in every way.
Conclusion. So, after looking at the different types of electric heaters available, due to its lower power-output, halogen heaters are the cheapest electric heaters to run. Shop our range of Halogen Heaters here .
Sealed combustion heaters are much safer to operate than other types of space heaters, and operate more efficiently because they do not draw in the heated air from the room and exhaust it to the outdoors. They are also less likely to backdraft and adversely affect indoor air quality.