Replacing Storage heaters help needed

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I have old Dimplex storage heaters over 35 years old, there on thier last legs and expensive to run.
At some point in the next couple of years I am hoping to have gas central heating installed but until I do I need to replace the storage heaters.
What are my cheapest to buy and run options and would the panel heaters suffice?.
I live in a basic 3 bedroom semi I just need something temp, cheap'ish, with a timer and thermostat. I looked at some of the glass panel 2kw but i honestly don't know the running cost and if they throw enough off for a living room and kitchen both roughly 4m x 5m.
Any tips or links would be greatly appreciated
 
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As mainly about plumbing here, not sure how much good advice you'll get... Any involvement with storage heaters by us tradesmen here, is when we're ripping them out to install wet CH, however...

Have you done any calcs to work out if buying, installing and running new heaters is going to save you money over using the existing ones for a couple more years? If the existing do actually still work? Define "last legs"!

That's the first thought I had when reading your question!
 
Hi,
I haven't done the calculations mine was a general enquiry regarding panel and newer electric storage heaters cost etc.
As for last legs?, theyve had endless parts replaced to keep them running the list is endless from vents to elements etc.

I'm saying in a couple of years before GCH but theres no saying that will be the case. Right now I cannot afford to run and maintain my current storage heaters any longer. If I had £3500+ for full GHC then I wouldn't be asking around for advice on electric heaters..
I know what your saying but if you ain't got it you ain't got it
Thanks
 
I have old Dimplex storage heaters over 35 years old, there on thier last legs and expensive to run.
At some point in the next couple of years I am hoping to have gas central heating installed but until I do I need to replace the storage heaters.
What are my cheapest to buy and run options and would the panel heaters suffice?.
I live in a basic 3 bedroom semi I just need something temp, cheap'ish, with a timer and thermostat. I looked at some of the glass panel 2kw but i honestly don't know the running cost and if they throw enough off for a living room and kitchen both roughly 4m x 5m.
Any tips or links would be greatly appreciated

It kind of depends on your living style.

For people working a normal 9 to 5, storage heaters are terrible, because they might heat up overnight on economy 7 but release their heat when the house is empty.

You might find cheap panel heaters would be best -quick reacting. Or you could get oil filled rads -slower reacting but hold heat for longer.
Have you done all the basics for insulation, stopping draughts etc.

Maybe you should add up the cost of replacing your storage heaters against putting the money towards central heating, if its a capital cost issue do a comparison against a loan.

Maybe you want rid of the bulky storage heaters to redecirate the rooms, but dont want the disruption of central heating yet - in which case maybe get a heating engineers to give you quote and talk through whats involved, where the boiler etc will go.
 
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Just buy the GCH on a instalment plan. The savings of gas over electric heating will pay the instalments.
 
something else to consider, your storage heaters will be most likely wired into an off peak supply, so it is not just a case of replacing them with panel heaters or they wont work, can you not get one of the many companies that are offering finance , some 0% to quote you for gas CH, the offset on the fuel bills would possibly pay your repayments, snap @RayCaister we were typing at the same time
 
To reiterate the above...

You need the "heat on" and finance sounds like your best option. Better to invest in the system that's going to give you what you need for years to come, rather than sinking £'s into obsoletion. :)
 
The whole idea of storage heaters was to use off peak power, the problem with calculating costs is it depends on how much you save by using off peak power.

If you used a simple plug in timer and a thermostat controlled fan heater it could well save money, but that also depends on the insulation in the house, basic idea is faster the heater warms the room, the less time heater needs to run before using the room, so the more efficient the heater is.

So if it takes 1 hour to heat a room which will be used for 1 hour, the heater is 50% efficient, if it takes ½ hour then 67% efficient, also of course if takes an hour and room used for 2 hours also 67% efficient. Does not matter what heater is used, it is down to speed heating the room, so in the main circulation fans allow the room to be heated faster, however in a old single glazed house, often the air next to window stays cool, stir up the air, and the widow will allow more heat to be lost outside. And of course also there is the noise.

So heater wants to be light so heat is not stored in the unit, but as instant as possible, the fastest is likely inferred, however it is hard to control, heat pumps are clearly better than simple resistive, but cost to install is rather high.

The chimney effect can cause the heater to circulate air without a fan being used, old idea of element in bottom of a box vents at top and bottom so air is sent around the room, but clearly does not work if a stair case in the room. The old bar electric fire combines inferred with convected, so something like this
1366401641-68634500.jpg
combines the two with no noise so is likely the cheapest to run using as low purchase price, but not what I would want in my house, mainly as I don't think they are safe, so there is a trade off, what they look like, if safe to leave unattended, and how efficient, as a stand by I have two oil filled heaters, not the most efficient as they take time to heat up, but they are reasonable safe to leave unattended.
 
The house installation is fine, upvc double glazed, cavity and loft installation in place. It's just the cost of the storage heaters plus at teatime to late evening they are virtually cold just when I need them, bare in mind they are 30+ years old.
It's just the cost of running them and then been cold till were in bed they sweating like mad while they heat up.
My credit score won't allow for payment plans and I can't put my hands on GCH for a couple of years when I can release funds.

In an ideal world I would have GCH but alas right now that's not an option. Replacing the storage I'm using (3 out the 5) so I can set timers and temps.
I'm leaning towards electric radiators rather than panel/convection heaters on what I've read but I'm not sure good from bad.
 
Sorry my friend but its financial help you need... and I do believe you would be able to find a solution, from the right source.

Storage heaters on low overnight tariff just does not fit the bill! Electric is always going to cost you more to run and that cost is front loaded by the initial purchase - to get it heating during the periods you need will cost even more for peak times!

Do you own or rent the property?
Depending on which, approach mortgage provider, landlord or council! There may well be some grants available that you could apply for!
 
There has been no great improvement in efficiency in electric heating so you can’t save any money by swopping you current set up for anything new .
 
So basically fox what your saying is that by replacing 3 of the 5 very old storage heaters that don't hold heat not even teatime and I have spent a fair few quid on having parts replaced that a new electric heater with thermostat and timer as a temp measure so you can set the heat when needed till I can afford new GHC there will be no saving ?

Grant's are a total waste of time I'm not on benefits but that was not my question or I would have applied and I wouldn't be asking.

My question was regarding changing out old knackered inefficient storage heaters. I just need something to improve my heating and cut my electric and storage maintenance bill.

I'm not sure which electric radiators to buy and were from and which are the most efficient

It was more if a product question rather than how to heat my property. I cannot afford ghc right now and I would like to watch MOTD with no jacket on
 
new electric heater with thermostat and timer as a temp measure so you can set the heat when needed
you have missed my point, you can not just replace a storage heater with an on demand heater, there will be no electrical supply except at night when the off peak kicks in, you will have to get them rewired, or it is possible to alter the supply wiring at the meter but not a DIY job
 
I have old Dimplex storage heaters over 35 years old, there on thier last legs and expensive to run.
At some point in the next couple of years I am hoping to have gas central heating installed but until I do I need to replace the storage heaters.
What are my cheapest to buy and run options and would the panel heaters suffice?.
I live in a basic 3 bedroom semi I just need something temp, cheap'ish, with a timer and thermostat. I looked at some of the glass panel 2kw but i honestly don't know the running cost and if they throw enough off for a living room and kitchen both roughly 4m x 5m.
Any tips or links would be greatly appreciated

All electric heaters are equally efficient so you might as well buy the cheapest. For a single room, oil filled radiators are the safest (won't start a fire even if a curtain or newspaper falls on them), quiet, and give an even heat for comfort.

But energy from electricity costs four or five times as much as energy from gas, so, if you have gas available, electric is an uneconomical choice.
 
There are so many variables to this request that it impossible and futile to attempt to answer.
 

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