• Home
  • DIY
    • Self build
    • Projects and advice
      • Bathroom
      • Building, brickwork and masonry
      • Ceilings
      • Cleaning
      • Concrete work
      • Damp, rot and infestation
      • Drains
      • Electrical
      • Fireplaces
      • Floors
      • Garden
      • Heating
      • Insulation
      • Kitchen
      • Lighting
      • Lofts
      • Painting and decorating
      • Plasterwork
      • Plumbing
      • Roof and guttering
      • Safety
      • Security
      • Tiling
      • Walls
      • Windows
      • Woodwork
    • Glossary
    • Know your tools
    • Know your materials
  • Cost guides
    • DIY & self build
    • Pets
    • Health & wellbeing
    • Home & garden
  • News
  • Community
Facebook Twitter Instagram
lets-do-diy.com
  • Home
  • DIY
    • Self build
    • Projects and advice
      • Bathroom
      • Building, brickwork and masonry
      • Ceilings
      • Cleaning
      • Concrete work
      • Damp, rot and infestation
      • Drains
      • Electrical
      • Fireplaces
      • Floors
      • Garden
      • Heating
      • Insulation
      • Kitchen
      • Lighting
      • Lofts
      • Painting and decorating
      • Plasterwork
      • Plumbing
      • Roof and guttering
      • Safety
      • Security
      • Tiling
      • Walls
      • Windows
      • Woodwork
    • Glossary
    • Know your tools
    • Know your materials
  • Cost guides
    • DIY & self build
    • Pets
    • Health & wellbeing
    • Home & garden
  • News
  • Community
lets-do-diy.com
You are at:Home»Projects and advice»Storage heaters

Storage heaters

Summary: advantages of electric storage heaters and disadvantages of electric storage heaters.


Electric storage heaters

Storage heaters are electric heating systems that use power supplied at night to heat up clay bricks, which in turn release heat throughout the following day. The benefits of using heat retaining bricks are that the night time use of electricity, when on the Economy 7 tariff, saves money for the user as it is cheaper than the daytime alternative.

The bricks are made of high density clay (or alternative ceramic material), which is very good for retaining heat. The storage heater can be set up so it automatically releases heat when temperatures drop. You can also manually control the amount of heat put into the bricks and the amount released by the bricks on a day to day basis.

Advantages:

  • The cost saving aspect of using a storage heater is a positive for homeowners looking to spend less. It is particularly cheaper than the usual gas alternatives, when used on the cheap-rate Economy 7 tariff. Other types of electrical heating may not be so financially beneficial, however.
  • Heat is being emitted both day and night, which means you will not wake up to a cold house early in the morning and you won’t have to think much about saving money by switching off the heating.
  • The electrical aspect of the heater means that gas is not required. This could be important for areas that are not distributed with gas.
  • The installation is quicker and cheaper than gas or other systems. No pipes or flues are needed.
  • There is very little, if any maintenance required for a storage heater.

Disadvantages:

  • If heat is no longer required in your house, the storage heater emits it anyway due to the fact that it needs to lose the heat that has been stored in the clay bricks. Conversely, if not enough heat has been stored in the bricks and the weather suddenly turns cold, electricity on the full price tariff will have to be used.
  • The controls of the heater can be misused easily. If the output control is left on overnight, heat will not be stored in the bricks as required; the heat will be spent into the rooms instead of being stored.
  • The large size and weight of the storage heater due to the bricks used can make them an unwanted central heating option.

Related projects

  • Combi-boilers
  • Ground source heat pumps
  • Air source heat pumps
  • Gas central heating systems
  • Electric central heating systems

Related cost guides

  • Average air heat pump cost
  • Average asbestos removal costs
  • Average barn conversion costs
  • Average basement cost
  • Average boiler cost
  • Average cavity wall insulation cost
  • Average underfloor heating cost
  • Average central heating cost
  • Average chimney repair costs
  • Average cost of a greenhouse
  • Average cost of a hot tub
Recent Comments
  • Ted on Product Review: Erbauer ERO400 125mm electric random orbital sander
  • Vic on Is Christmas a good time for DIY?
  • Anonymous on Average air source heat pump cost (2022)
  • Reggie on Prepare your home for moth season
Latest News
1

Product Review: Erbauer ERO400 125mm electric random orbital sander

0

Product Review: DeWalt DCF787 brushless cordless impact driver

0

The UK’s ambitious drive towards energy efficiency – Exploring the pros and cons of heat pump systems

0

Potential DIY home improvement trends for 2023

Popular Guides

Average carpet installation cost

Average garage conversion costs

Average cost of fitted wardrobes

Average damp proofing costs

Popular Projects

Tiling on tiles

How to unblock a drain

Carpet laying

Creating a garden path

DIY Categories
Bathroom
Building, brickwork and masonry
Ceilings
Cleaning
Concrete work
Damp, rot and infestation
Drains
Electrical
Fireplaces
Floors
Garden
Heating
Insulation
Kitchen
Lighting
Lofts
Painting and decorating
Plasterwork
Plumbing
Roof and guttering
Safety
Security
Tiling
Walls
Windows
Woodwork

Self Build Guide
How to find a building plot
Evaluating a building plot (2023)
How to get a self build mortgage
Self build construction options
Self build architect and design considerations (2023)
Self build planning permission and legal consents
© 2023 lets do diy ltd | ebuild | Partner site:talkcosts.co.uk
  • Home
  • About
  • Contact us

Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.