Would you install these instead of storage heaters?

[CravingSleep]

We live in an 80s ex council house in a mixed estate. Our road is the only road without gas supplied. (I realise this affects the value of the property but that was how we could afford to buy when we did).

We have 2 storage heaters that could easily be the original ones. One works fine the other gives minimal heat. I'm not a fan of storage heating but it has been unbelievably cheap to run compared to our previous gas heated flat. (We don't use them until winter, then fairly low, don't use hot water for periods at a time so don't heat tank overnight).

We could replace the hallway storage heater but our neighbours have installed this www.economy-radiators.com/electric-radiator-advice.html .
I know absolutely nothing about these type of things at all, and guess whichever firm I ask for advice will be biased towards their product. The neighbours are happy with it, but they moved in and didn't have any intention of using night storage heating. If we changed over we'd move off of economy 7 tarrif (which is currently saving us money due to storage heating).

We don't have a lot of money at all so £2000 is a lot to us - and it feels a lot to spend when we don't really understand electric, replacing a boiler is more understandable!

• Does anyone know of this firm/ this type of heating? Does it work out cost effective. The benefit of being able to control heating is of course huge but we don't want a HUGE increase in bills.
  
  
• We're aware our resale value is sadly limited by not having gas - but would this affect it in anyway? We were hoping that recent-electric heating would sound better than storage heating but both sound expensive to someone used to gas don't they?
  
  We'd love to move from here but until I'm back at work that's unlikely sadly.
  
  We can get gas connected to the house for a few hundred but as the house has no pipework for anything, no radiators, boiler, etc etc it would be thousands and thousands to contemplate.
  
  I'd appreciate any advice.

[PigletJohn]

you can try Southern Electric, they are trying to break into BG's market so may be a bit keener or have a special offer.

One of the advantages of a big company (although their workers are just as average as anyone else's) is that you can be fairly confident they won't go bust or run off with your money, and they can't really get away without honouring a guarantee. If one guy makes a mistake there's always someone you can complain to.

But try to get recommendations from friends and neighbours for a local independent. If you keep your eyes open, over the next year or so you will see some installers vans parked outside customers' houses. Ask for a card and write on the back of it the date, and the address they were working at. Six months later ask the householder for their opinion, most will be pleased to tell you, especially if you chat to them when you're walking by.

[Sunshine63]

I'm moving to a well insulated flat that has no gas supply but 15 year old storage heaters. As I need heat during the day and like warmth when I get up, these won't be the disaster that some people experience! I'm wondering, though, in view of their age, whether to replace one or two of them initially with newer models, perhaps with a boost function, so they won't run out of heat in the evening or simply get an inexpensive electric heater as back up when their heat runs out? The current owner of the flat does the latter. His bills aren't too bad although they're 20% higher than my current ones using gas heating.Of course, the electricity used by the back up heater will be on the day time tariff which is even more expensive than normal non Economy 7 tariff. Basically I'm asking if new storage heaters are more likely to provide evening heat than the older models and can I avoid paying an expensive rate for additional heating? The washing machine and dishwasher will have timers so they can be used at night, at least!

[specialsubject]

as you've asked - a storage heater is a brick that stores heat and so can only store so much. Newer heaters may have better controls. Same as 'magic electric heaters' when the thread was started; the laws of physics are not affected by advertising.

you can try to get economy 10 but it seems to be getting more difficult.

[DameDiazepamTheDramaQueen]

No, I wouldn't touch that company with a barge pole but we had a flat with storage heaters and we turned them off completely and used Argos convector heaters with timers on the plug, about 20 quid each and really economical, much cheaper than storage heaters.

[Lindsey2104]

I can't read this post :-(

[LiselotteHampton]

Lindsey - neither can I. It says 31 messages but I can't see any. Must be another IT problem.

[stillwearingaredribbon]

We had gas central heating with boiler fitted
Didn't have gas in prior
3 bed semi. It was done by a corgi registered plumber and cost around £3,500

[hAppyAlice20]

Hi, we bought our 1950's terraced ex council house last year. There was a very old woodburner which fired the central heating (although actually didn't do anything) didn't give off heat to the room or fire the radiators at all, so we took it out and put in a normal woodburner, which works great and keeps downstairs warm when lit. However we now need to decide on heating for the rest of thé house. There is no mains gas. What would people suggest? I've had one plumber , he seems to think lpg canisters in the garden would be best but seems a bit messy? Had wanted to avoid oil, but open to suggestions as honestly completely lost with all this! Someone suggested independent radiators or joule unvented cylinder (electric boiler) . It's starting to get cold so getting a bit desperate.
Don't plan on living here forever so also thinking about what would appeal to buyers in the future...bit confusing !