Which electric heaters

[Auntpetunia2015]

Hello after some advice. Moving in the summer to an all electric flat. Currently heated by 2 huge ancient storage heaters and a tank with an immersion.

I’m trying to find out what’s the best new way to heat the flat using electric should I stick with storeage heaters or move to a combination of electric radiators and storage. Also I need to upgrade the cylinder and would like to move it if possible. Anyone know if this is a big job? Never used storage heaters or immersion’s. Have no idea how it’s going to work. All help and advice gratefully received.

all electric heaters have the same efficiency so don't be taken in by the claims of magic. Advertising standards have sat on them but they don't listen.

old storage heaters may not have good controls but a brick is a brick.

if you are all electric it will cost more, end of. Storage heaters do work if you use them properly and have the correct tariff - that will take some getting so make enquiries about economy 7 at least, ideally economy 10.

an immersion heater is usually 3kw and so will cost 3 x your unit rate per hour to run. Look up the GCSE physics calculation of energy needed to heat up water and that will tell you the cost of heating a tank.

with a hot water tank, don't run little bits of hot water as that is wasteful. Heat the water and then do your washing up in one go.

Wow thanks specialsubject lots to think about. I’m still not sure if I should have storage albeit new ones of maybe one or two storeage and the rest electric radiators. We’ve got a lot to learn.

I’ll ask dd about the gcse physics..that’s next weeks exam I think.

Back again, been told maybe get a Combi electric boiler...this sounds mad to me as i think it will be dead expensive to run. Anyone know if I’m right ?

Those old storage heaters are enormous, I used to have some. New ones are much more slimline and have better controls, so if space saving is a consideration you may want to change them.
Re the immersion heater, the best way to operate it is with a timer, which of course it has probably got. I used to run mine for an hour early am and an hour early evening and that was fine, but I was living on my own then.
I don't think an electric boiler would be any saving from what I've heard about them.

off-peak electricity is about half the price of peak rate. So if you can run your immersion heater and storage heaters at half-price it is worth doing.

See what tariffs are available in your area. Some to an evening or afternoon top-up period which is very handy, for example tumble drier, which is power-hungry.

The cost of running your non-heating appliances is trivial, unless your ceilings are festooned with dozens of halogen downlighters and spots.

Piglet John. Thank you. So do you agree storeage heaters on economy 7 or at least a rate that’s cheaper at night with an immersion in a cylinder? I need a new cylinder any recommendations?

See what your incoming water flow is. Fill a bucket at your kitchen cold tap, time it, calculate litres per minute delivered. Now do the same at the bath hot and cold taps. They may be different. To see what the plumbing design is, try blocking the kitchen cold tap with your thumb. It should be impossible. Now try it at the bathroom taps. It may be much easier.

If your flat is modern it is possible it might be enough for an unvented.

Modern practice is for a large cylinder that will hold enough for a day's use. The insulation is so good that you should fully heat it at your cheap rate. With a well-insulated cylinder, it is correct to have the timer "on" all through the cheap period, no need to restrict it to an hour or something. As soon as your cylinder reaches its target temperature the thermostat will turn off the power. It's not like an oven which keeps going on and off to maintain the temperature. An immersion heats water at a rate of about 1 litre per minute.

What colour is your existing cylinder? Has it got a matching cold tank fixed to the top?

It’s a brown cylinder with a red padded coat held on by string. Looks like a dalek! The Flat is a 60s tower with apparently a cold water tank somewhere else and then my hot water tank in a cupboard in my kitchen. I have no idea about any of this. Pressure at sinks is good haven’t tried bath though.

The flow (litres per minute) is important.

Not the same as pressure.

Ok thanks I’m not at the Flat now till next week so I’ll do that test then. And get back to you if that’s ok?

Hi pigletjohn. So I filled a 10 litre bucket at the kitchen sink cold in 28 seconds. In the bath cold 21seconds and bath hot at 27 seconds. I couldn’t stop any of the water flow with my thumb without spraying water everywhere. Does any of that make sense ?

yes, it shows that you have good water flow and pressure, most likely from a modern rising main in the building, though I suppose it could be a tank high up (higher than a normal house).

I am rather surprised that a copper water cylinder with jacket is at such high pressure, unless it has a shower pump (which you should be able to hear). Usually you can stop the hot water from such a cylinder with your thumb. You do not have the safety devices found on unvented cylinders.

In your position I would be thinking about a modern unvented cylinder, quite big, with an immersion heater at the bottom controlled by a timer so it heats the whole cylinder at offpeak cheap times, and an immersion heater at the top, manually controlled, for topping up at full price if the hot water runs out during the day, and you can't wait for the offpeak supply to start.

You need a trusted heating engineer or plumber with the G3 qualification for unvented cylinders. Not all are qualified. Gas fitters more often have it. Personal recommendation is best, from someone you know who will let you visit their home and see the work.. Cheque Her Traid is a paid advertising site, not a personal recommendation.

The installer should check your findings and test the pressure and flow before making a recommendation. Somebody who has previously worked in your building should already know the layout. The pressure might vary by time of day (lowest when many occupants are using water).

Thank you so much. Yeah I have a Plumber who is gas safe and knows the building. We’re stoll currently fighting cadent about getting the gas installed but if not I’m going to stick with your recommendations for a tank and storeage heaters . Any recommendations on which are best ?