What shall I replace my storage heater with?

[frasier]

The (20 year old) storage heater has finally given up in my flat. It runs on Economy 7. I wanted to move it anyway because I'm having some storage built in where it is.

What should I replace it with? Another storage heater? Radiator? Is there such a thing as a heater that also blows cold (it's boiling in here today and we don't have a lot of room for an air conditioner as well).

Also, I took the storage heater out of my son's room long before he was born (used the room as an office) and will now have to replace it with something before it gets cold (he's been in with us but has his own room now). I'd rather not have something that gets hot in his reach.

Thanks in advance for any help.

I love my storage heaters so can only suggest that you replace your old one with a more modern version. You will definitely notice a difference in terms of thermostatic control and economy.
The storage heater in my living room has a fan heater built in that can be used independently. It seemed like a good idea at the time of purchase, but we’ve never had a need to use it, so the extra money we paid for it was a waste. It doesn’t have the facility to blow out cold air, but there may be one available that does.
Because I’m not a lover of heat in the bedrooms we have thermostatically controlled panel heaters which when we need heat are timed to come on just before we get up and go to bed. When it’s really cold we leave the ones in the children rooms on all night. This year you could count on one hand the number of times we’ve needed to do this as the house is well insulated and the storage heater we have on the landing seems to take the chill off generally.
Our panel heaters are wall fixed and don’t feel any hotter to the touch than a normal radiator. We are on an economy 7 tariff and haven’t found them expensive to run.

Wow the panel heaters sound fab. Thanks millY

Oh milly you’ve made me feel so much better about the fact I need storage heaters in my new flat. Everyone has told me it’ll be awful but you sound so positive. Can I detail OPs thread and ask which ones you’ve got?

Panel heaters normally run on peak-rate electricity which costs about twice as much as the off-peak used by storage heaters and by immersion heaters with a time control.

Storage heaters give off most of their heat during the day, they will be running out by early evening so are not much good for people who go out to work.

If you no longer use off-peak electricity you should probably change your supply tariff to single rate, as there is an extra charge for an Economy supply.

Panel heaters get quite hot on top, especially if airflow is obstructed, and can ignite flammable objects that fall or are placed on top, such as socks, towels, loose papers, and curtains. I favour oil-filled radiators which only get about as hot as a mug of tea. In a child's room you should fasten any heater to the wall so it can't fall over.

Thanks piglet John. My concern is like you’ve just said. I’m out at work during the day the Flat is gonna be cold when I get home with no heat left in storage heaters. Thought maybe if I put them on low during the day they will have heat left ?

storage heaters usually have two "controls"

One to adjust the amount of heat that goes into the bricks

And another that opens or closes a flap allowing the warm air to come out of the top, and by convection, cold air to enter at the bottom. Closing the flaps slows the release of heat, more modern ones might perhaps have better insulation in the outer case to reduce the amount of heat that escapes when you have shut the flap.

Find out what the hours of service are on your Economy tariff. It might be shown on the bill, or if you look on your electricity supplier's website or phone them. Some are available with an afternoon or evening top up, which would be useful for you. As well as topping up the storage, it might enable you to turn on your panel heaters during that hour or so and warm the flat some more.

If it is a modern flat, insulation should be quite good, and you will receive heat from your neighbours below, coming up through the floor.

How big is your hot-water cylinder, and what colour?

Can you see what your electricity usage was in the month of May (which was quite warm)? The meter readings usage, not the charge on the bill, which may be quite different.

Just to say, we have storage heaters (and electric hot water as well), and recently replaced old heaters with new ones. So long as you use them correctly (I understand many people don't), size them right for your space and are well insulated, they are absolutely fine. Our bills are OK and our home warm all year round.

We have economy 9 (extra two hour boost in the afternoon) which is an unusual tariff and always have heat in the evening if we need it.

PigletJohn This is my cylinder..I don’t have readings as I havent moved in yet. I’m planning on replacing this but not sure what with or what’s best.

Pics hopefully this time

you have an old low-pressure cylinder with an electric immersion heater at the top. More than 30 years old, I'd say.

You will do better with a more modern cylinder, much better insulated and probably bigger, with an immersion heater going into the side at the bottom so it will heat all the water at the off-peak overnight rate, and preferably another immersion element near the top so it can heat small amounts of water quite quickly, if the hot runs out during the day and you turn it on manually. A bath takes around 100 litres of water. An immersion element heats water at the rate of about 1 litre per minute, but only heats the water at its own level and above in the cylinder, due to convection, after which the thermostat turns it off.

Good modern insulation cuts the cost of heating a cylinder, and would stay hot for more than 24 hours (if not used).

Measure the height and diameter of yours and I can estimate its capacity, though a top-mounted immersion will usually not reach the bottom so you will not get full heating.

As it is low-pressure, there must be a cold tank, either in your flat (near the ceiling) or perhaps a shared one in the loft space.