Replacing old storage heaters

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We've moved into a house (1930s detached, terrible energy rating and I suspect no insulation) that only has electric energy (immersion heater for hot water) and has old storage heaters. We knew the winter would be bad but didn't know it would be this bad. I turned just two on (to heat up at night and then let out heat during the day) and it doubled my electricity bill for the day and the house was still freezing.

So I'm starting to think we should find another solution quickly. Has anyone done the research recently on what the most economical would be - electric radiators, infra red, electric heaters? I just want a warm house but not costing the absolute earth! Please someone help??

(In the meantime, if anyone can suggest any other tips for keeping warm especially in the cold kitchen with a tile floor - any particular brand of blinds or curtains perhaps? - I would be so grateful).

Convector heaters with timers are good,that's what we used in a flat with SHs which were bloody expensive to run.

Keep the doors closed too so the room heat up.

Thanks! Did you replace the storage heaters with convector heaters then?

I should add we have a couple of very large rooms

I am HA housing . My storage heaters were replaced last year for new storage heaters . These are far better . They don’t continually heat all night and have a timer so week days they are on morning and night them all day weekends .. it has helped my bills and by evening the heat had all gone .

i didn’t have a choice but definitely better options

We didn't replace them ,we just used convector heaters with timers instead. Very cheap option,get them from Argos.

Are you on the night tariff with your electricity company?

Might be worth talking to an installer and see what they advise.

Also, is the property suitable for cavity wall insulation? As above, check your tariff and get it changed if it hasn't got two meters contained for day and night (cheaper) units.

Can you find a cheap rug anywhere or get a carpet offcut to cover the floor in the kitchen?

Electric heating is really expensive. Are you looking for a long term solution or are you renovating and just looking for something to get you through the winter?

Have you got the settings on the night storage heaters right so that they're fully charged overnight and are letting the heat out during the day?

Thanks everyone. Yes, we're on Economy 7 - but the house is still really cold and each storage heater seems to cost about £2.50 a day to use (whilst not kicking out anything like the amount of heat we need). Right now (until Christmas) we need it warm in the mornings and evenings - what settings on the input and output should I be using then?

I didn't realise that electric heating (as in electric radiators) would be so expensive. I suppose if it's the same cost but they actually work, I'd be ok with that!

Funnily enough, I posted on a similar thread yesterday https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/property/5194149-electric-heating-costs

Ooh thank you! I thought I had checked for other posts but the search function is sometimes a bit rubbish for me.

We are not doing a big refurb at this point - but it’s miserable being as cold as we are right now. I know they say heat the individual not the room but the children and we want to be able to move from room to room and not plug in an electric blanket in each place… We couldn’t invite people round right now…

Sounds like we should just accept that we’re going to pay a lot for heating as we’re on electric, and suck that up, but ensure we’re well insulated (I suspect we’re not - how do I find that out?) and replace the old storage heaters with the sorts of electric radiators you bought leccyrads. Does anyone know anything about infra red heaters?

Honestly, replacing with newer storage heaters is often the best solution because you can get a cheap overnight tariff for them, but it depends how much you use the heating. Electric panel heaters use about 2-2.5 units an hour they are on, which is about 50-60p an hour at current unit prices. Unfortunately there is no cheap solution currently if you aren't getting air source heating. Electric heating is very expensive.

Make sure you shop around for the best E7 tariff for your use, there are different ratios of day to night rates.

You should have the EPC from when you bought the place and that should have insulation suggestions. I registered for the free loft insulation scheme under https://www.gov.uk/apply-great-british-insulation-scheme so am waiting on that, I also replaced the existing single glazing with double glazing and am researching internal wall insulation for one end wall which I think is the biggest heat sink. I keep meaning to hire a thermal imaging camera from the local library of things to check the flat!