Storage Heaters: How to Use Them

This article will explain how to get the best out of your storage heaters and all you need to know before acquiring one for your home. You’ll also delve into the benefits of having Dimplex quantum storage heaters installed.

Electric storage heaters are a way of heating homes that often don’t have access to the gas network. They make the most of cheaper electricity rates charge up and then release the heat throughout the day.

If you have storage heaters, you must make sure you’re on an economy 7 or economy 10 energy tariff. This is essential as it makes it affordable to charge heaters when the energy is at its cheapest.

The important thing with storage heaters is getting used to forward planning. You always need to check the weather forecast for the next day, so that you know how much to charge your heaters and only charge them in rooms that you’ll need them.

 

 

How to use storage heaters correctly

Before you go to bed, ensure the output is in the lowest setting 0 or 1, and set the input to the desired level of energy based on what you’ll need the next day. The higher the number, the more energy you’ll be storing. Repeat this for all-night storage heaters in your home you want to use the next day.

In the morning, turn your output from low to high throughout the day. Start on number one then if you start to feel cold, move to two or three, and so on. This way, you retain heat for the evening.

 

 

Your heaters may have a boost button to use if they run out of heat. However, bear in mind that this will be using peak-time electricity, so this will cost more to run.

If you have storage heaters, you are likely to have an immersion heater for hot water. This works by heating water and storing it at a certain temperature. If it has a timer, then make sure you set it to heat the water when the electricity is at its cheapest. If the water tank has a thermostat, set this to no higher than 60 degrees. This temperature sterilizes the tank and prevents bacteria from growing without wasting electricity.

Replacing storage heaters with high heat retention storage heaters can add a good seven points to the energy performance certificate of a property. Having Dimplex storage heaters could help.

Using these modern storage heaters is a cost-effective way of increasing those points. This is a great way of meeting your carbon reduction target, making properties more lettable, and if used properly, reducing heating bills for residents.

 

 

Replacing storage heaters

There are a few things that you need to take into account. First of all, you need to know how many storage heaters we’re going to have to remove and how many peak rate heaters you’re going to remove. And then, you need to know how many sockets peak sockets, and off-peak sockets you need to fit.

To do this, you need to identify what storage heaters you’re going to remove. Also, add surge protection with or without a new fuse board.

 

 

The next step is to figure out what size quantums we need. They come in various sizes: the qm 150, the qm 125, the qm 100, the qm70 and the qm50. These are widths, the numbers in centimeters, so it’s quite easy to size them.

Storage heaters have wires going to them. If it has a single wire going to it, it’s an xl or an xt. Once removed, you’ll need a peak weight supply installed. The cxl, the fxl, and the cxt and Dimplex storage have dual supplies.

It is just a matter of unscrewing them from the wall and replacing them with the new Dimplex quantum storage heaters. No need for extra sockets.

If there are not enough ways on the board, a new board will be needed. When a board needs changing, fitting the third surge protector is a lot cheaper.

There’s supposed to be one way for each storage heater. So count the ways, and if there are more storage heaters, then an upgrade will be needed. If the upgrade isn’t needed, it will cost more to add the surge protector.

You might as well look at the electric meter, which is a super deal meter that incurs the resident high running costs.

 

 

Most importantly, with storage heaters, it is about trial and error but after a few goes, you will start to understand how heaters settings work and how you can reduce costs.