Electric heating

Electric storage heaters are the most common type of electric heating.

They are designed to be paired with electricity tariffs that supply electricity at cheaper rates at certain times of the day. Typically, this is overnight, which is why they are sometimes called ‘night storage heaters’. However, storage heaters can use electricity to heat your home at any time.

How does an electric storage heater work?

Electric storage heaters use electricity to generate heat. This heat is stored inside the core of the heater, which is often made from heavy clay blocks.

In older storage heaters, input and output dials are used to control this. The input controls the electricity – the higher it is set, the more electricity it will use and the more the heater will heat up at night. The output dial controls the release of heat – the higher it is set, the quicker heat emits from the heater. If the output is set too high, the heater may run out of heat before the end of the day. This video can help you understand how to use the controls on your storage heaters.

Some storage heaters are also fitted with convector heaters. These usually appear as a grill at the top of the unit. These are intended to give you a ‘boost’ to your heating, in case you run out of stored heat. Try not to rely on these too often, as for most people, it’s cheaper to use the stored energy bought at cheaper rates overnight.

Which electricity meter and tariff should I use?

Electric storage heaters are designed to work with special electricity tariffs that provide cheaper rates at certain times of the day. The most common of these is known as Economy 7. ‘Economy’ tariffs relate to a type of meter with two distinct electricity rates (or dual rate tariff). This means you will receive a cheaper rate during a certain period, usually overnight, when you can charge your heaters. You would also be able to power an electric immersion heater in your hot water cylinder if you have one.

Storage heaters were first used in the UK in the 1960s. Originally two meters were used, separating the electricity used for heating and hot water from the electricity used for lighting, cooking and electronics. These two meters were then combined into a single meter with two separate readings. Now you can simply use a smart meter, which allows you to access dual rate or smart tariffs with a single meter and single fuse box.

Economy 7 isn’t the only meter arrangement available, so if you’re unsure, speak with your energy supplier to understand what meter you have and how you are billed for the electricity you use.

If you live in Scotland and have more than two electricity readings, or don’t understand your metering or billing, it’s possible you have restricted meters. Restricted meters have complex tariffs, often providing afternoon or early evening ‘top up’ cheaper rate periods in addition to an overnight period. This top-up period may be operated by a time switch or teleswitch to control the heating equipment.

Find out more about electric meters and tariffs. Alternatively, speak to Home Energy Scotland for free and impartial advice.

Should I upgrade my storage heaters?

Storage heating technology has improved considerably since storage heaters were introduced in the 1960s. Storage heaters manufactured after 2018 must meet stricter efficiency standards and come with better controls – although it’s still possible to buy older models.

Upgrading to modern storage heaters could make your home more comfortable and save you money on your heating bills. Compared to older storage heaters, modern heaters:

• Have higher heat retention, which means they hold heat for longer. Better insulation slows the rate of heat loss from the hot core, meaning there will be more stored heat available to you when you need it.
• Can release heat more quickly when needed, sometimes using a fan to send out warm air.
• Generally come with improved controls, including an automatic charge control, thermostat and programmer.

The programmer allows you to set the temperature you want the room to be heated to and when.

The automatic charge control works out how much electricity it needs to store to meet that programme, and only uses the amount of electrical charge required to meet the programme.

The thermostat tells the heater to release more of the stored heat if it detects the room is colder than you want it, and to stop releasing heat if it detects the room is warmer than you want it.

These controls work together to ensure that once the programme is set, the heater can control itself without you needing to make any adjustments, unless you want to change the programme. Ask your installer to explain the controls to you; many manufacturers publish videos online explaining how to change them if needed.

Some modern electric storage heaters are in a special category known as high heat retention storage heaters. You may see these recommended in your home’s Energy Performance Certificate. These heaters retain more heat than other storage heaters, are well insulated, and have automated controls. You can find a list of high heat retention storage heaters on BRE’s Product Characteristics Database.

Can I replace storage heaters myself?

No, a registered electrician should replace your storage heaters. Storage heaters are very heavy because of their heat-retaining core – some larger models weigh more than 150kg. Storage heaters also need to be connected to the correct circuit in your home and are hard-wired to the circuit. Only a registered electrician should do this. Storage heaters installed before 1974 may contain asbestos, in which case you should contact a specialist asbestos contractor who can handle and dispose of them safely.

A trained installer will also be able to advise you on which size of heater you need. This is important because over-sized heaters cost more to buy, and might end up using more electricity than necessary, while a heater that is too small may not deliver sufficient heat for your home.

The installer might ask you to turn off the heaters you are removing for 24 hours or more before the appointment, to allow the core to cool down enough for them to handle it.

An electric boiler heats water using electricity and circulates that warm water through radiators or underfloor heating pipes. Usually, these systems include a large hot water cylinder to store the heat, and are paired with special electric meters, which provide cheaper electricity units at certain times of day.

The most common electric meter and electric boiler pairings are Economy 10 meters. Economy 10 meters provide three periods of cheaper rate electricity: one in the morning, one in the afternoon and one in the evening.

It’s important that you understand when those times are and try to time your electric boiler at these times as much as possible, as it’s more expensive to use your boiler outside of these times.

Economy 10 isn’t the only meter arrangement available, so if you’re unsure, speak with your energy supplier to understand what meter you have and how you are billed for the electricity you use.

Understanding these complex tariffs can be tricky. If you live in Scotland, you can speak to Home Energy Scotland for advice about your electric meter and billing.

Other forms of electric heating (except heat pumps) are commonly referred to as ‘direct’ acting electric heating. This refers to:

• panel heaters
• infrared heaters
• wall-mounted electric radiators

Some electric heaters are used periodically to support a main heating system and are commonly known as ‘secondary heating’. Secondary heating covers the use of individual heaters, such as:

• portable electric heaters
• oil filled heaters, electric towel rails
• some non-electric heaters (such as fixed gas fires)

Secondary heating is typically more expensive to use than any main heating system. However, it can be useful if you need to heat a single room for a limited time.

Direct acting electric heating is sometimes used as the main heating system. This is often when there’s no storage heating, heat pump or mains gas supply to the property.

There are two types of underfloor heating (UFH): ‘wet’ or electric. Wet underfloor heating passes heated water through a series of pipes laid under your floor. This heated water can be generated by a boiler or a heat pump.

Electric underfloor heating uses a series of electric wires installed beneath or within your flooring. It’s normally used in bathrooms or shower rooms for occasional use, although it can be used anywhere in a property.