A Blog about Storage Heaters

In my 30 years as an Electrician I've repaired and replaced hundreds of Storage Heaters for clients, and it amazes me how many people do not know how to work their heaters properly and efficiently. This is often due to a client moving to a house with Electric heating for the first time, whereas they have always had Gas or Oil Heating in their previous properties, or people who get Electric heating installed and the installer fails to tell them how to work the heaters correctly.

In this Blog I will let you know how to work your heating properly and some Do's & Don'ts for Storage Heating.

What is Economy 7???

A night storage heater is designed to take advantage of the low-cost, off-peak electricity tariff Economy 7.

Economy 7 tariff electricity works for 7 hours at night, usually between 12-7am. Enabling you to keep warm and comfortable at an economical price, your night storage heater will store up heat using this electricity and gradually release it throughout the day to keep your house warm.

By following these tips you will be able to safely make the most of your heating system.

- The input regulates how much heat is stored, in the coldest weather, set this to maximum. While in milder weather, choose a lower setting. You should only need to adjust the input control setting when the outside temperature changes

- The output regulates how much stored heat is released by opening and closing the flap behind the front grille. The higher the number you choose, the more the flap opens, giving more heat.

Input and Output Controls

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To get the most economical heating, leave the output control on a low setting during the day when you're out and turn it up in the evening if you require more heat. Then turn it back to the lowest setting before you go to bed

- Useful to remember, when a night storage heater is used for the first time after being unused for a more than a month it will need three nights to bring up its efficiency again. During this time, try and keep the input as high as possible, and the output as low as possible to store up heat. After this time you can start to adjust the input/output dials a little to better suit you

- Common storage heater faults include blown fuses and overheating causing the thermal cut-out to become activated, be sure to check for these before rendering your heater broken

Thermal Cut-out activated on this heater causing it to stop working

- Don't place things on top of your storage heater

- Don't use your heater to dry clothes

- Never cover the surfaces of your heater or obstruct the air grilles

The danger of placing things on your heater

- Be careful with the arrangement of your furniture, ensure no furniture is in the way of the heater

- It's a good idea to fit a guard if young children are left unsupervised near the heater

- Ensure there's a gap of at least 6” between your curtains and the top of the heater

- If your heater has been switched off over the summer, it's always a good idea to run a vacuum cleaner over the front of the vents to remove fluff and dust that could burn when the heater is switched on

All sorts of things can accumulate in your heaters grilles over the years

- Make sure your heater is securely fixed to the wall for stability, if your heater becomes loose it could become a hazard.

People often wonder whats inside their heaters

If you have any questions regarding your electric storage heating, or anything else electrical, give me a call.

Thanks for reading,

Alistair