Storage Heaters????

ebixa82

Hi,
I live in a modern enough apartment (built around 7-8 years ago). There is storage heaters in the living room and electric in the heaters.

My understanding is that the storage heaters turn on at 11pm and knock off at 8am, releasing the stored up heat from this time throughout the day.

I have yet to turn them on yet this year but no doubt will soon need to.

My big issue is the cost. My ESB bills go from 90e every 2 months in summer to over 300e in winter, due to these heaters.

Having thought about it I realised that we are paying for having heat essentially 24 hours a day in a the living room which we only actually use for 3-4 hours a day after work.

Is there any way around this? Would it be more cost effective to not use the storage heaters and plug in an electric heater for the few hours we are there in the evening (even thou they eat electricity too!)

Any suggestions,
Thanks

El Weirdo

You'll be using any other heaters at the daytime rate of electricity so I'd guess it's six of one, half a dozen of the other tbh.

300 quid does seem pretty high though, are you using the booster/convection part of the heaters at all?

ebixa82

El Weirdo wrote: »

You'll be using any other heaters at the daytime rate of electricity so I'd guess it's six of one, half a dozen of the other tbh.

300 quid does seem pretty high though, are you using the booster/convection part of the heaters at all?

No, there is a convection component at the base but it is never used. It just seems a waste having heat in a room 24 hours a day when we are only in it for 3-4 hours max. Any way around it?

Outkast_IRE

ebixa82 wrote: »

No, there is a convection component at the base but it is never used. It just seems a waste having heat in a room 24 hours a day when we are only in it for 3-4 hours max. Any way around it?

yes just turn them on and off manually when needed thats what i do , same situation but just remember last 2 winters were exceptionally cold , if we have a milder winter the bills shouldnt be as bad.

El Weirdo

Outkast_IRE wrote: »

yes just turn them on and off manually when needed thats what i do , same situation but just remember last 2 winters were exceptionally cold , if we have a milder winter the bills shouldnt be as bad.

That's not much good if we get a sudden spell of cold as you'll have to wait for the things to heat up overnight. Unless you're using the booster which is essentially the same as plugging in a separate heater at the daytime rate.

silja

Can you not program them to come on at whatever time you want? The storage heaters in my apartment (built almost 20 years ago) can be programmed to come on and turn off twice a day. So I have it on in the morning from half an hour before I get up until I leave, and then again to come on in the evening an hour before I come home until 10pm.

ebixa82

silja wrote: »

Can you not program them to come on at whatever time you want? The storage heaters in my apartment (built almost 20 years ago) can be programmed to come on and turn off twice a day. So I have it on in the morning from half an hour before I get up until I leave, and then again to come on in the evening an hour before I come home until 10pm.

The y don't sound like storage heaters. Storage heaters only come on at off peak hours (11pm-8am) and store heat in blocks which is then released throughout the day.

If I turn them on at say 7pm, nothing happens until 11pm.

Outkast_IRE

El Weirdo wrote: »

That's not much good if we get a sudden spell of cold as you'll have to wait for the things to heat up overnight. Unless you're using the booster which is essentially the same as plugging in a separate heater at the daytime rate.

I meant to tell her to use the booster, the night time rate is a load of bollox anyway i stay in a place every weekend with storage heaters and i have not once used the night time rate to heat them overnight as the next time there will be demand for the heat is after 6 or 7 that night as with work etc nobody is there during the day. I just flick what heaters i need on for short periods thats the best way imo to keep the bills down .

The storage heaters i use also have the boost function where you can just flick them on as needed like a normal rad

robd

ebixa82 wrote: »

My big issue is the cost. My ESB bills go from 90e every 2 months in summer to over 300e in winter, due to these heaters.

I used to have storage heaters in a town house and thought they were very dear till I changed to oil. Main reason for changing was that the output just wasn't high enough. House was warm during day but cold in evenings as storage heaters were used up despite lots of adjusting.

Basically you're paying 105e per month for storage heaters. Assuming you put the heaters on for 6 months of the year thats only 600e per year. A 1000l of kerosene is approx 800e which you'd certainly go through in most 3 bed houses. Maybe 600e for an apartment. About the same really.

Obviously hard to do an exact comparison but you get the point. Energy/Heat is expensive.

sbsquarepants

I'm in the same boat myself, i have my bill averaged over the year though (airtricity do this, esb too, not sure about anyone else)- doesn't cost any less but at least you don't get the big swing in payments from winter to summer. Still sounds like you're using a lot though, my bill is under €70 a month all in.
That being said, i prefer my house a bit cool, i can't stand it being too hot, i often have to leave my parents house cos i feel like im in a sauna! Mabe you just keep the place very hot?

ShaShaBear

I'm living in a converted basement as a flat with one storage heater in the living room and one in the bedroom. Both have two switches - nightsaver mode and instant (I assume it's this booster thing you guys mention) mode. I flick it on when I'm cold and it takes about 20 minutes to heat, while I'm waiting I throw my 300watt electric blanket over me if it's really bad. I use it every other night in the living room for 2-4 hours (never the bedroom as the blanket is enough). My first 2-month bill with no heating used (I was terrified of the financial implications if I so much as looked at the heater) was €90 and the new one with plenty of heater usage was €120. And using ESBs calculator app, my 9.5kW shower uses more electricity 5 hours a week than my storage heater does for the same. Which is saying something. I don't bother with that night-time crap, I don't need to store 8 hours of heat to use between 7 and 10 the following night!

Del2005

ebixa82 wrote: »

Hi,
I live in a modern enough apartment (built around 7-8 years ago). There is storage heaters in the living room and electric in the heaters.

My understanding is that the storage heaters turn on at 11pm and knock off at 8am, releasing the stored up heat from this time throughout the day.

I have yet to turn them on yet this year but no doubt will soon need to.

My big issue is the cost. My ESB bills go from 90e every 2 months in summer to over 300e in winter, due to these heaters.

Having thought about it I realised that we are paying for having heat essentially 24 hours a day in a the living room which we only actually use for 3-4 hours a day after work.

Is there any way around this? Would it be more cost effective to not use the storage heaters and plug in an electric heater for the few hours we are there in the evening (even thou they eat electricity too!)

Any suggestions,
Thanks

I'm in the same boat and found that it's about as cheap to just run the convection heater at the bottom for a few min in the evening. Even if it costs slightly more at least I have the heat when I need it, not during the day when I not there, and I found that sometimes even with the storage heaters I still needed the boost.

I don't believe the weather forecasts and to get the best out of storage heaters you need to adjust your input and output settings for the next days weather, I've had some days when it's been 25C+ in my apartment but I can't open the windows to cool down as then I'd need the to heat again later.

I had a sparks in a while ago and he measured the wattage of my heaters, I'll see if I can find it. You can then work out how much it'll cost for each. They look the same as any heater units I've seen in Irish apartments.

the groutch

I just use them like a radiator, switching them on as needed, or throw on a jacket/jumper, never get why people don't wear extra layers indoors instead of having heating on full blast all day

my bill for December & Jan just gone was about €170 (biggish 2 bed apt)