Storage Heating-Priory Lodge/Square Celbridge

lattelady

Hi all,

Justa quick one for you but I was looking at properties in the Celbridge area and there are a couple of terraced houses for sale which have storage heaters as their heating system. I know that most terraced houses are quite warm anyway but really want to be sure before heading down the route of purchasing house that could cost alot to run.

I have been told that this choice of heating system is extremely expensive to maintain and understand? I considered the option of getting Oil installed as Gas is unaccessible in that area but that could be extremely expensive to install and would mean ripping up the floors.

Coud anyone provide me with advice from previous experience with Storage Heaters and how to use them or if there is anyone who lives in these houses that would be able to give me some practical advice?

L1011

Storage heating is extremely expensive to use; no two ways about this. You need to avoid using the boost function at all costs (because this uses more power, and at daytime rates) which means that if you assumed a day was going to be mild and it turns out cold, you stay cold. There's a lot of what I can only really call admin work involved in having them also - remembering to turn off the outputs overnight etc. I wouldn't assume that you're going to get vampire heat off the other houses as its quite likely those will be inconsistently heated too.

Are these the back-to-back terraced houses in that estate? I'd suspect installing oil in those is impossible due to nowhere to put the tank. If the one you're looking at has a rear garden I would absolutely count the cost of getting oil in as it'll pay back quite quickly.

lattelady

Hi MYOB,

They are back to back and there is no way to get into the garden unless you go through the house so oil isnt really looking to be a viable option..

Im not really sure how storage heaters even work-if im working during the day does that mean when I return home at night that the house will be freezing??

L1011

lattelady wrote: »

They are back to back and there is no way to get into the garden unless you go through the house so oil isnt really looking to be a viable option..

Those ones can get oil - you can bring the filler through the house. In some parts of that estate there are actual back-to-backs, e.g. three walls shared and no back garden.

lattelady wrote: »

Im not really sure how storage heaters even work-if im working during the day does that mean when I return home at night that the house will be freezing??

If you turn the outputs off when you go to bed, the heater will fill the storage blocks overnight during the nightsaver hours and you can then turn the outputs on when you come home. They will however have lost heat in the intervening time. If you've left the outputs open they'll have lost all their heat.

You can use the boost function on them to provide instant heat but its very, very wasteful of electricity.

lattelady

ok so this is going to sound ridiculous Im sure but an "oil filler"-is that the pipe that you run through the house to fill the tank?? If I was to get oil surely I would have to rip up the floors to install all the pipes and long term I dont thik it would be viable for a house like this? Dont want it costing more then I will sell it for long term..

What wold be the most common approach that people would have to using them? Im not even sure what a monthly bill would be for 2 people to use storage??

L1011

lattelady wrote: »

ok so this is going to sound ridiculous Im sure but an "oil filler"-is that the pipe that you run through the house to fill the tank?? If I was to get oil surely I would have to rip up the floors to install all the pipes and long term I dont thik it would be viable for a house like this? Dont want it costing more then I will sell it for long term..

The tanker has a very, very long hose on it which can be brought to the tank. The distance through a terraced house is no longer than the distance through someone's side entrance.

You'd need to install water piping for the radiators - its not cheap but the storage system will cost you an absolute packet to run in comparison as well as generally making the house nicer to live in. It'll likely also boost the resale value and the BER rating enough to repay you on sale.

lattelady wrote: »

What wold be the most common approach that people would have to using them? Im not even sure what a monthly bill would be for 2 people to use storage??

Among st people I know with them the two main options are:

1: Don't use them and freeze
2: Do use them, bimonthly bills of 5-800 during winter.

lattelady

Wow, that is very expensive for Bi-monthly bills during winter! with Gas and Electric in my current house I would only pay €400 bi monthly for extremely cold weather!!

Any ideas on the cost for installing water piping for the radiators?

The Mulk

Maybe look at replacing the Storage Heaters with newer electric heaters, have a look at something like a Lucht Economical Radiator or similar,

These will need just a small amount of electrical work and can run at a quarter of the cost.

The problem with storage heating is it heats the house all day every day(charging up at night) even when you're not there, sometimes when you get home in the evening there's not enough heat left in them and you need to use boost

Leogirl

I own one of these houses & yes the electricity bill could be high as the house is hard to heat. The living room is quite large & the stairs are in the room - so losing heat. Also, upstairs they arent storage heaters - they're those horrible heaters that blow out hot air & the room gets stuffy & smells odd. So we just bought an oil filled one & use it for a few mins to heat up the room when needed. I suppose the heat from downstairs travels up so bedrooms are warm enough without heaters.

Doing this, the highest ESB bill we had in the last 3 years was 250.00 over 2 months - during winter months. I dont think this is too bad for heating & electricity for a house during winter? You do have to be careful though - use the washing machine/dishwasher at night etc - the bill could really increase using those bedroom heaters.

It is a lovely estate to live in btw!! PM me if you want any more info.

guil

I had 1 storage heater in a 2 bed apartment. Christmas 2 years ago I got a bill for €500 for one month electricity.

dobsdave

One of the largest heaters is about 3.4kw, so if you charge it 12hrs a night on full for a full month, you'll use 3.4*12*31, 1200units approx, night rate is about 9c.
1200*.09= 110eur approx for one large heater on full.
add on standing charges and vat


This site might help:

http://www.storageheaters.com

Snoopy1

I live in priory square and have storage heaters.
I also bought a couple of oil filled radiators one for front room and one for upstairs bedroom. I hate those heaters that blow out the air
I put a curtain up at the bottom of the stairs which stopped a draft.
My highest bill last winter was 300 but that was after I did all of the above. It was higher before.

Joe Public

lattelady wrote: »

Hi MYOB,

They are back to back and there is no way to get into the garden unless you go through the house so oil isnt really looking to be a viable option..

I don't think there are gardens so an oil tank is not an option.

lattelady

Thank you all for your tips and advice, took all on board!!

I definitely think Im going to have to rething the Storage heating as it is clearly not a viable option espcially as I love my heat!!!