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Replacing Domestic Storage Heaters?

  • 12-03-2020 7:28pm
    #1
    techie
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 944 ✭✭✭


    I have gone Sale Agreed on a house which has 20 year old storage heaters throughout,

    Gas is not in the estate , so would like to hear from anyone who has been in a similar situation and upgraded to modern electric heaters?

    Dimplex Quantum and Farho heaters have been mentioned to me , but not sure which is best?


Comments

  • #2
    Idbatterim
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 18,127 ✭✭✭✭Idbatterim


    techie wrote: »
    I have gone Sale Agreed on a house which has 20 year old storage heaters throughout,

    Gas is not in the estate , so would like to hear from anyone who has been in a similar situation and upgraded to modern electric heaters?

    Dimplex Quantum and Farho heaters have been mentioned to me , but not sure which is best?

    no natural gas? what size is the property? what do the other properties in the estate use?


  • #3
    techie
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 944 ✭✭✭techie


    No natural gas, property is a 4 bed semi detached, 120m2 approx, other houses seem to use electric too


  • #4
    Idbatterim
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 18,127 ✭✭✭✭Idbatterim


    techie wrote: »
    No natural gas, property is a 4 bed semi detached, 120m2 approx

    and it is entirely electric heated?! so you go with a wet system, lpg or oil. or stick with electric? electric will be unbelievably expensive, unless the place is ridiculously well insulated, and as its a twenty year old property, I assume it isnt?


  • #5
    techie
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 944 ✭✭✭techie


    Idbatterim wrote: »
    and it is entirely electric heated?! so you go with a wet system, lpg or oil. or stick with electric? electric will be unbelievably expensive, unless the place is ridiculously well insulated, and as its a twenty year old property, I assume it isnt?

    So electric is a no go altogether, lpg and oil are only going one way in future price wise, and would prefer not to rip floors etc to put in wet rads?


  • #6
    Idbatterim
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 18,127 ✭✭✭✭Idbatterim


    techie wrote: »
    So electric is a no go altogether, lpg and oil are only going one way in future price wise, and would prefer not to rip floors etc to put in wet rads?

    like how much money do you have to spend on putting in an alternative solution? wet based system will be thousands and intrusive. coming into spring now, it might not be as urgent to replace. But a full winter of electric heating, would be horrendous, particularly in a twenty year old house... does it have open fire place etc?


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  • #7
    Idbatterim
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 18,127 ✭✭✭✭Idbatterim


    techie wrote: »
    So electric is a no go altogether, lpg and oil are only going one way in future price wise, and would prefer not to rip floors etc to put in wet rads?

    oil is dropping significantly in price at moment. does it have one or two showers in the property?

    https://www.seai.ie/publications/Domestic-Fuel-Cost-Comparison.pdf

    take a look at this...

    https://www.seai.ie/publications/Domestic-Fuel-Cost-Comparison.pdf

    check the attic and make sure that is extremely well insulated.

    something like this could be an option too. I would check out to see if you can get grants etc...

    https://modbs.co.uk/news/archivestory.php/aid/13033/Heat_pump_and_gas_combi_boiler_in_perfect_harmony_.html

    https://www.boilerguide.co.uk/hybrid/hybrid-heating-system


  • #8
    techie
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 944 ✭✭✭techie


    Thanks for these, will be putting in modern insulation in the attic, and it has an open fireplace in main living room, will be putting in stove there.

    Will check out the links, does anyone else have any experience with modern electrical heaters?


  • #9
    John.G
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,623 ✭✭✭John.G


    The Dimplex Quantum seems to be able to retain heat reasonably well until required, it has fan assisted output.

    https://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=109543413


  • #10
    antoinolachtnai
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 9,815 ✭✭✭antoinolachtnai


    The other thing to at least look at is air-to-air heat pumps. You could use these as well as or instead of storage heating. You could for example install an air-to-air heat pump this summer and leave the electric storage heaters in place. If after a winter the electric storage heaters are not needed, then you could get rid of them.

    You could get a boost in smaller rooms using an electric radiator. (this is probably what is in place at the moment).

    There are a few threads about air-to-air if you search for them.


  • #11
    techie
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 944 ✭✭✭techie


    antoinolachtnai wrote: »
    The other thing to at least look at is air-to-air heat pumps. You could use these as well as or instead of storage heating. You could for example install an air-to-air heat pump this summer and leave the electric storage heaters in place. If after a winter the electric storage heaters are not needed, then you could get rid of them.

    You could get a boost in smaller rooms using an electric radiator. (this is probably what is in place at the moment).

    There are a few threads about air-to-air if you search for them.

    Thanks, have been through all the threads I have been able to find about them, I think for the moment we will move in and see how the existing heating goes for a month or so and then make a decision on replacing/upgrading if needed.


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  • #12
    techie
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 944 ✭✭✭techie


    John.G wrote: »
    The Dimplex Quantum seems to be able to retain heat reasonably well until required, it has fan assisted output.

    https://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=109543413

    Thanks for this, seems replacing the existing heaters with the Quantum heaters could be also an option.


  • #13
    ercork
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 177 ✭✭ercork


    antoinolachtnai wrote: »
    The other thing to at least look at is air-to-air heat pumps. You could use these as well as or instead of storage heating. You could for example install an air-to-air heat pump this summer and leave the electric storage heaters in place. If after a winter the electric storage heaters are not needed, then you could get rid of them.

    You could get a boost in smaller rooms using an electric radiator. (this is probably what is in place at the moment).

    There are a few threads about air-to-air if you search for them.

    I'd agree with this. I moved into a 2004 built house a few years ago. Like the OP, it had storage heaters and was not on gas grid. I installed an air to air heat pump and removed the storage heaters. I've just been through my second winter and am really happy with the air to air unit. My main difference to the OP's situation is my house is only about 75m2 - OP you may need a multi split system or, simply, get two pumps.

    Either way, if gas and oil are not an option, it is difficult to do better than an air to air heat pump in a retrofit.


  • #14
    John.G
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,623 ✭✭✭John.G


    ercork wrote: »
    I'd agree with this. I moved into a 2004 built house a few years ago. Like the OP, it had storage heaters and was not on gas grid. I installed an air to air heat pump and removed the storage heaters. I've just been through my second winter and am really happy with the air to air unit. My main difference to the OP's situation is my house is only about 75m2 - OP you may need a multi split system or, simply, get two pumps.

    Either way, if gas and oil are not an option, it is difficult to do better than an air to air heat pump in a retrofit.

    Any idea how your (or any) air/air pump defrosts?? or/and can you post a link to your particular model.


  • #15
    ercork
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 177 ✭✭ercork


    John.G wrote: »
    Any idea how your (or any) air/air pump defrosts?? or/and can you post a link to your particular model.

    I'm no expert on the inner workings tbh. My own unit claims to work to near full capacity down to -10. The coldest we've had in the last couple of winters was a few days at -3 or -4 so it would be interesting to see how it would respond to a repeat of the 2010 winter. Anyway, the model is a Mitsubishi MSZ-LN35VG if that's any good to you.


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