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Replace storage heaters?

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  • 15-10-2020 5:02pm
    #1
    gandroid
    Registered Users Posts: 418 ✭✭


    I live in an apartment which is tight for space and am planning to install some extra kitchen storage units and shelving in my kitchen and living room. On the walls where I am planning to put storage units or shelving there are Creda storage heaters (in the middle of the wall in each room) which are circa 15 years old (pictures attached).
    Ary7rvdWRnUYNRAo7
    PFEtWYw5SVd8MyN4A
    C3naSF8HpqkeKtu68


    I've never had any issues with the heaters, they perform well. I don't find them expensive to run overall. I have an urban night meter. Obviously they're turned on a bit more often in the winter months. However, until now I didn't really use the 'storage' aspect of them as I would be away from home for most of the day so it was pointless having the place heated. Therefore, I would have the storage aspect on a low input and output setting and if I needed more heat in the evening I would just turn on the manual/boost setting and the place would warm up quickly in 15/20 mins and I would change the storage input in spells of cold weather.

    But now that I will be working from home for the foreseeable future then I envisage that I will be turning up the storage feature in order to store heat at the cheaper night rate and release over the course of the day.

    My questions are:

    Should I consider more modern panel heaters? Are these more efficient or effective to run or is the electricity usage similar to having these older storage heaters on the manual/boost setting?

    Somebody else has suggested moving them from the middle of the wall in each room and to put new ones to the side somewhere. This would make it easier (and possibly cheaper) to plan the shelving/storage cabinets around them. But should radiators/heaters ideally be placed in the centre of a room?

    They are not exactly pretty to look at (but I can live with them and I also have a radiator cover for one...although it's not really suitable!)

    In order to buy and install new heaters along with the cost of rewiring them to a different location in the room, I would probably be looking at 1.5 - 2k minimum and I would rather use that towards the cost of nice custom storage solution. I'm also not sure how much work would be involved in moving wiring/trunking etc to a new location in the room(s).

    At the same time I'm wondering if I would be better to bite the bullet now before installing the storage/cabinets in these rooms and to get rid of these first? I would appreciate any accurate metrics re:more modern heaters or opinions on the overall trade off in terms of the remaining lifespan of these storage heaters etc.

    I have never measured this in any specific way or gauged their cost.
    My overall electricity cost would be about €2k a year. It's a three bed apt with panel heaters upstairs and the other main cost would be the hot water immersion.

    Thanks in advance for any input!
    Tagged:


Comments

  • Options
    #2
    gandroid
    Registered Users Posts: 418 ✭✭gandroid


    Wasn't able to attach photos to original post.


  • Options
    #3
    gandroid
    Registered Users Posts: 418 ✭✭gandroid


    Mods: Can I get moved to the Electrical or DIY forum?


  • Options
    #4
    Kowerski
    Closed Accounts Posts: 106 ✭✭Kowerski


    Would this work

    https://www.buyitdirect.ie/p/10000-btu-wall-mounted-air-conditioner-and-heat-pump-without-outdoor-unit-with-wifi-for-rooms-up-to-30-sqm-iqool-smart12hp?refsource=bidieadwords&mkwid=sVb29jopC_dc&pcrid=449148306418&product=IQOOL-SMART12HP&pgrid=104208274693&ptaid=aud-1015728404312:pla-925471177806&channel=googlesearch&gclid=CjwKCAjwrKr8BRB_EiwA7eFapobS75MFptVpowNj9x2ufC0t66Zy8j9h1L5aNU4S5n_wGGgoqC-ZuhoCf1IQAvD_BwE


  • Options
    #5
    colm_mcm
    Registered Users Posts: 73,382 ✭✭✭✭colm_mcm


    Kowerski wrote: »
    Would this work

    https://www.buyitdirect.ie/p/10000-btu-wall-mounted-air-conditioner-and-heat-pump-without-outdoor-unit-with-wifi-for-rooms-up-to-30-sqm-iqool-smart12hp?refsource=bidieadwords&mkwid=sVb29jopC_dc&pcrid=449148306418&product=IQOOL-SMART12HP&pgrid=104208274693&ptaid=aud-1015728404312:pla-925471177806&channel=googlesearch&gclid=CjwKCAjwrKr8BRB_EiwA7eFapobS75MFptVpowNj9x2ufC0t66Zy8j9h1L5aNU4S5n_wGGgoqC-ZuhoCf1IQAvD_BwE

    What good would it be in this case?


  • Options
    #6
    colm_mcm
    Registered Users Posts: 73,382 ✭✭✭✭colm_mcm


    gandroid wrote: »
    I live in an apartment which is tight for space and am planning to install some extra kitchen storage units and shelving in my kitchen and living room. On the walls where I am planning to put storage units or shelving there are Creda storage heaters (in the middle of the wall in each room) which are circa 15 years old (pictures attached).
    Ary7rvdWRnUYNRAo7
    PFEtWYw5SVd8MyN4A
    C3naSF8HpqkeKtu68


    I've never had any issues with the heaters, they perform well. I don't find them expensive to run overall. I have an urban night meter. Obviously they're turned on a bit more often in the winter months. However, until now I didn't really use the 'storage' aspect of them as I would be away from home for most of the day so it was pointless having the place heated. Therefore, I would have the storage aspect on a low input and output setting and if I needed more heat in the evening I would just turn on the manual/boost setting and the place would warm up quickly in 15/20 mins and I would change the storage input in spells of cold weather.

    But now that I will be working from home for the foreseeable future then I envisage that I will be turning up the storage feature in order to store heat at the cheaper night rate and release over the course of the day.

    My questions are:

    Should I consider more modern panel heaters? Are these more efficient or effective to run or is the electricity usage similar to having these older storage heaters on the manual/boost setting?

    Somebody else has suggested moving them from the middle of the wall in each room and to put new ones to the side somewhere. This would make it easier (and possibly cheaper) to plan the shelving/storage cabinets around them. But should radiators/heaters ideally be placed in the centre of a room?

    They are not exactly pretty to look at (but I can live with them and I also have a radiator cover for one...although it's not really suitable!)

    In order to buy and install new heaters along with the cost of rewiring them to a different location in the room, I would probably be looking at 1.5 - 2k minimum and I would rather use that towards the cost of nice custom storage solution. I'm also not sure how much work would be involved in moving wiring/trunking etc to a new location in the room(s).

    At the same time I'm wondering if I would be better to bite the bullet now before installing the storage/cabinets in these rooms and to get rid of these first? I would appreciate any accurate metrics re:more modern heaters or opinions on the overall trade off in terms of the remaining lifespan of these storage heaters etc.

    I have never measured this in any specific way or gauged their cost.
    My overall electricity cost would be about €2k a year. It's a three bed apt with panel heaters upstairs and the other main cost would be the hot water immersion.

    Thanks in advance for any input!


    I would stick with what you have. There’s a lot of nonsense talked about these new panel heaters. They’re a heater using daytime electricity rates. Heaters are all almost 100% efficient.

    Learn how to use your storage heaters, there’s a bit of trial and error, but if you’re at home during the day, you’ll get the best out of even a rubbish storage heater.

    Have a look at your fuse box for a device called a ‘Devi Reg’ - on apartments of yours age these are often what controls the centra, heating input time. Usually have an adjustment knob and a flashing light on them.


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  • Options
    #7
    cheif kaiser
    Registered Users Posts: 632 ✭✭✭cheif kaiser


    I had storage heaters in my apartment and ripped them all out within weeks of moving in.

    I find them ugly, usually placed in the wrong spot and generally only suitable if you were staying at home during the day. I replaced them all with slimline panel heaters with timers and would just set the timer to heat up when I was getting up out of bed or coming home from work.

    That was 10 years ago now but if I was to do it now, I think I would opt for something more modern such as vertical smart radiators https://www.bestheating.ie/electric-heating/smart-heating.html You can control each room separately from your phone, adjust the temperature and have them come on when you on the way home from work, etc.

    I have actually been thinking about installing these upstairs in my house and just switch on the room I want heated, when I want it heated.

    Having such control over your heating should help to reduce your bils if used wisely.


  • Options
    #8
    ercork
    Registered Users Posts: 177 ✭✭ercork


    gandroid wrote: »

    Should I consider more modern panel heaters? Are these more efficient or effective to run or is the electricity usage similar to having these older storage heaters on the manual/boost setting?

    You've hit the nail on the head here. All on-demand electric heaters operate at the same efficiency, be they panel heaters, oil filled radiators, halogen heaters, etc. One unit of electricity gives you one unit of heat. The boost setting of your storage heater is probably just a fan heater which runs off normal day rate electricity the same as any other electric heater. Some of the new modern fancy electric heaters can have some advantages - they may be fitted with very good thermostats and control mechanisms (WiFi) which may help you to control your electricity usage a bit better - but ultimately they are the same as cheap plug in rads you can get in Argos or Power City or wherever.

    Storage heaters of course are a bit different in that they charge up on half price night rate electricity and discharge it during the day time. So each unit of heat costs half as much. The trouble with them is you have very little control over how the heat is discharged so if you are out all day they are quite wasteful. Given that you are now working from home they may be a better option now though.

    The only real alternative, assuming you're not prepared to install a full wet heating system (oil or gas) with pipes, radiators, etc, is an air to air heat pump. A good one installed by a qualified installer would cost between 1500 and 2000. Running costs should be much lower than electric heaters - possibly as low as a quarter. You would need access to the outside of your building to hang the outdoor unit so this may or may not be possible in an apartment - depending on management company rules. There are quite a few posts on here about them where people have posted their (generally favourable) experiences with them - me included.


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