How to use your night store heater

Electric night storage heaters consist of electrical elements embedded in insulating material (in the shape of a brick).  The elements heat up overnight, usually using electricity provided at a cheaper night time rate.  The stored heat is released slowly by the heater over the course of the following day.

Storage heaters release their heat in two ways:

Radiation - this is the heat released from the front panel.  This heat release cannot be controlled so the heater will give out some radiant heat at night whilst it is charging up.

Convection - Cold air will enter the bottom of the heater and pass over the heated element.  It will be released through the vents at the top of the heater.  These vents can be closed off using the output control (also sometimes known as "room temperature" or "boost").

Setting your storage heater controls

The controls on a storage heater usually consist of two dials found under a flap on the top of the heater.  Sometimes they may be on the side.

The Input Dial (also known as "charge" or "overnight")

This control sets how much heat will be stored over the course of the night.

• Usually this is best set on a seasonal basis: medium for autumn/spring and high for winter.
• If you find that you run out of heat before the end of the day and the input is not on maximum, turn it up to store extra for the following day.  However, you should first ensure that the output is set correctly.
• Some electric storage heaters have an automatic input that sets the charge by the night time temperature of the room.

The Output Dial

This dial controls the amount of warm air or convected heat given out during the day.  It opens and closes a flap that limits the amount of air that can pass through and out.

The output dial should be turned to zero every night before going to bed.  This will close the vent flaps completely and reduce the amount of heat lost overnight.

If you are out during the day, leave the output at zero until returning home.  The output dial should then be turned up gradually throughout the course of the evening.

The Boost Dial

Some storage heaters have a boost switch.  This allows you to produce some extra heat in the evenings, if required.  The heater acts like a normal convector heater and it is important to note that the heater will be using electricity at the full daytime rate.

Advantages of Storage Heating

Storage heaters are a option for a well insulated house where a heat pump or other more efficient form of heating cannot be installed.

1. You need a Night and Day power plans to ensure that the heaters are charging using the lowest possible electricity rate.
2. You can get day time warmth at night time prices.
3. They offer a clean and convenient form of heating.
4. Storage heaters can be a good option for people who are at home during the day.
5. Used correctly they can store enough heat for the evenings.

Disadvantages of Storage Heating

If the home is not well insulated, the heat will escape too quickly and not be available when it is needed in the evenings, even with effective use of controls.

Using storage heaters effectively requires a certain amount of effort.

Storage heaters are considered about 80% efficient because sometimes they waste energy by providing heating when it is not required (e.g. when people are out of the house during the day). People who are at home most of the day benefit the most from using a storage heater.

Once all the heat has been released, the only way of charging is by using expensive Day Rate electricity.

You must decide the night before whether and how much heat you want for the following day.  If the following day turns out to be warmer than anticipated, there is no way of turning off the heat, and your house may become overheated.