Considering replacing storage heaters with new Panel heaters?
There is a trend to replace old electric storage heaters with panel heaters, usually on the recommendation of electricians/retailers sold on the facts they are very efficient and will cost less to run.
They are indeed very efficient and in the right situations a good choice but its worth remembering they run on a Standard Electric tariff. Storage heaters charge using off peak electric (between 12.00–7.00) releasing stored heat in the daytime. When assessing new installations of panel heaters the rating can drop dramatically and in some cases taking the rating below the minimum for rental proposes making the property un-rentable.
This is more apparent in older poorly insulated properties where heat loss is grater. From the assessors point of view all panel heaters are treated the same with the only data entry option being “Panel / Convector Heater” irrespective of whether they are old or new. This is because the savings between the models aren’t sufficient to make a difference to the rating and operate on a standard electric tariff which is the most expensive fuel please see comparison chart.
Modern panel/convector heaters are good in the right setting, modern homes with high standards of insulation where only small amounts of heat is required and are found in many new homes being built.
| Standard Electric | 15.75 |
| On Peak Economy 7 | 19.00 |
| Off Peak Economy 7 | 9.10 |
| Coal Solid Fuel | 4.00 |
| Wood Pellets | 6.45 |
| LPG | 6.86 |
| Oil | 5.24 |
| Gas | 3.74 |
Fuel price March 2018 based on average fuel costs over previous 12 months
Source Energy Savings Trust
Panel Heaters
If improving the current EPC rating is required, old storage heater will probably need replacing by High Heat Retention (HHR) Storage Heaters which will improve the rating and lower the running costs. Though more expensive than standard Storage Heaters, they have a higher capacity and are better insulated so don’t leak out heat when not required, being fan assisted enables a room to heat up quickly too. The controls are “intelligent” monitoring the weather and each charge generally lasts up to 30 hours.
High Heat Retention Storage Heater