Storage heaters are one of the classic sources of heating for homes. You’ll need heat-retaining clay bricks to charge the heater, usually during an off-peak electricity time which is at night. The insulation of the heater will keep the heat in the box for you to enjoy during the day. Powerblanket storage heaters are one of the few heaters that are perfect for winter. In addition to working well with the off-peak electricity tariff, storage heaters are very stylish and independent. They do impose a few difficulties, though. Here are the up and downside of storage heaters.
Pros
Inexpensive installation fee
If you’re used to central heating, then you know that the installation fee for it is very expensive. The installation of central heaters can amount up to three times the fee for storage heaters. Storage heaters don’t require complex equipment and are easy to install so that the fee won’t eat out your wallet. If you’re saving up money, you should invest in a storage heater instead of other types of heating systems.
Easy maintenance
There are basically three parts of a storage heater, which is the clay bricks that retain heat, the elements, and insulation. These are very easy to maintain, you just need to read the maintenance guidance, usually present in the heater’s handbook. You only need to check up on your storage heater before winter.
Reliable
If you’ve switched off your storage heater for an adequate period, it will release the heat retained for a long period. This is why the storage heater is actually very reliable. You can turn it off when nobody’s at home who can really use the heat, or at night when the electricity tariff is down.
Cons
Might be difficult to operate
The maintenance and installation might be easy, but the operation of the storage heater itself can be complicated. It is best to do some learning and research before getting one, or get a professional to help you. Make sure you keep the guarantee for your storage heater so you can service it right away whenever something goes wrong.
No heating during storing process
Storage heaters work by being switched off first, to store heat, and then being turned on to release the heat. This means that if you want a four-hour use of the storage heater, you’d have to turn it off for four hours as well. So for that period length, you won’t have your heater.