Posted: Wed Sep 20, 2017 4:45 pm
Our little cottage is all-electric and had two ancient storage heaters. We changed the open fires to inset stoves and have replaced one of the storage heaters with a fan-assisted storage heater.
I know that people tend to hate storage heaters, but I also know the reasons. Fan-assisted storage heaters are very different to old type, as they are insulated well enough to retain almost all the heat while the fan isn't running. This means that they can deliver heat exactly when needed, all at the price of night-time electricity (about one third of the price of daytime - if you get a suitable tariff). The fan circuit can be controlled by a timeswitch and thermostat. I guess a Hive could control it too though I don't know.
I would recommend one or two storage heaters as part of the mix, along with a stove. The new storage heater we installed was "Elnur" brand as Dimplex seem to have discontinued the plain fan-assisted range.
Beware of combination storage heaters: they have daytime heat input too and will be expensive to run when used by people who don't fully understand them.
I know that people tend to hate storage heaters, but I also know the reasons. Fan-assisted storage heaters are very different to old type, as they are insulated well enough to retain almost all the heat while the fan isn't running. This means that they can deliver heat exactly when needed, all at the price of night-time electricity (about one third of the price of daytime - if you get a suitable tariff). The fan circuit can be controlled by a timeswitch and thermostat. I guess a Hive could control it too though I don't know.
I would recommend one or two storage heaters as part of the mix, along with a stove. The new storage heater we installed was "Elnur" brand as Dimplex seem to have discontinued the plain fan-assisted range.
Beware of combination storage heaters: they have daytime heat input too and will be expensive to run when used by people who don't fully understand them.