Electric heating can be a very useful way to heat the home, as it doesn't rely on a mains gas supply, nor does it need to involve expensive components such as a boiler or a complicated network of pipes to carry water around the home. If you don't have a gas-fired boiler in your home, then it's likely that you have some form of electric heating. In this article, we'll take a look at the most common types of electric heating in the UK, radiators and storage heaters, to help you deide which is the best type for you.

What's the difference between electric radiators and storage heaters?

Modern electric radiators are usually wall-hung units that are connected up to your home's main electrical supply. Every electric radiator contains an element that converts electricity into heat via the internal fins, tubes or fluid and convects heat into the room. They are designed to be switched on any time you need heat and are very energy efficient

Storage heaters are also mostly wall-mounted and are connected to your electricity supply. However, they differ from electric radiators in the fact that they contain a series of ceramic bricks that store thermal energy during the night and then release that heat during the day. Most homes that have storage heaters are on an 'Economy 7' electricity tariff, whereby electricty is cheaper at night than it is during the day.

Storage heaters are generally considered old technology from an era when there were few alternatives for heating your home if you weren't connected to the mains gas supply. They served a great purpose then, but have since been superceded by electric radiators. If you've got old storage heaters in your home you may wish to consider upgrading the the more economically efficient electric radiator.

The downsides of storage heaters

Inconsistent heat

Because storage heaters are designed to use electricity and store energy at night, this normally results in your home feeling very hot in the morning while struggling to stay warm in the evening. This is really the opposite of when you need to feel warm and can be quite a frustrating side effect of old storage heaters.

Large and chunky

In order to heat your room to a comfortable temperature, storage heaters have to quite large. They also stick out from the wall quite a long way too. This can make them quite obtrusive, unsightly and will often limit your amount of wall space and where you can put furniture.

Lack of flexibility

In order to maximise the heat from a storage heater, you need to do a bit of forward planning and ensure it's switched on a storaging thermal energy the night before you actually need the heat. This can become quite irritating and uncomfortable if you haven't planned your heating needs and encountered a sudden drop in temperature. Additionally, it was not compulsory for storage heaters built before 2018 to have electriconic thermostats or 24/7 timers, so many old units in use need to be switched on and off manually each time they need to be used.

The upsides of electric radiators

Quick and consistent heat

Electric radiators are designed to be switched on and provide heat as and when you need it. There's no forward planning involved and most contain electronic thermostats, 24/7 times and open window detection. This means your room will heat up very quickly to a comfortable temperature and can automatically come on and off so as not to waste electricity.

Energy efficient

You don't need to be on an electrcity tariff where the rates are more expensive during the day than at night. This enables you to switch on your electric radiator during the day without worrying how much it is going to cost you. Modern electric radiators are very energy efficient and can be used exactly when you need them, which gives you a much greater degree of control over how and when you heat your home.

Streamlined and stylish

Electric radiator design has come a long way in recent years and there is a huge variety of choice, much more akin to what you can get for a conventional hot water central heating system. Electric rads come in a range of styles and finishes and have a much smaller projection from the wall, meaning they don't stick out as much as storage heaters. The fact that you can also get them in vertical orientations means electric radiators give you much more options when it comes to positioning your furniture.

Choose your electric radiator at Trade Radiators

If you are deciding to install some electric radiators in your home, then make sure you check out our huge selection of electric radiators at Trade Radiators. We have a large selection of electric radiators in stock and are prices you won’t find anywhere else.  

 

Our range promises simple but effective heaters that will match the décor in any room. With excellent efficiency as well as high BTU outputs, our electric radiators allow you to get the best of both worlds. Our electric heaters only require a plug outlet, so you can have it installed in a flash. Once it is installed, it does not require a large amount of maintenance due to their incredible standard of robustness and the premium materials used in their construction.