High Heat Retention Storage Heaters

What Are Storage Heaters?

Storage heaters were developed in the 1960s as a low cost heating system that could take advantage of night time electricity tariffs like Economy 7. Demand for electricity is lower at night time but it’s not easy to shut down a power station so electricity suppliers offer cheaper rates during off-peak hours to encourage their customers to use more electricity during those hours.

How Do Storage Heaters Work?

Storage heaters contain bricks made of special materials that are very good at storing heat. The bricks have heating elements embedded in them and they are surrounded by insulation trapping the heat inside. The heat is released throughout the following day and then the storage heater charges up again when night comes. Storage heaters were very popular for a time but the technology was very basic and they had limited controls. They would often release heat when you didn’t want them to and that heat would quickly run out.

What Are High Heat Retention Storage Heaters?

High Heat Retention Storage Heaters are the 21st century version of this technology and the improvements are significant. As such all High Heat Retention Storage Heaters are LOT20 compliant. This is the legal directive that specifies minimum energy efficiency standards for electric heating systems.

First developed in 2018 by Dimplex there are now a number of manufacturers that offer these new storage heaters and they come with all the latest technology making them very efficient and controllable. As with most things, the more you spend on a storage heater, the more features you’ll get.
Features can include:

Digital programmers – allowing you to set the times the storage heaters turn on and off
Built In thermostats – allowing you to set and control the temperature
Open window sensors – detects changes in temperature or humidity that indicate a window has been opened and switches off until the window is closed
Fan assist functions – built in fans that help spread the heat around the room
Boost function – providing extra heat when you need it
Wi-fi controls – allowing access to control the heaters from your smartphone wherever you may be
Various sizes – unlike old storage heaters which were pretty much all one size, they now come in various sizes to suit the rooms they are going in

How Do High Heat Retention Storage Heaters Impact EPC Ratings?

According to a study by Advanced Control Partnerships Ltd, when utilising an off peak electricity tariff, High Heat Retention Storage Heaters can reduce running costs by over 20% compared to old style storage heaters and over 40% compared to direct acting room heaters like electric panel heaters or convector heaters that are utilising a standard tariff. For this reason High Heat Retention Storage Heaters are included in the SAP software that is used to create EPCs. This means specific make and models (listed below) can be recognised and included in calculations during an EPC assessment.

In our experience replacing old style storage heaters or direct acting room heaters like convector heaters or panel heaters with new High Heat Retention Storage Heaters result in a significant improvement in a properties energy rating.
Please Note: You should check what tariffs are available from your electricity supplier and if your electric meter allows you to take advantage of off-peak rates.

High Heat Retention Storage Heaters vs Electric Panel Heaters

Many properties use electric panel or convector heaters as the main source of room heating. Whilst most modern panel heaters are LOT20 compliant – the legal directive that specifies minimum energy efficiency standards for electric heating systems – in our experience they negatively affect an EPC energy rating compared with High Heat Retention Storage Heaters. This is because of when they use electricity.

To demonstrate the difference in the EPC energy rating achieved using panel heaters vs High Heat Retention Storage Heaters, we completed two test EPC assessments on the same property. In the first assessment we entered panel heaters for the properties room heating in the software used to calculate EPCs and in the second assessment we entered High Heat Retention Storage Heaters for the properties room heating. Everything else about the property used in both assessments remained the same.

The difference in energy rating between the two assessments is significant. The assessment with panel heaters achieved an energy rating of F31 and the assessment with High Heat Retention Storage Heaters achieved D55, 24 points higher.

Both energy ratings are low and that’s because the property is a two story Victorian terrace with no insulation in the walls and floor and only a very small part of the roof is insulated. The point of the exercise is to show how significant the improvement in the properties energy rating is between the two types of electric heaters.

To read the full case study, visit our High Heat Retention Storage Heaters vs Electric Panel / Convector Heaters – Case Study page.

Which High Heat Retention Storage Heater Do I Need?

The first step is to work out how much heat output you need to heat the room where the radiator is going. There are numerous online calculators on websites that sell radiators. You enter the dimensions of the room and any factors that can influence heat loss e.g. windows, doors, the age of the property etc. This should provide you with a heat output requirement for the room measured in either Kilowatts (kW) or British Thermal Units (BTUs). You can then select the right sized High Heat Retention Storage Heater to suit the room.

High Heat Retention Storage Heater Models Recognised in EPC Calculations

Dimplex Quantum, model numbers:

QM050 / QM070 / QM100 / QM125 / QM150 / QM050RF / QM070RF / QM100RF / QM125RF / QM150RF

Creda Quantum, model numbers:

CQH70 / CQH100 / CQH125 / CQH150

GDC Heatstore, model numbers:

HSDQ070 / HSDQ100 / HSDQ125 / HSDQ150

Elnur SA, Ecombi HHR, model numbers:

ECOHHR20 / ECOHHR30 / ECOHHR40

Elnur SolarHHR, model numbers:

SOLARHHR20 / SOLARHHR30 / SOLARHHR40

Stiebel Eltron, model numbers

SHF2000 / SHF3000 / SHS2400 / SHS3000 / SHS3600

Heatstore Quantum, model numbers:

HSDQ70 / HSDQ100 / HSDQ125 / HSDQ150

Dimplex Heatstore Dynamic HHR, model numbers:

HSDHHR050 / HSDHHR070 / HSDHHR100 / HSDHHR125 / HSDHHR150

Electrorad Thermastore, model numbers:

HHR165 / HHR255 / HHR340

Find out more about…

Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards (MEES)

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Domestic EPC Exemptions from MEES Minimum Rating

MEES Exemptions allow landlords to let properties that do not achieve the minimum energy rating

What Does An EPC Assessment Involve and how to prepare

Get ready for your assessment, find out what we need to see and do to complete an EPC

What Are The Legal Requirements For EPC’s and do I need one

Understand the current legal requirements for EPCs when renting or selling a property