More and more people are replacing their old storage heaters with electric radiators. Why? The short explanation is that storage heaters have become outdated. Apart from being easier on the eye, modern electric radiators are a lot more energy-efficient than storage heaters.
To start with, most of them have built-in timers and thermostats. This means that you can control the temperature and even turn them off automatically at a certain time. On top of that, they barely waste any energy – saving you money in the long run.
Put simply, replacing storage heaters with electric radiators is a no-brainer. Here’s how to do it…
How to replace a storage heater with an electric radiator
We’ll start with the good news – installing an electric heater is a fairly easy task. The bad news is that removing a storage heater isn’t. Unfortunately, it’s not just a matter of disconnecting them from the wall and putting an electric radiator in their place. If you want to remove your old storage heater, you’ll need the help of a licensed electrician who knows what they’re doing.
Storage heaters come hardwired into walls via a special socket that tells your energy provider whether you’re using energy at peak or off-peak times. This makes them tricky to remove. On average, a professional electrician will spend around 1-2 hours to remove a single storage heater. This means that a full house upgrade can take a couple of days.
To make things worse, storage heaters are essentially metal boxes full of bricks – making them extremely heavy. A relatively light storage heater will weigh around 50kg – with sturdier models in the region of 300-400kg. All in all, it’s not a DIY job.
Fortunately, certified electricians know their way around storage heaters and can remove them safely…
Replacing storage heaters – a short guide
- Firstly, your electrician will have to remove and rewire off-peak circuits, as well as convert storage heater sockets to regular sockets. This will allow you to install your new electric radiators in the same place where your old storage heaters were. If you would like your radiators to be in a different place, make sure you let your electrician know as soon as possible.
- Once the traditional sockets are in place, your electrician will earth the electricity. In some cases, they will also have to install circuit breakers. This is a standard security measure that prevents overheating, protecting you from overloading and short-circuiting. After this step, your electrician will test and certificate the new socket.
- It’s time for your new electric radiator to be installed. First, your electrician will drill a few holes and secure mounting brackets in the wall. Then, they will hang the radiator on the wall and screw in the safety screws on the top of the mounting brackets for extra safety.
The future of electricity is just one click away
When it comes to replacing storage heaters, DIY just won’t cut it. But don’t worry – Grants Electrical is here to help throughout Somerset. Our expert electricians in Wellington can install modern electric radiators in your home quickly and safely. Want to hear more? Get in touch today on 07775447404 or email via [email protected] for a no-obligation quote.