{"id":1859,"date":"2026-04-13T09:25:01","date_gmt":"2026-04-13T09:25:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mywarmhome.co.uk\/stage\/?page_id=1859"},"modified":"2026-10-14T17:30:02","modified_gmt":"2026-10-14T17:30:02","slug":"electric","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/mywarmhome.co.uk\/stage\/electric\/","title":{"rendered":"Electric Heating"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\n
<\/div><\/span>
\n
\n

Heating homes \u2022 Electric heating<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Electric heating.
More than just storage heaters.<\/h1>\n\n\n\n

Storage heaters, direct electric radiators, heat pumps and underfloor heating all use electricity \u2014 but they behave very differently in the home.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n
\n
\n
\n

01<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Direct electric<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Simple, responsive and easy to zone, but normally uses peak-rate electricity and can be expensive.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n
\n

02<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Storage<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Stores cheaper off-peak heat for later. Modern HHR models are much more controllable.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n
\n

03<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Heat pumps<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Use electricity to move heat rather than create it directly, giving a very different efficiency profile.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n
\n

04<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Underfloor<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Comfortable and discreet. Best suited to the right room, floor build-up and heat-loss level.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n

Start with the basics<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Electric heating is efficient at the heater. That does not automatically make it cheap to run.<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Most direct electric heaters convert almost all of the electricity they use into heat at the point of use. The big differences are how much electricity is required, when it is bought, how well the home retains heat and how accurately the system is controlled.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

That is why two electrically heated homes can have completely different running costs.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n
\n
\n

01 \u2022 Direct acting electric heating<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Heat when you ask for it.<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Panel heaters, electric radiators, infrared heaters, fan heaters and oil-filled radiators all produce heat directly when switched on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

They can work well in well-insulated homes, occasional-use rooms, extensions, loft conversions and home offices. Their main disadvantage is that they normally use electricity at the tariff rate that applies at the time they are running.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n
\n

Running-cost rule of thumb<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

1kW heater \u00d7 1 hour = 1kWh<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Multiply the heater’s kW rating by the hours used, then multiply that figure by your electricity unit rate.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n

02 \u2022 Storage heating<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Old storage heaters and modern HHR heaters are not the same thing.<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\n
\n
\n

Older storage heaters<\/h3>\n\n\n\n