electric thermal storage heater

Since many electric utilities charge significantly more for electricity during the day than during nighttime, you may take advantage of it using an electric thermal storage heater... Be aware, however. They pose some problems and involve disadvantages.

The typical goal of electric thermal storage heaters is to heat bricks and other ceramics during off-peak hours (nighttime), when electric rates are at their lowest.

Common electrical storage heaters

There are many types of electric thermal storage heaters, but the most common consist on a resistance electric system with its wires and elements encased in heat-storing materials (typically ceramic). A common ETS may involve high-density bricks inside a cabinet to store the heat during the off-peak hours and a fan to blow air across the heated bricks and to make the resulting warm air to circulate throughout the room during the pre-programmed hours .

Other ETS solutions

Beside resistance electric heaters, there are also furnaces incorporating ceramic blocks and electric systems storing hot water in conveniently insulated storage tanks.

Other solution involves thermal storage in the ground underneath the home: usually a difficult solution in terms of implementation, due the insulation demands (elements around the heating elements should be very well insulated to avoid heat losses to the earth). These systems involve embedded cables (or tubes) below the floor, capable of heating the concrete at night when the rates are at their lowest. These ETS system are usually implemented in concrete floors of new homes.

Disadvantages and problems with electric thermal heating

Electric thermal storage elements are subject to energy losses, which may nullify all the energy gains. The best way to minimize those losses is to locate the storage elements within the conditioned space of your house – in that case, the heat losses will actually heat your home and will not be lost.

Another problem concerns high leaky systems, which can easily cause an undesired home overheating or be a source of related problems.

Another disadvantage of electric thermal heaters concerns their lack of flexibility. Even if their controls/thermostats are used correctly, the maximum and minimum heat outputs often do not coincide with the periods when the homeowner needs are at their maximum. In many cases, ETH reach their minimum in the late evening, when people need them most.

You should pay attention to those disadvantages. Only in particular situations and with a very good home insulation (in order to bring the electric requirements to a minimum) the electric thermal heating is economically advisable.

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