How to get the most from your Electric Heating and Hot Water System
Using your electric heating system efficiently means getting the best out of the system for the least cost. To do this you need to know how to work the heating controls. This leaflet will explain how to set commonly found heating and hot water controls.
How storage heaters work
Storage heaters are designed to 'charge up' with heat during the night (using the cheaper rate of electricity) and release that heat during the following day.
Identifying your storage heater types
Auto-set control heaters
Under a small flap on the top of the heater there are two dials. The dial on the right will be marked 'auto-set' or 'input'. The left dial will be marked 'room temperature', 'output' or 'boost'.
Manual charge control heaters
On this heater the right dial will be marked 'overnight charge'. The left dial will be marked 'room temperature', 'boost' or 'output'.
Combination heaters
If your heater has two wall switches and a dial on the side it is likely to be a combination heater. The storage heater element of this heater will be either the 'auto-set' or manual type and is identified and controlled in the way described below.
Controlling your storage heaters
Storage heaters are independent (not linked) and each individual heater must be adjusted separately to suit your heating requirements for each room.
The two controls on a storage heater are the charge control (either 'Auto-set' or manual) which controls the amount of heat put into the heater overnight, and the output control, which controls the rate at which heat is released into the room.
The charge control dial is used first for all heater types.
Note: If you live in an uninsulated home there will not be much heat left in the evening. You may need other forms of heating as well.
Setting the 'Auto-set' charge control
- 1. Turn the heater on at the wall switch.
2. Turn the 'Auto-set' dial to minimum (it will turn smoothly and stop when minimum is reached - do not use force!).- 3. Slowly turn the 'Auto-set' dial clockwise listening out for a quiet click. After you hear the click, turn the dial to the next number.
- 4. Use the 'auto-set' dial again over the next few days to 'fine tune' the heater. Adjust the dial up or down by 1 each evening until you feel the room is comfortably warm in the evening and the heater side panels are cool. It may take a few days to decide, but once it is done you can leave the 'auto-set' dial in the same position all winter. Whatever changes you make, remember you will not feel the difference until the following day.
Setting the Manual Charge Control
- 1. Turn the heater on at the wall switch.
- 2. Adjust the right-hand (charging adjuster) control.
To get the most out of these heaters it is best to follow the seasonal changes. In the autumn, start with a setting of say 2 to 3, and gradually increase the setting as the winter comes on. Gradually lower the setting as winter turns to spring.
Winter: Charge knob setting: 4 - 6
Autumn and Spring: Charge knob setting: 2 - 3
Setting the output control for both manual and auto
The dial on the left-hand side of the control panel marked 'room temperature', 'output' or 'boost' controls the heat output.
If you are out during the day: turn the dial anti-clockwise to low at bedtime and leave it at low until the evening.
In the evening turn the dial clockwise to release heat from the heater and warm the room. Return the dial to low at bedtime.
If you are in during the day or if you find that the room gets too cold at night, choose a setting, say 3 or 4, that gives a comfortable level of warmth. Set this in the morning.
Leave the heater at this level until evening when you can turn it up. But remember to return the dial to low at bedtime. Remember, if you have the boost setting high during the day, you may find that it is not very warm during the evening.
How to use your immersion heater
If you have an immersion heater with wall switches only:
One switch is for the "off-peak" water heating during the night and one for extra "on-peak" water heating during the day.
Keep the off-peak switch on all the time. This means that a tank of hot water will be heated during the night-time "off-peak".
Try to use the "on-peak" switch as little as possible because "on-peak" electricity is much more expensive.
If you have an immersion heater with a timer control
It may have a boost, which allows you to heat extra hot water during the expensive rate of electricity. Try it for ½ an hour to see if you get enough water. Timers operate on a clockwork mechanism, so they are unlikely to go wrong. If it isn't on a timer and the boost does not switch off automatically, do not forget to switch it off when you have had enough hot water!
Common problems
My heater makes a noise when the output control dial is turned
Some output control dials will make a 'clanking' noise. The noise is normal and is caused by the movement of the output control flap.
The heaters smell when first turned on for the winter.
This is normal and the smell should go away after a day or two.
No heating or insufficient heating
Make sure the electricity supply to the heater is switched on.
Check there has not been a power cut during the night, leaving the heaters undercharged.
Check that the input or overnight charge control has not been turned down too low overnight.
Check that the output or room temperature control has not been left open or on full overnight.
With 'auto-set' control heaters - check there was no other form of heating in the room overnight causing the auto charge to undercharge the heater.
No hot water or water is too cool
- Check that the electricity supply to the immersion heater is on.
- Check that there has not been a power cut overnight causing the immersion heater to under-heat the water.
- Check that the hot water has not been used up. If it has, use the on-peak immersion heater to heat up the water.
- Check that the hot water cylinder thermostat (where fitted) has not been set too low. The thermostat should be set at 60ºC.
If you need further energy advice please contact Energy Officer, Elaine Gibbs on (01245) 613104 or e-mail: elaine.gibbs@chelmerhp.org.uk
