Can infrared heating replace storage heaters?

Old storage heaters charge up overnight and release heat all day whether you are in or not — so they are often warmest when you have left for work and cold by the evening. Infrared flips that: it heats instantly, only when and where you want it, with a thermostat and timer in each room.

Panels are also far slimmer than bulky storage bricks, need no maintenance, and free up wall space. For most people the day-to-day comfort and control is the main reason to change.

Storage heaters have one advantage: they use off-peak electricity, which on an Economy 7 tariff is cheaper per kWh. Infrared typically runs on standard-rate units. To keep the swap cost-effective, either move to a modern smart tariff with cheap off-peak windows, or lean on infrared's targeting so you simply use far fewer units by not heating empty rooms all day.

In practice, homes that were over-heating empty rooms with storage heaters often use less total energy after switching, because infrared only runs when a room is occupied.

Replacing storage heaters is largely electrical work: remove the old units and fit wall- or ceiling-mounted panels with local controls, reusing existing circuits where suitable. There is no wet system, boiler or pipework, so disruption is minimal and a room can often be done in a day.