Electric Wet Heating
Economy 10 tariffs provide you with cheaper electricity rates for 10 hours each day, typically five hours of heat at night complemented with three in the afternoon and two in the evening - the actual times can vary from supplier to supplier. While Economy 10 offers rates of up to half the price of peak rates, the standing charges are often higher. Economy 10 is designed to work with electrically heated wet radiator systems though it may also work with ceramic core meters
To make the most of an Economy 10 tariff, you should use the majority of your energy during the off-peak hours. This means running your heating and appliances during the night and late evening. Consequently, they are only typically suitable to properties where heat can be retained and released as the day progresses. It is worth bearing in mind that any heated water will be hot first thing in the morning, but it may have cooled later on in the day.
You will need to make sure your major appliances, like your washing machine, dishwasher and tumble dryer, have timer settings so they can be operated at night. Using energy outwith of the ‘off peak’ times can prove very expensive otherwise.
An Economy 10 meter normally shows two sets of numbers, rather than a single reading. One marked ‘low’ (the night-time rate) and one marked ‘normal’ (the standard daytime rate). Alternatively, there may be one set of numbers marked day rate, and a red button, which you press to get your night reading.
Making the most of your electric wet radiator system
Electric wet radiator systems work in a similar way to gas or oil central heating systems. The boiler uses electricity to heat water that gets pumped around the radiators in your home. The water in your tank is also heated using electricity rather than oil or gas.
Your system should have a programmer that controls when the heating and hot water comes on and off. In most cases, you’ll also have a boost function. This lets you turn on the heating without changing the settings on the programmer. It’s handy if you need a quick boost of heating or hot water, but it’ll be more expensive if you use it outside of the off-peak times.
