IT’S NOT sunshine and beach parties all year round in Spain. Temperatures drop dramatically inside properties during the winter due to lack of insulation. Moreover, 60% of Spanish homes built since 1979 have no minimum energy efficiency standards. This leaves winter residents with a dilemma on how best to heat their homes during the cold spell.

According to Which? – The UK’s ♯1 product testing consumer association – “The most cost effective form of electric central heating uses night storage heaters. These heaters use electricity supplied at a cheaper ‘night-time’ rate to heat up special heat-retaining bricks. These bricks then heat your home around the clock using the heat stored in the bricks.” (www.which.co.uk)

Night storage heaters are used in homes across the Costa Blanca as the most efficient and cost effective form of heating available on the market.

Low running cost is the big bonus with night storage heaters. Used with the Day and Night Energy 14-hour cheap rate tariff they run at half the cost of similar heaters – pound for pound, night storage heaters are by far the cheapest heater to run on the market!

There is also the added advantage of gaining extra savings using Day & Night Energy with electrical appliances. For example, using the washing machine, one of the largest energy guzzlers in the home, during the cheap rate period will cut the running cost by half.

Night storage heaters are easy to install – no major building work, and no ugly pipes. There are no exposed cables, plus the switching controls can be fitted out of sight inside the consumer unit.

Available power is not a major concern either. That’s because the night storage heaters are only consuming power during the night time when there is little else switched on.

When it came to choosing a heating system for my casa, it was a no brainer. Plus keeping the boss happy goes a long way in my book. Mrs Sparks says “these storage heaters ain’t like those big ones your granny had, they look very modern.”

As of January 2014 we are installing the new ECOMBI smart heaters. Click here to read more.