Storage heaters and ECO4: a UK household checklist (2026)

Guide by ApplyFreeBoiler.uk (Reliant Energy Solutions Ltd), a heating and insulation installer in Bury, Greater Manchester. We are not the government, Ofgem or an energy supplier.

Night storage heaters, often paired with an off-peak electricity tariff, heat up when power is cheaper and release warmth later. Households with this kind of heating often ask whether an ECO4 survey could lead to a different system, and what to check first. This checklist is general information from a Bury-based heating and insulation installer and does not guarantee funding.

1. Confirm what kind of heaters you have

Walk through the home and note how many storage heaters there are, which rooms have them and whether any room relies on a plug-in heater instead. Photograph the front panel and any model label. Some homes mix storage heaters with a gas fire or a single radiator — write that down too.

2. Note your electricity tariff and meters

Storage heaters are often paired with an off-peak tariff such as Economy 7 or Economy 10, and the home may have two meter readings or a dual-rate meter. Photograph the meter and keep a recent bill. The surveyor needs to know when the heaters charge and how you are billed.

3. Write down how well they actually heat the home

Note which rooms are warm in the evening, which are cold by morning and whether you top up with extra heaters. If the heaters no longer hold heat overnight, or one has stopped working, record when that started. That is useful context for any later recommendation.

4. Think about who uses the home and when

Storage heaters suit a pattern where the house needs warmth later in the day. If someone is at home all day, or needs a warmer bedroom overnight for health reasons, say so. A system that charged overnight may not match how the household now lives.

5. Ask what, if anything, would replace the heaters

Do not assume a survey leads to a new boiler and radiators. Ask what options the surveyor is considering, why those options suit a home that is currently on electric storage heating, and what disruption pipework, a cylinder or a new consumer unit would involve.

6. Check the consumer unit and electrical capacity

A change of heating can need spare ways on the consumer unit (fuse box) and a review of the incoming supply. If the unit is old, labelled unclearly or in a cupboard that is hard to reach, mention it and ask the surveyor to look at it.

7. Do not switch the heaters off without a plan

Turning storage heaters off completely in winter, or breaking one to 'force' a replacement, can leave the home dangerously cold and may not help any later assessment. Keep the home safely habitable and describe the problems instead.

8. Ask who would show you any new controls

If a different heating system or new storage heaters were later proposed, ask who would demonstrate the controls, what manuals you would keep and who to call if a room will not warm up after the engineers leave.

9. Compare local delivery data

See ECO measures by council on ApplyFreeBoiler.uk, built from DESNZ Household Energy Efficiency statistics, to see how many ECO measures have been installed in your local authority area.

10. Check eligibility

Use the ApplyFreeBoiler.uk eligibility check to see whether an ECO4 heating or insulation pathway may be available for your home in England, Scotland or Wales. ECO4 is due to close on 31 December 2026.