night storage heaters 'unused' electricity

[jamiesoned]

If I have night storage heaters (radiators not water heater) & I have the 'input' set high but during the day have 'output' set to low what happens to the used 'output' so to speak. Does all the stored heat get used regardless? Does it get carried over to the next day? I ask the question because sometimes the weather forecast predicts cold weather the next day (so I turn 'input' up0 but then it is actually warmer than predicted and so I do not turn up 'output' therefore, have I just wasted electricity? Thanks in advance Jamie

[WendyW]

Storage heaters are like radiators .. they get hot. If you don't use the heat then they simple cool down and you have lost it.

[Eddiecurrent]

Storage heaters use bricks (special type) to absorb and store heat energy supplied to them by an electric element. They are also insulated to keep a large proportion of the heat in the heater. When the heater warms up to a pre-determined level the thermostat shuts off the heating element. During the day the bricks will slowly give off their heat via radiation and convetion. Usually if you want extra heat during the day you can open up a flap that will release extra heat from the bricks. If there is heat energy still in the bricks they will require less energy to heat up again.