Storage heater insulation panels

[Simon T]

Got a second hand storage heater from a friend

Had to remove the firebricks to transport it, as it weighs a bloody ton.

Anyway, there are insulation panels front and back that go between the fire bricks and the metal case.

Trouble is, the material has split and the cork(?) insulation (better not be asbestos) has spilled out, so need to replace.

Having difficulty tracking down replacements and if I've read the description on the Dimplex website correctly, replacement insulation panels seem extremely expensive (unless I read the wrong part).

So, any idea how to improvise a suitable replacement sheet of insulation? Needs to be fairly thin (about 1/4")

Thanks in advance

[The Natural Philosopher]

???

[tabbypurr]

A picture would probably help identify it.

NT

[Simon T]

Just a thought, would insulation foil do it, like the stuff they put behind radiators?

It is liable to get rather warm in there though, doesn't this stuff have plastic bubbles on the inside?

Don't want melted plastic oozing out of the bottom, or worse, black smoke coming out of the top.

[Simon T]

The radiator, or the insulation panel?

Providing a pic of the former would be rather tricky as it's in bits.

[tabbypurr]

Nowhere near enough insulation, and the core gets way to hot for such stuff.

NT

[tabbypurr]

the insulation of course :)

NT

[harry]

Just Google "heat resistant insulation board." Lots of hits.

[PeterC]

I added insulation to a storage heater because it shed almost all of the heat in about 8h, so useless in the evening. Used some rock wool or glass fibre from the loft. Obviously not space for much but it made a hell of a difference. Might be worth looking at something like soldering mats to cover the top of fibre insulation if there's any easy path for fibres to be carried out by convection.

[Andy Wade]

The material is a ceramic fibre board and yes, it is quite expensive. If you were looking at a retail price list though, the price would be further inflated. Enquire through a an electrical wholesaler, or an online spares supplier such as TD spares, for better pricing.

I'd advise against any improvisation here on fire safety grounds; the core temperature of a fully charged storage heater is extremely hot - hundreds of deg. C. Do you want to take the risk?

[Simon T]

Was thinking of using a thin layer of rockwool insulation.

[Andy Wade]

I doubt that will work.

Try here:

[Teen T]

replying to Simon T, Teen T wrote: Hi Simon, cane across your post by chance... I hv same issue ... can I ask wht you ended up doing with your heater?

[Brian Gaff]

I remember that post. I'd imagine the company don't want you to buy them hoping to sell you a new heater! The sides of my heater still get quite hot though so I'm not convinced the stuff they use is very good in any case. Maybe the ideal substance is what they used to make Space shuttle tiles out of! That was a kind of hard surfaced ceramic high temp foam. Not mechanically very strong but one heck of an insulator from heat.

What are Fire blankets made from? Brian

[Maggie61]

replying to The Natural Philosopher, Maggie61 wrote: Are these boards really suitable , I'm having same problem as simon after googling about the insulation boards and not getting anywhere. ,I came across ,,insulation boards and grenfell and thought iv really got to check these Victorian plumbing boards before I order ,to be on the safe side.

[tabbypurr]

for what?

what problem is that?

what boards? Gis a clue!

NT

[Brian Gaff]

Did you miss the thread start. As I recall its to do with insides of storage heaters, though it does seem to have wandered off a bit. Brian

[tabbypurr]

the thread started back in 2016. Few will see that. What hoh displays is not what you get in the newsgroup.

NT

[Mel]

replying to Brian Gaff, Mel wrote: Found this when having similar issues, thought comments might be helpful to anyone else viewing. Initially advised insulation panel obsolete so went around another of firms who deal with insulation products until one came up with Insulfrax Board 110 LD. To cut a long story short DO NOT use this in storage heaters due to fumes given off, made me ill. Eventually received information that insulation is available if hunt around and pay £75 plus quid for it.

[Simon T]

For some reason this thread just bumped back up in my news feed. Bit late now, but I ended up chucking the heater out.

I was planning to use it to heat my shed during the winter overnight on Economy 7, but I no longer have Economy 7 as the cheap overnight rate doesn't make up for the extra cost you pay during the day.

So as I couldn't get replacement insulation panels anyway, out it went.