Electric thermal storage units
Where can you buy them in Ontario?
I've been searching for your recommendeded electric thermal storage units - heaters that let you save up the heat produced during low-cost times, and broadcast that heat during high-cost times. Unfortunately I can't seem to find any in Ontario that fit bill.
I am purchasing an older condo in Muskoka - 2 hours north of Toronto Ontario (circa 1980) and after upgrading the insulation I will be installng new baseboard heaters. Can you recommend a couple of different manufacturers and sources for southern/northern Ontario?
Darlene
Answer from Green Energy Efficient Homes
Electric thermal storage units have been around for years in Europe and parts of Asia but are only just taking off in Canada, as time-of-use metering spreads. In Ontario people can now sign up for time of use metering, and it therefore becomes quite affordable to consider electric thermal storage units if you heat with electricity. Unfortunately, because this is a relatively new market, there are not that many companies set up to sell or install electric thermal heaters.
One manufacturer that has distributors across Ontario and the rest of North America is Dimplex (www.dimplex.com). You can use their dealer locator to find a dealer near you. I couldn't find Muskoka in their city list but did find Huntsville which isn't too far off, and a number of dealers are listed there.
Another manufacturer is Steffes (www.steffes.com), and they provide a dealer locator that requires you to enter your name, address and postal code. Since I suggest you try them out as well.
I expect more and more electric thermal storage systems will become available in the next year or two in Ontario, as people start to catch on to the benefits of TOU pricing and realize how much money you can save in an electrically heated house, condo or cottage by switching to thermal storage. Eventually you'll find these for sale in your local building supply center, and I suspect prices will start to come down as demand increases, but for now your options are fairly limited. Good luck!
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