Electric Thermal Storage (ETS) heat is quiet, odorless, extremely comfortable and very affordable, based on a concept of heating that originated in Europe.
In an ETS system, a heating medium (usually very dense ceramic bricks) is combined with electric heating elements running through this medium. The elements are turned on during off-peak hours when we can charge a lower rate. The bricks heat up and then store the heat for hours inside the insulated cabinet. During on-peak hours, we cut off the heating elements and you heat your home by operating a small fan that circulates air over the bricks, heating it and your home. By shifting the energy use to off-peak hours, we help keep overall rates to our members low. ETS is also a greener way of heating your home, removing reliance on oil and reducing the amount of energy consumed during peak times when demand for energy is highest.
Our approximate ETS control hours are as follows:
September 15 – May 15
7:00 – 11:00 AM & 5:00 – 10:00 PM
May 16 – September 14
Noon – 7:00 PM
Control periods are in effect Monday - Friday
Please note: Times are not limited to these hours only. Periods can be extended or shortened, depending on peak loads and weather conditions.
A weekend control period is extremely rare and typically does not happen.
ETS units are available in room units, as a central furnace, as a heat pump booster, and as hydronic units where they heat water that is circulated through floors and baseboard units.
All of our ETS installations come with installation of a second electric meter onto your home. This second meter strictly measures the electricity being used by the ETS heating unit(s), separately from the meter accounting for your home's usual electricity use. This arrangement allows us to control the hours in which the ETS units can be charged, leaving the rest of your electric service undisturbed.
Pictured here is a cutaway view of an ETS room unit showing its heating elements, bricks, fan, and insulation. The accompanying GIF, showing an ETS furnace heating up, displays how the metal coils within the unit are used to heat the ceramic bricks, which store heat throughout the day until released into your home by an internal fan.
Did you know? - We offer a Refer A Friend program for ETS! If you're an ETS owner and you recommend it to a friend, you can both earn a $150 bill credit! Click here for more details!
Rates of off-peak electricity have proven themselves more stable than other heat sources. Don't rely on oil or propane! Electric Thermal Storage's off-peak electricity is the cheaper and more environmentally friendly option!
Which ETS system is right for your home?
Your cooperative offers ETS products from one of the best ETS companies in the world, the Steffes Corporation. Every Electric Thermal Storage unit is made in the United States of America. Financing is available on ETS products*.
But which ETS unit is best for your home's heating needs? If you have either a baseboard hot water or a centrally ducted heating system, a central furnace is the proper solution. If you have baseboard electric or simply want room-by-room control, the individual room units are the way to go.
Once we know what type of system is right for your needs, we must size it correctly. In order to properly size the ETS system, we need to calculate the head loss for your home or area to be heated. The heat loss calculation looks at the construction of your home (type and number of windows and doors, insulation levels, etc.), determines how much heat it loses because of the construction, then generates a recommendation for the size of the system needed to both cover the heat loss and provide a specific level of heat. Our process for sizing an ETS system is as follows:
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Calculate the initial heat loss - We work with you to obtain the information needed for the preliminary heat loss calculation. We usually do this over the phone, through email, or via regular mail. If you want to get a head start, download our ETS Field Measurement Checklist form and fill in your home's data. Estimate as closely as you can but don't spend an inordinate amount of time on it -- we'll fine tune it later. Upon completing this form, email it to us at info@sussexrec.com.
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Develop a ballpark installed cost - This estimate is intended to provide you with an approximate installed cost so you can make a decision on proceeding further.
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Schedule home visits - If this estimate looks fine, we will then schedule appointments to visit your home and take more detailed measurements to provide a firm price for the job.
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Installation - Once the price and date of installation is agreed upon, we can move forward with installing ETS in your home.
If you would like more information on Electric Thermal Storage heating, give us a call today at 973-875-5101 or email us at info@sussexrec.com