The sequel would be of more value to you,
And she talks about costs and other considerations.
Smart money will insulate the walls, floor and ceiling. And insulation works with air conditioning too.
Plus it would be really efficient. Maybe some long sleeved flannel shirts, insulated underwear, etc would meet the OP's needs. Heating pads are supposed to be for other things but no one says they can't be used just to keep warm. Old fashioned vest like in the old western's? Maybe a look at farm supply stores like Tractor Supply or Bomgaars would help. Cabela's is still going.
You sure about that 25 cent electric rate? You said you live in the Peoples Republic of California. So it sounds like it's probably in the ballpark, twice the national average. But you might want to make sure there isn't something more going on, like that's the average and they charge 50 cents at night when the sun isn't shining and you might be using the heater mostly at that rate, or more at that rate, etc. Also I guess it doesn't much matter because the equipment cost isn't high, but who knows what the rates will be in the future. If you want the gas one, better buy it now before the libs ban them too.
Real men use acetylene.
It always seemed to me that electric blankets/mattress pads are a solution seeking a problem that doesn't exist except in the first 30 seconds (much like heated seats are in a cold-weather vehicle or a couch massager is).
I don't know how many people have been killed by their blankets, but once I'm in bed, no matter how cold the air is above or below the bed frame, I'm toasty warm in a few minutes without any electricity under or over me.
Ceiling on the top floor may be easy to insulate if there is an attic. Walls and floors nearly impossible.
I agree. If I was going to have to deal with the propane problems. You would need atleast 2 tanks so if one ran out at night you could switch tanks. Then there is the proceived health problems of breathing the air from the propane fire. Maybe get two of the electric heaters to warm the air up faster. You just have to make sure they are on different breakers. One other advantage is the electrics will have a thermostat where the propane is either off or on and you have to manually look after it. The room will run from too hot to too cold.
It is just the wife and I at home now. Our electric bill runs from about $ 150 to $ 200 per month total usage. That includes an outside light that is about $ 10 per month in the middle of North Carolina. We have a heat pump for AC/heat. With the cost that low we put the thermostat from 70 to 74 deg yeat round.
And 1/4 open will probably waste most of it. Another fine nutty law in the Peoples Republic. I see the latest nutty lib idea is Newsom just signed a law to create a separate but equal system of Amber alerts for blacks, they call it the Ebony Alert. He is a curious fellow, just the other day he vetoed a nutty lib law passed by the legislature to ban the cast system in California.
It's probably higher in the winter for a couple of reasons, one of which is they charge by time of use, with 4pm to 9pm having the highest rates, the other being that they have summer rates and they have winter rates.
That was based on the summer rates currently in effect. I don't know when the winter rates kick in.
Also, it's complex in California because you pay one rate per kilowatt hour to the electrical generator company & another to the distributing company.
It's two different charges on each page of the bill for the same usage.
I got the 25 cents per kilowatt hour by removing the monthly charges and then dividing the remaining use charges by the number of kilowatt hours.
My old house has blown in insulation in the walls which works fine. Hardly impossible.
I have a 1500W heater on a cabinet next to my bed aimed down so I can lift the covers with it on and my knees raised and quickly warm the bed.
Get a water bed. Constant 80 degree temperature year around (adjust to your own skin temperature). Cools in the summer, warms in the winter.
Burning wood produces carbon _dioxide_ and various other combustion gasses, which are generally vented to the outdoors. The advantage when compared with propane or methane is that burning wood is carbon neutral - it doesn't add carbon to the atmosphere that had been sequestered for a hundred million years like the propane will.
The disadvantage is, well, how much forested land is left in the UK?
Woodburning fireplace _inserts_ are very efficient, particularly those with circulation fans.
The problem with woodburning in a densely populated area like the SF Bay area is inversion layers which trap the particulate pollution and create poor air quality for everyone.
It used to get pretty bad on the peninsula and in San Jose before they started the spare-the-air days twenty years ago.
If you open the fireplace damper, the BTU requirement for a given interior temperature will likely double when compared with a well sealed living environment since all that warm interior air will simply rise out the chimney.
You just can't resist with name calling and pejorative labeling, can you.
The rates vary based on: - Region (Southern or Northern California) - Plan (Time of Use, etc) - Consumption (there are tiers based on consumption levels). - Home Solar panel production
It's pretty easy to look at the PGE rate tables on-line for NorCal, and Southern California Edison in SoCal.
At the end of year true-up last year, I ended up paying about USD120 for the entire year for electricity (primarily for connection charges), even with a electrically heated swim spa.
Blowing insulation into the walls has been derigour for almost a century. Inexpensive and easy. Hardly "nearly impossible".
Given that heat rises, insulating floors is generally unproductive.
And of course, modern homes (built in the last three decades) will generally be well-insulated when built.
Worked good on single story or balloon framed structures but VERY involved on 2 story conventionally framed houses with fire blocking. My brother did his double brick house from inside - drilling holes through the plaster and injecting foam - then patching the hundreds of holes. In double brick getting a complete fill is not requires - the airspace betweenthe bricks is a pretty good insulation if you can prevent air movement so a 50% fill can be virtually as effective as a
100% if you get the 50% in the right place. Made a HUGE difference for him
We had one for a couple years and I HATED it. It was a "motionless" hybrid - with heater - and I was ALWAYS COLD. You can have that crap - in California or Florida
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