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On space heaters

I read an article recently claiming that space heaters in the bedroom didn't really save money in that the cost of electricity to run them costs far more than central heating.

I was skeptical of that assertion.

A few years ago, I installed a window a/c unit and was shocked at how much my electric bill went down!

Anyway, a couple of months ago, I bought a small, ancient, GAS space heater for ten bucks at an auction. Over the last couple of weeks, I managed to get gas piped from the meter to the bedroom wall Luckily, the master bedroom wall and the meter are on the same side of the house, about 14 feet apart.

I then fired up the heater and, Lord, does that sucker put out the heat !

My additional aim is to continue the piping to the back of the house and around the corner so that I can convert my portable generator to tri-fuel instead of having to rely on gasoline.

Point is, even if the original article was correct (which I doubt), there may be alternatives to heating the whole house - other than the central unit - for eight hours while you sleep.

Of course all this is a worthless endeavor on my part if we never again experience cold weather ...

Reply to
HeyBub
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HB you are a very intelligent gent and I know you realize the dangers of CO perhaps coming from an unventilated old style heater in a closed room. If you're going to run the gas line to your genset, check with your gas company about the availability of a 2psi gas service. You would have to put a regulator on the line feeding your little heater to bring the pressure down to 6-8"WC and the existing feed to any other gas appliances but the 2psi supply would insure plenty of NG for your genset and you won't need to run as large a diameter pipe to get the same volume. When I was doing remodel work with my friend GB, we always got a 2psi meter installed and ran 1/2" gas line instead of 1" which saved a lot of money. ^_^

TDD

Reply to
The Daring Dufas

lemme guess, you bought an old Dearborn heater, didn't ya? I got one in the shop and yes, they do put out some heat and I've never had it on high ever. Damn fine heaters those old Dearborn are.

Reply to
ChairMan

HB-

As oyu have seen...it all depends on the circumstances.

That article that issued a blanket condemnation of space heat (electric or gas) vs central heat is clearly wrong. Spot heating or cooling can often be LOTS cheaper than central heat or cooling.

What makes better sense?

A single person is in a 2800 sq ft house where the outside temp is

28F....

1) heat the whole house with propane fired FAU or

2) heat a single room with a couple 1500 watt oil filled space heaters

The correct solution would change if one needed to heat all 5 bedrooms....

The same thinking would apply in a cooling environment.

cheers Bob

Reply to
DD_BobK

Why do people call small heaters such as this gas one, or the portable electric ones "SPACE HEATERS"? I've never yet heard of any astronaut using one of them to heat "outer space". And if your house is attached to a foundation on the earth, you are NOT IN SPACE!!!! (Even if you might think you are in space from the drugs you took).

Reply to
homeowner

These folks sure needed space heaters.

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R, for brief crude language.

Christopher A. Young Learn more about Jesus

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Reply to
Stormin Mormon

Choice #3 --- Wear flannel pajamas and have a 100 watt electric blanket.

I prefer the oil filled heater over any type with a fan, as it has always been the fan which eventually quits and the heater shuts off. While it's easy to remove and disassemble the fan, clean and oil the bearings, and get them going for another few years, the oil heater relies on medium temp over a large surface and isn't as much of a fire hazard. Just my opinion, tho.

Reply to
Robert

Heating a single room in a house in an area with real winters may result in lower fuel costs but it can be disastrous in the long run. That single room will not have insulation between it and the other rooms so the small heater may not really work well. Also, when temperatures drop below freezing, humidity from living in the house will migrate to the cold rooms and condense on cold surfaces, causing damage to finishes and allowing mould to grow.

If one wants to chop the heating bill, he could set the central heat on low to maintain some heat throughout the building, and then run electric heaters in the occupied rooms to boost the temperature to a comfortable level. However, this will all depend on the fuel used for the central heat and the cost of electricity in your are. For example, I live in Canada and we get real winters. My gas bill is only $600.00 per year for heat, hot water and cooking, but my electric bill is $350.00 per month, so I would never want to run an electric heater except in an emergency.

Reply to
EXT

I'd wonder about the pipes in the walls. On the cold side of the building.

Christopher A. Young Learn more about Jesus

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Heating a single room in a house in an area with real winters may result in lower fuel costs but it can be disastrous in the long run. That single room will not have insulation between it and the other rooms so the small heater may not really work well. Also, when temperatures drop below freezing, humidity from living in the house will migrate to the cold rooms and condense on cold surfaces, causing damage to finishes and allowing mould to grow.

If one wants to chop the heating bill, he could set the central heat on low to maintain some heat throughout the building, and then run electric heaters in the occupied rooms to boost the temperature to a comfortable level. However, this will all depend on the fuel used for the central heat and the cost of electricity in your are. For example, I live in Canada and we get real winters. My gas bill is only $600.00 per year for heat, hot water and cooking, but my electric bill is $350.00 per month, so I would never want to run an electric heater except in an emergency.

Reply to
Stormin Mormon

i know a fellow who tired of paying for natural gas.........

he walled off a tiny part of his home and tried heating with electric space heaters, his electric bill went thru the roof, natural gas was far cheaper.....

the freeze thaw ruined the drywall, inside the home pipes needed heat tape, drain lines froze, basically he ruined his home, people who have been inside say it will need gutted, if not torn down...

Reply to
bob haller

On 11/27/2012 11:02 AM, bob haller wrote: ...

...

Ah, yes, the inevitable "Bob knew" story... :)

Reply to
dpb

You could save even more by not heating the bedroom at all. Back in the day prior to central heat only the rich had fireplaces in the bedrooms - everybody else did with cold rooms and lots of covers. I grew up that way and still prefer a cold to a warm room for sleeping

Harry K

Reply to
Harry K

Odd, I grew up in Northern Idaho - moved through...um 5 houses - all had no heat in the bedrooms and living areas heated with a wood stove. Not one sign of mold, condensation as your claim anywhere except the windows. Temps werecommon at 20 below and 40 below was not unknown.

Quite comfortable sleeping in cold rooms with enough blankets. Harry K

Or don't run any heat in the bedrooms. Use electric blankets if you just can't stand using a pile of blankets.

Harry K

Reply to
Harry K

Don't forget the clincher "people said..."

Harry k

Reply to
Harry K

i turn off the heater at night, and use cats to keep us warm.

Reply to
chaniarts

...

By his tales of "know neighbor, etc." Haller is apparently the carrier of every disaster known to ancient and/or modern man--if he ever moves to your neighborhood, you had best move posthaste 'cuz pestilence and other assorted ills are sure to arrive w/ the locusts... :)

--

Reply to
dpb
[snip]

I'm like that too. I prefer a lower room temperature at night, and use blankets.

Reply to
Mark Lloyd

Wierdly I know lots of people, many friends of friends... This particular fellow has been a garbage collector and has 2 acres full of scrap metal. odd thing scrap price is never high enough for him, so he never sells.

meanwhile neighbor kids steal some and the town cites him for the overgrown mess.

his entire family is wierd

Reply to
bob haller

And bring trouble to them all, apparently... :)

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Reply to
dpb

Must be true? Heard it from Madge, the hair dresser?

Christopher A. Young Learn more about Jesus

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Don't forget the clincher "people said..."

Harry k

Reply to
Stormin Mormon

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