Would it be cheaper to buy space heaters for each room this winter?

[Quixote1818]

I live in Albuquerque which isn't usually too cold but can get down into the low 20's quite often at night. My house is about 1,600 sf and I use only four rooms most of the time.

With natural grass prices expected to be up 70% this winter I have been bantering it around in my head. Anyone think think this would be the way to go?

[Avalux]

1. I've been thinking the same thing.

I live in San Antonio. Seems it might be the way to go - worth looking into at least. I've already told my kids we're sleeping in the living room in front of the fireplace on cold nights. ;)

[txindy]

12. Flannel sheets and thermal pajamas will keep you warm enough in SA

Add some thick comforters over the top of everyone and you'll be saying, "Heat? Who needs heat?"

I say that and watch us actually get snow this winter. Or, worse, yet, an ice storm. :scared:

[Avalux]

18. I'd say we're about due for an ice storm.

My upstairs does get cold in the winter; we'll just have to be creative - thanks! :hi:

[Child_Of_Isis]

2. I have been wondering the same. eom

[shoelace414]

3. creating heat from electricity is

the least efficent way to creste heat..not to mention it's dangerous (could burn your house down)

[mcscajun]

17. It may be the least efficient...but his winter it could still be the

cheapest way to keep warm.

Safety First, Of Course.

http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/pubs/463.html

[rzemanfl]

4. Naw, just get one and stay in the part of the house that burns

down first.

[MaggieSwanson]

5. I was just discussing this with my husband

I think we're going to try the radiator-looking ones.

My H. says that Lou Dobbs predicted natural gas rates would be up 500% this winter. Maybe that's a little exaggerated (I hope so) but we need to start tinking now.

Anyone have any thoughts/recommendations? It gets bitterly cold here in Iowa.

[knowbody0]

7. i switched to those last year

excellent! close doors, heat individual rooms. way reduced my bill.

[Child_Of_Isis]

8. I have one for upstairs.

It seems to be pretty safe, and does a good job. I don't run mine on high though.

[CelticWinter]

10. WHOA!!

Boy am I glad I dont have to pay for my gas to heat my house.

[FloridaPat]

29. They're horrible. I have one.

[eleny]

30. We have a few of tose oiled filled radiator type heaters

We used to keep one on our enclosed formt porch when the porch windows were the old fashioned kind. We'd close the porch, put the heater on low and it would buffer the house from that chill on the north side of the house. Try one for a bit before you invest in more. I liked it and we still use them for spot heating. I think they're pretty safe to use as everything is sealed.

[Delphinus]

48. CBS said 71%! n/t

[I_Make_Mistakes]

60. CBS also set 31% Oil and 17% I think for electric

[SmokingJacket]

49. Why so much, do you know?

Not even gasoline has gone up that much.

We got a woodstove put in last year, just stacked two years of wood. SOunds like just in time.

[I_Make_Mistakes]

59. I have a De'Lounghi (sp.) from Lowe's. It does a good job in

my parrots 10x10 room. The eclectic heats the internal oil and then shuts of till the oil cools. I can't tell how effective it is, but I'm gonna get on for my bedroom to.

[John Q. Citizen]

6. If you have forced air heating maybe there is a

way to shut off your ducts to the rest of the house and only heat the rooms you want.

[Quixote1818]

9. I did that last winter and my bill was still around $150 a month

If it's going to double that would be close to $300 a month. Perhaps I should buy lots of firewood?

[SeattleGirl]

47. By closing vents

you would still use roughly the same amount of fuel for however long you had the heat turned on, it would just be funneled into fewer rooms.

I have a woodburning stove in my finished basement, but nothing upstairs besides the forced air gas heat. So I guess I'll turn on the heat long enough to take the ice off the walls, then shut it down and start a fire so I can run down stairs occasionally to thaw out. Seattle isn't North Dakota in the winter, but it can get cold in my house.

[MADem]

11. You might want to turn your gas heat down low, to say, 55 or 60

...and 'spot heat' as needed.

[Quixote1818]

16. Good suggestion. It seem keeping the house at 70 degrees

is hard to do and the heater seems to stay on most of the time. Keeping the house at 55 with a few space heaters may be the way to go.

[Holly_Hobby]

52. That's what we do.

Our house in the winter is continually at 60 degrees. We have a heated mattress pad on the bed, and a baseboard heater in the bathroom. Our gas budget is $58/month all year long.

If you go any lower than 60 degrees, you could develop mold.

[mcscajun]

13. Yup. Set your thermostat high enough to keep the pipes from

freezing, and use space heaters to heat only the space being used.

Safety First!

General Suggestions for All Space Heaters

CPSC offers the following general suggestions for selection, safe use, and maintenance of gas, wood, kerosene and electric space heaters:

* Select a space heater with a guard around the flame area or the heating element. This will help keep children, pets and clothing away from the heat source.

* When selecting a heater, look for one that has been tested and certified by a nationally recognized testing laboratory. These heaters have been determined to meet specific safety standards, and manufacturers are required to provide important use and care information to the consumer.

* Buy a heater that is the correct size for the area you want to heat. The wrong size heater could produce more pollutants and may not be an efficient use of energy.

* Read and follow the manufacturer’s operating instructions. A good practice is to read aloud the instructions and warning labels to all members of the household to be certain that everyone understands how to operate the heater safely. Keep the owner’s manual in a convenient place to refer to when needed.

* Keep children and pets away from space heaters. Some heaters have very hot surfaces. Children should not be permitted to either adjust the controls or move the heater.

* Keep doors open to the rest of the house if you are using an unvented fuel-burning space heater. This helps to prevent pollutant build-up and promotes proper combustion. Even vented heaters require ventilation for proper combustion.

* Never leave a space heater on when you go to sleep or leave the area. For fuel-fired heaters, dangerous levels of carbon monoxide could accumulate or uncontrolled burning could cause a fire.

* Never use or store flammable liquids (such as gasoline) around a space heater. The flammable vapors can flow from one part of the room to another and be ignited by the open flame or by an electrical spark.

* Be aware that mobile homes require specially designed heating equipment. Only electric or vented fuel-fired heaters should be used.

* Place heaters at least three feet away from objects such as bedding, furniture and drapes. Never use heaters to dry clothes or shoes. Do not place heaters where towels or other objects could fall on the heater and start a fire.

http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/pubs/463.html

[Quixote1818]

39. Thanks for that

nt

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

14. I have been using an electric blanket for the last couple of years. Not

necessarily to cut down on heating but because my bedroom is much cooler than the rest of the house. I am thinking of buying some more this winter for the rest of my family.

[Cobalt Violet]

15. Natural grass ?

Did I miss something? I've never heard of that.:7

[mcscajun]

19. Hey...you use enough of that...you won't Care How Cold It Is.

Until you come down, anyway.

:D

[Quixote1818]

21. Yeah, their is nothing like that natural grass! But, for some reason

I walk around hungry all the time and sometimes eat whole boxes of cookies staring at the wall.

[mcscajun]

42. Well at least you're taking in Calories that you can Burn later.

:bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce:

[yellowdogintexas]

20. sleeping in a cool room is healthier for your breathing, so

I would vote for electric blankets in the bedroom.

You turn it up to warm the bed about an hour before you go to bed, then set it down lower after you actually get IN the bed. Uses way less electricity especially if you have a good comforter on top.

I used to sleep in an unheated room in Kentucky and Tennessee, with an electric blanket and a cat, of course.

Oh yeah, duh, just get lots of cats.

[faithnotgreed]

26. yeah for cats - they like electric blankets too

thanks for the reminders

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

35. When it gets really cold I use my electric blanket, down comforter &

my one cat. I think she does the trick! :)

[cmf]

50. Ditto that! I love my electric blanket

Although I get a little paranoid that somehow it's making electric fields around me and giving me cancer or something.

We have baseboard electric heaters, so in the winter we only heat the rooms we are in. We don't heat our bedroom when we are sleeping, though. Before we get in bed, we turn on the electric blanket to high to take the chill off the sheets. After we brush our teeth, etc., we turn it down to low before we get in. After that, the down comforter holds in the warmth all night!

[nashbridges]

22. There needs to be a balance between the power you are

buying and the efficiency of the heaters you buy. Electric heaters, especially space heaters, are usually not very efficient. However, that lack of efficiency can be balanced by limited use in one or two rooms - leaving the rest of the house much cooler.

If you live near a power plant that burns natural gas or coal, then you probably won't save much money at all, since your electricity bill is going to go up, too.

If you have the means to get wood and a wood burning stove, sleeping near the stove will save you more money even though wood burning is even less efficient than electric heat, simply because wood is usually much cheaper.

The cheapest alternative? Down comforters. Lots of them. They trap body heat extremely well and your cost is the food you consume during the day. Turn your thermostat down 10 degrees from your usual "comfort zone", pile on the blankets and extra clothing, and you'll probably save a significant amount of money throughout the winter.

You need to leave your central heating on if the temps reach the low 20's simply because your pipes will freeze if you don't.

[catnhatnh]

23. Up here in New Hampshire...

point heating used to be the norm.We called it "Big House,Little House,Back House, Barn"...It meant that when a farm was established, the norm was a small 2 room house with a connecting building which contained the kitchen,john,and firewood storage, and then the big important structure-the barn for the cattle and storage of crops-read"wealth"...Later-when money was no object the "big house" was built with upstairs bedrooms and a sitting room (parlour) below...Yet in the winter, it was common to pick a heated area and to leave the rest below freezing...And this winter I will use my wood burning fireplace (heatalator), a kerosun heater,and a modified cooking plan to minimize my full house heating...water pipes are heat taped and I'm ready to go...best of luck...

[Cobalt Violet]

28. Has kerosene gone up much this year?

What is the price per gallon of that these days?

[catnhatnh]

44. Last time I checked.l....about the same as diesel ...

....more than heating oil,but still less than plutonium...(slightly)...

[faithnotgreed]

31. sounds good cat - can you tell me more about the kerosun

i had just posted about what fuel based space heater has the least toxic emissions

i live in an old small apt and have slightly unreliable radiator (natural gas) heat
also have a few electric space heaters but just in case i am also interested in fuel based heaters
and would like to know more about the kerosun

thanks
how i wish i did live where i could have more earth friendly heating/cooling but until then i appreciate the advice for what i have now

[catnhatnh]

43. OK...

...The Kerosun/Kerosene type heater can be deadly if used wrong.None of these have oxygen depletion sensors...IE: in a less than leaky,windblown apartment it is possible to DIE of co2 poisoning...that said it is a great heater...up here I burn a stove and a kerosun through the day and then shut down the kero and let the woodburner die over night.During the day my core household temperatures pobably exceed 75 degrees.At night, I rely on my "normal" oilburner to hold 60 degrees and heat tapes to prevent perimeter freezes...In short,a kerosene is fun during the day,but when you nod out-shut them off..

[faithnotgreed]

46. ok - thats good information

sounds like i better look elsewhere because im trying to find something for when i dont have reliable ng heat in the apt
or something that is more efficient than electric
but safe overnight

hmm
i will look at real goods and like websites to see what is recommended

thanks so much for the help

[faithnotgreed]

24. anyone know what has the least toxic emissions

kerosene or propane or other fuel

i have a very small 2 rm apt and its heated by natural gas radiators but in the past there hasnt been consistent heat
pretty good but these are old apts so its sometimes hit or miss

i have a few electric space heaters and will get another one but i would like to add another larger one
but i would like to have a fuel based backup if thats feasible

thanks

[FloridaPat]

34. Prob;em with these is not toxic emmissions. It's that they use oxygen

to burn the fuel and if you have a well insulated house you could die from lack of oxygen.

I had one when I lived up north. The house was so badly insulated - having been insulated in 1865, that I ran a kerosine heater 24/7 to stay warm and keep the heating bills down. Didn't even get a headache. I don't recommend running them at night. They do a great job though in heating a large area.

[faithnotgreed]

38. oh ok - i am looking for something for a small space

and for overnight
i would definitely keep the windows open a small bit no matter what

if a type of fuel heater is more efficient than electric heaters than im interested but also as a backup if power goes out

thanks for the information

[FloridaPat]

56. They give out a whole lot more heat. Just keep them away from

burnable things like drapes. They have a automatic shut off in case they fall over. Rather hard to do. You can also cook on it or heat tea.

[BamaGirl]

25. My parents use these

They're in north Georgia and have a big old Victorian that costs a fortune to heat. The space heaters and electric blankets make a big difference because mom keeps the heat set to sub-arctic. :evilgrin:

[wanpete]

27. we just bought four for the rooms we will use most this winter

I plan on keeping the heat off as much as possible. Of course, in GA, we don't have a lot of really frigid days. But it won't matter this winter, gas companies will hit all states really hard. I can easily see a five or six hundred dollar gas bill...:scared:

[eleny]

32. Good window coverings can really help

There are plenty of free instructions on the net on how to make the kind that are thermal.

[Lars39]

33. Everybody knows to run a humidifier, right?

Or to keep a kettle on a wood stove, etc. Anything to put moisture in the air,'cause it makes the air feel warmer by a good many degrees.

[MidwestMomma]

61. You are so right

I lost my furnace one winter for a few days and was able to live for a few days by boiling water on the stove. It was still could but not bitter.

But be safe, don't boil while your sleeping or the pot may run dry and cause a fire.

[me b zola]

36. We have a wood stove instert in our fireplace

We don't use our furnace, we burn wood all winter long.

I know a lot of people don't have fireplaces, but I highly recomend getting set up for wood.

We don't even buy our wood. We find felled trees in the summer, or someone who has cut down one of their trees.

It is some work, for sure. But that money that would have gone for heating goes to paying off the house, or GOING TO DC SEPT 24!!!!!!

[cally]

37. A friend in Idaho uses a solar room to

heat his house. He's told us that he has dramatically reduce his heating bill. I've been considering one.

[FloridaPat]

40. How I cut down on heating bills in Upstate NY. Years ago.

I put the heat down real low and moved into my bathroom. The bathroom was 15x15. Lots of room. I used a space heater to keep it warm enough to live. When I got tired of that I got a kerosine heater and had a fireplace insert. Still living in 2 rooms. When I woke up I turned on the kerosine heater to get it warm enough to get out of bed. While I was up, I started the wood stove. After an hour between the kerosine heater and the wood stove, it was warm enough.

I also put sheets of styrofoam in the windows. They are at Home Depot etc. 4x8 feet. This helped a lot. Caulking all the windows. Getting rid of drafts helps. But if you over do this part, the house doesn't breathe and if you use a fireplace without a stove or a kerosine heater you risk suffocating.

Wood stoves or inserts are great. Put a fan on them and they will heat a huge house.

[catmandu57]

41. You may want to look into

a window unit combination air conditioner/heater. I had one in the last apartment I lived in, the main furnace went out and the people who just bought the house put one in every unit.
There are new ones out, they were in the motel units we rented this past spring, I'd like to get one for our house.
Space heaters can be dangerous, so if you get one get quality, I ran my old one at night, but it seemed like I woke up everytime it kicked on.

[Extend a Hand]

45. I am always colder than everybody

else in my family. Last year we bought a couple of those little ceramic heaters and cut the thermostat way down (to where every body else was comfortable) and I just toast in front of the space heaters and our gas bill went down by 30%.

[tblue37]

51. I am afraid of space heaters, because they are

implicated in so many fires.

[Ladyhawk]

53. I feel badly for those of you in colder areas. :(

Summer is harder for me, financially. I only had to turn my heater on twice last winter. :( :( :(

[banana republican]

54. getting a heat pump... screw oil....

enron has already happened so I don't think electricity will go up... #2desiel is already selling at $3.15 / gallon in seattle & it has been ahead of gas for some time.

God help the little old ladies on a fixed income this winter cause bush sure won't.(IF YOU CAN'T AFORD GAS DON'T BUY IT KRAP).

[Ms. Toad]

55. Get a programmable thermostat

and wear sweaters. Our overnight temp is 55, temp comes up to 65 about 15 minutes before we wake up, drops back to 60 starting a half hour or so before we leave for work, comes back up to 65 in time for us to arrive home, then back down overnight. Weekends are generally separately programmable.

They're cheap, easy to install, and save quite a bit of money. Our monthly gas bill (not budget) for a 4 bedroom split level with two large living/family rooms is rarely over $100 during a typical northern Ohio winter.

Edited to add location.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

57. I spent a winter in Japan without central heating

Tokyo has highs in the thirties and forties in midwinter, with lows down in the twenties.

I lived in a six-mat room plus mini-kitchen with a wonderful Japanese invention known as a kotatsu. In the old days, it was a low table set over a pit of smoldering charcoal and draped with a quit. Nowadays, it's a table with a heating element under it, topped with a quilt, with a second table top over the quilt. You sit at the table on the floor or on a legless chair with the quilt wrapped around you.

In addition to my kotatsu, I had an electric space heater, which cost a lot to run, so I ran it only in the morning. I bought fake fur cover sheets for my futon, and before going to bed, I ironed the bottom sheet.

When getting up in the morning, I first put on the flannel robe, which had spent the night under the covers with me. Then I picked out my clothes for the day, stuck them under the kotatsu, and turned the kotatsu and the space heater on.

While the clothes toasted, I went into the kitchen, which was separated from the main room by a sliding door, and set two containers of water to boil on the two-burner gas range, one for coffee and one for hot cereal. By the time my breakfast was ready, the space heater had taken the chill off the main room. After hot cereal and coffee, I was ready to get dressed.

In the evening, the public bath helped me keep warm. I went at about 10PM, got throughly cooked in the tub, which is almost too hot to bear, and stayed warm long enough to go to bed.

Before I went to Japan, the prospect of winter without central heating scared me, but it wasn't bad when I got used to it. I much prefer it to the overheated houses that one sometimes finds in Minnesota.

Not everyone used electric space heaters: most people used gas or kerosene. Traditional Japanese buildings are very drafty, but the TV still had public service announcements about being sure to have adequate ventilation. Since I had only one room to heat, I just used an electric space heater and turned it on as little as possible.

[Cobalt Violet]

58. My 2 cent is about good draft control.

If I have no drafts I can tolerate a cooler room. If I'm in a room with lots of drafts I usually have to keep the heat up much higher to feel comfortable.

[DanCa]

62. We used space heatters as kids growing up in Halstead

Be very careful on your model have someone peroidically check them to make sure thier not knocked over and theres no chance of a fire. Other than that thier great. We had no problems. I just wanted to let you aware that there was a safety concern.

[MidwestMomma]

63. I recommend space heaters for your living area

I live in Kansas and during the winter, I keep my thermostat low and run a space heater in the living room in the evenings where I hang out.

Come bedtime, I turn off the space heater and get under the covers.

In the AM, I turn on the space heater in the living room until I leave for work.

I'm not comfortable with running a space heater while I sleep for safetyn reasons but find I can just pile on blankets at night.

I've saved a lot on heating bills.