Harry K wrote:
On Nov 27, 7:56 am, "EXT" wrote:
"DD_BobK" wrote in message

...





On Nov 26, 3:14 pm, "HeyBub" wrote:
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 ...

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

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.


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

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.

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

One year I supplemented my bedroom with electric heat from oil type heater.
Setting on 500 watts was enough, plus thermostat control. I'm fine with
supplemental heat, except fan heaters are a problem. I also have used
radiant types in living room for a nice feel. Anything blowing into the
Heater or falling on, is hazardous. My brother uses three 1500 watt
heaters to heat his house, which is cheaper than using his oil furnace.
It's often too hot for me.

Greg