Space Heater

[Curtis Farris]

I know the dangers of using a space heater, but I cannot find the facts that I am searching for. I live in a small one bedroom apartment, and I am currently using a space heater rather than the central air heat, thinking that it might be cheaper. I have an apartment below, on both sides, and behind my apartment, so it keeps the heat in really well. Does anyone know how much you save if any, while using a space heater in a small place such as this? Or should I just stop messing with it and just turn on my heat? It is very comfortable in here by the way, when I use the space heater. Its on about 45 mins and then I shut it off because its plenty warm at that time, and I may turn it on one hour later.



Thanks

 

[Thomas Rogers]

We use one space heater downstairs in our finished basement. It is an electric one, it has 4 wheels and looks somewhat like an old radiator, and is filled with oil for retaining heat and is considered a radiant heater (no fans, no forced air).



It does a GREAT job and these are safe...safer than kerosene and propane powered heaters, or electric heaters that have exposed coils (even if covered with a screen) as those get really, really hot. And the fuel heaters need appropriate ventilation or you can die from carbon monoxide poisoning...and proper ventilation typically means air from outside...thus defeating the purpose.



As for cost savings, I can't comment because I don't know what your regular heat bill would be. But I can tell you that when we run the portable radiant heater we really don't see our electric bill spike.



Below is a link to more info (sorry if there are popups)...



TJR

 

[WXMotorSports DecalsPartsAccs]

I'm using one right now in my office since the property management can't seem to fix the HVAC. Since we had freezing temps for almost a week my office has been 59-62 degrees. I went a couple of days of that and bought a small space heater. 19.99 at Sears. it works great. If it falls over it has a kill switch built in to the unit.

 

[Todd Z]

You have to read the sticker on the unit, how many watts it draws on what setting. Then you can figure out how much electricity it uses and convert it to how your electric/oil/gas/ company bills you for the same in fuel/oil/electric and then compare the numbers..



Todd Z

 

[Bill Ellis]

Hate to say it Todd, but most here don't know how to do that.

 

[Aaron Yarbough]

Most of those space heaters are 1500 Watt heaters if you use them on the highest setting. See if there is a tag/sticker that shos the model number and you should find it there or it might be stamped on the bottom of the unit. Then you will need to determine how long it runs in a 24 hour period.



To get half way accurate information for your comparison, you would need to know the same infomation from your central heatting system. If the central system is an all elctric unit, then it should not be very hard to do. If it's a gas unit, that not as straight forward.

 

[Dale Carlson]

I'd say most of the modern electric space heaters are pretty safe. The ones I've seen don't have exposed coils and have a tip sensor to turn the unit off if you knock it over.



I use one in my den because my wife likes it cooler than I do. My belief is that it's still cheaper to heat up the area around my favorite chair than heating up the whole 2200 sq ft house an additional 5-6 degrees with central air (as if I could get away with that).

 

[Gavin Allan]

The savings comes from heating a small area, rather than using the central system to heat the whole house.



If you can tolerate the rest of the house pretty cool and just keep one room warm, you can save a bunch of money.



If you are heating the whole house with a space heater, you probably aren't saving much if anything.



What kind of heater are you using? Be careful if it is a fuel-burning (kerosene, propane, LP, natural gas, etc.) The CO can get you if you are using it inside.