Heaters...

Schneed10 · 02-02-2007, 01:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GhettoDogAllStars

This is from the site that saden posted:
"After much research I have found that one watt of electricity makes 3.41 BTUs of heat, no matter how it's done... with resistance wires, with quartz, with oil filled radiators, with electric blankets, toasters, ranges, heat lamps... you name it..."

I don't know if it's true, but it makes sense. Work is work, no matter how you look at it. Climbing stairs or walking up a ramp of equal height requires the same amount of work to be performed -- it's the same idea.

I guess the only thing you have to worry about (other than safety) is an ineffecient heater -- one that doesn't produce 3.41 BTUs from a single watt.

Only trouble is, 1 watt of electricity is more expensive than the amount of natural gas or oil it takes to generate 3.41 BTUs.

If you're going to use electricity to generate heat, it's going to cost a fair amount more in the long run than it would if you installed something that ran on your heating system. Of course you have to weigh that against the cost of renovating and directing your heat system into that room.

firstdown · 02-02-2007, 01:25 PM

Have you had a heat and air guy come to your house to see what could be done? I'm not a big fan of portable heaters because it aways seems when you here about a fire the next sentence is about the portable heater causing the fire.

Redskins8588 · 02-02-2007, 01:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Schneed10

Of course you have to weigh that against the cost of renovating and directing your heat system into that room.

Yeah, and right now my electric bill is about $35 -$40/mth. And I do not currently have the funds to renovate and run a heat run to that room just yet.

firstdown · 02-02-2007, 01:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Redskins8588

Yeah, and right now my electric bill is about $35 -$40/mth. And I do not currently have the funds to renovate and run a heat run to that room just yet.

How do you have such a low electric bill?

TheMalcolmConnection · 02-02-2007, 02:01 PM

My freaking bill was 170 bucks for a 1600 square foot house. We're just keeping our air at 70 all the time. No higher, no lower. I don't know WHY our shit is so expensive.

dmek25 · 02-02-2007, 02:24 PM

TMC, is your house insulated at all?

TheMalcolmConnection · 02-02-2007, 02:30 PM

Yup, actually very good insulation. I DO think there is a draft coming in from somewhere that's causing a problem. We also are on the top of a hill and get a LOT of wind where most of the area doesn't.

724Skinsfan · 02-02-2007, 02:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheMalcolmConnection

My freaking bill was 170 bucks for a 1600 square foot house. We're just keeping our air at 70 all the time. No higher, no lower. I don't know WHY our shit is so expensive.

When you say "air" do you mean heat derived from a heat pump or a furnace?

TheMalcolmConnection · 02-02-2007, 02:36 PM

Heat pump.

724Skinsfan · 02-02-2007, 02:40 PM

That may be one reason why your electric bill is so high unless the one you have is designed for temperatures lower than like 35 degrees. We cut over to our gas heat when the temperature drops below 45 degrees. Do you not have a secondary heat backup (gas furnace?).

TheMalcolmConnection · 02-02-2007, 02:42 PM

We do have a backup source. According to this guy who came over to fix our furnace downstairs, he said once it gets really cold, to flip it over to emergency heat since all we're doing otherwise is just blowing cold air.

firstdown · 02-02-2007, 02:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheMalcolmConnection

My freaking bill was 170 bucks for a 1600 square foot house. We're just keeping our air at 70 all the time. No higher, no lower. I don't know WHY our shit is so expensive.

That sounds about right for that size home. My office bill runs around 180.00 and my home about the same. Both my home and office are gas units which is not included which make it run around 240.00. Then in the summer my gas goes down to nothing and elec. jumps to around 240.00.

TheMalcolmConnection · 02-02-2007, 02:56 PM

That's good to hear that we're not crazy. During summer, we didn't run AC much and used fans and it was down to around fifty bucks.

724Skinsfan · 02-02-2007, 03:03 PM

I don't know, TMC, I just checked our electric bill (1800 out of 2100 sq ft is heated) for the month of January and it was $56.00, whereas our gas bill was $96.00. We keep the heat somewhere between 72 and 74. We have AEP and Roanoke Gas service. The heat pump has been off since early November.

TheMalcolmConnection · 02-02-2007, 03:04 PM

I know we don't have gas whatsoever, so everything is working on electricity.

02-02-2007, 01:25 PM	#17
firstdown Living Legend Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: chesapeake, va Age: 49 Posts: 15,206	Re: Heaters... Have you had a heat and air guy come to your house to see what could be done? I'm not a big fan of portable heaters because it aways seems when you here about a fire the next sentence is about the portable heater causing the fire.

02-02-2007, 02:01 PM	#20
TheMalcolmConnection I like big (_\|_)s. Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Lexington, Virginia Age: 31 Posts: 17,120	Re: Heaters... My freaking bill was 170 bucks for a 1600 square foot house. We're just keeping our air at 70 all the time. No higher, no lower. I don't know WHY our shit is so expensive. __________________ Regret nothing. At one time it was exactly what you wanted.

02-02-2007, 02:24 PM	#21
dmek25 MVP Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: lancaster,pa Age: 51 Posts: 10,442	Re: Heaters... TMC, is your house insulated at all? __________________ "It's better to be quiet and thought a fool than to open ones mouth and remove all doubt." courtesy of 53fan

02-02-2007, 02:30 PM	#22
TheMalcolmConnection I like big (_\|_)s. Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Lexington, Virginia Age: 31 Posts: 17,120	Re: Heaters... Yup, actually very good insulation. I DO think there is a draft coming in from somewhere that's causing a problem. We also are on the top of a hill and get a LOT of wind where most of the area doesn't. __________________ Regret nothing. At one time it was exactly what you wanted.

02-02-2007, 02:36 PM	#24
TheMalcolmConnection I like big (_\|_)s. Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Lexington, Virginia Age: 31 Posts: 17,120	Re: Heaters... Heat pump. __________________ Regret nothing. At one time it was exactly what you wanted.

02-02-2007, 02:40 PM	#25
724Skinsfan Playmaker Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Roanoke, VA Posts: 3,471	Re: Heaters... That may be one reason why your electric bill is so high unless the one you have is designed for temperatures lower than like 35 degrees. We cut over to our gas heat when the temperature drops below 45 degrees. Do you not have a secondary heat backup (gas furnace?). __________________ "I hope I'm getting better. I hope you haven't seen my best." - Jim Zorn

02-02-2007, 02:42 PM	#26
TheMalcolmConnection I like big (_\|_)s. Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Lexington, Virginia Age: 31 Posts: 17,120	Re: Heaters... We do have a backup source. According to this guy who came over to fix our furnace downstairs, he said once it gets really cold, to flip it over to emergency heat since all we're doing otherwise is just blowing cold air. __________________ Regret nothing. At one time it was exactly what you wanted.

02-02-2007, 02:56 PM	#28
TheMalcolmConnection I like big (_\|_)s. Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Lexington, Virginia Age: 31 Posts: 17,120	Re: Heaters... That's good to hear that we're not crazy. During summer, we didn't run AC much and used fans and it was down to around fifty bucks. __________________ Regret nothing. At one time it was exactly what you wanted.

02-02-2007, 03:03 PM	#29
724Skinsfan Playmaker Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Roanoke, VA Posts: 3,471	Re: Heaters... I don't know, TMC, I just checked our electric bill (1800 out of 2100 sq ft is heated) for the month of January and it was $56.00, whereas our gas bill was $96.00. We keep the heat somewhere between 72 and 74. We have AEP and Roanoke Gas service. The heat pump has been off since early November. __________________ "I hope I'm getting better. I hope you haven't seen my best." - Jim Zorn

02-02-2007, 03:04 PM	#30
TheMalcolmConnection I like big (_\|_)s. Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Lexington, Virginia Age: 31 Posts: 17,120	Re: Heaters... I know we don't have gas whatsoever, so everything is working on electricity. __________________ Regret nothing. At one time it was exactly what you wanted.

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Heaters...

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