The questioner's house is just slightly smaller than mine in the Boston area with similar layout and description.
Gas last year was roughly $1250 for the year...about six months of heating...about $6 a day. This also includes negligible gas useage for cooking stove and hot water...about $20 a month in summer.
This year's warm weather has been a boon! We're already almost $400 less than last year.
This seems like a good plan to me. I went on Amazon and read reviews of quite a few different types of electric space heaters. I couldn't find any that did not have many one-star reviews, usually because the units had worked a few days or weeks then gave up.
Anyone have suggestions for a quality unit?
That electric cable heating in the ceiling is about the most costly way to heat. Have you got natural gas available? If you're willing to invest in a wall furnace installation it could save you a lot of money.Anyone have suggestions for a quality unit?
I have in-ceiling resistance heating, and it gives a very slow response so I don't like to turn the thermostat down very low when I go out, since it takes it so long to get the room comfortable in any kind of cold weather. My other possibility would be to bypass the ceiling radiant heat and put a wall unit in my LR (which is open to the kitchen and is the only room I heat.)
Amazon.com: Broan 6201 Big Heat Portable Heater Efficient Two-Level Heater 1500 or 1200 watts Built-in thermost: AppliancesAnyone have suggestions for a quality unit?
Thanks everyone for all the suggestions. I don't have access to natural gas, so that is out. My only beef with my ceiling system is its very slow response time. I think I'll I'll get one of these Broan 6201, since it works for REW and since it gets good reviews, seems durable, and it is cheap. This will likely be all I need. I can carry it into the bedroom or bathroom when I need some heat in there, and use it in my living space when I come in from outside and it is cold. I don't think there is any heat at all in the bathroom, but then it isn't all that cold around here anyway. I'll make the background heat at 58-60 degrees, and see how it goes.Amazon.com: Broan 6201 Big Heat Portable Heater Efficient Two-Level Heater 1500 or 1200 watts Built-in thermost: Appliances
It isn't all that attractive, but the unit is is compact, sturdy and very well-built. I have one in the RV and really like it as it can be placed almost anywhere and takes up very little room.
It has a powerful fan for its size and has a strong airflow - significantly stronger than most portable electric heaters. It can heat up a room much quicker than its size indiicates.
On the negative side, the fan is louder than heaters with lesser airflow, but I don't find it loud enough to be a problem.
Way north of New Jersey and it was zero this morning here. I pay $450 (3 cord) to heat my 1500 sq ft house. Heating oil is for hot water, I buy oil once every 14-15 months.
A payback in less than two years? Yep, I'd say definitely a good deal.I just signed a contract to convert to natural gas as soon as my current tank of oil runs (almost) dry. It will cost $3900 to convert and I am estimating that it will drop my yearly heating costs, at current relative prices, by approximately $2600 per year. Pretty good payback period, I think.
I just signed a contract to convert to natural gas as soon as my current tank of oil runs (almost) dry. It will cost $3900 to convert and I am estimating that it will drop my yearly heating costs, at current relative prices, by approximately $2600 per year. Pretty good payback period, I think.
I just signed a contract to convert to natural gas as soon as my current tank of oil runs (almost) dry. It will cost $3900 to convert and I am estimating that it will drop my yearly heating costs, at current relative prices, by approximately $2600 per year. Pretty good payback period, I think.
When we moved into this house I converted from oil heat to NG. The NG pipe went right to the house, but the previous owner hadn't gotten the house hooked up. All the other appliances were electric, so I took the opportunity to go to NG for hot water and cooking (I don't think I'll change the clothes dryer over from electricity: I'm a little worried about the safety aspect of that). It has been a lot less expensive, a lot less trouble, and the fumes are gone. As a bonus, the oil tank was in the garage and I gained about 15 square feet of floor space for storage. I think you'll be happy, we have been.I just signed a contract to convert to natural gas as soon as my current tank of oil runs (almost) dry. It will cost $3900 to convert and I am estimating that it will drop my yearly heating costs, at current relative prices, by approximately $2600 per year. Pretty good payback period, I think.
An intangible but certainly valuable benefit to me. The young wife has often complained about the oil smell.. . . and the fumes are gone.
Inflation?