Heating

[EulersK]

Alright, winter is upon us and my old Sunheat in fared heater won't turn on. I'm going to attempt to repair it, but that's a different thread. Assuming that I don't get this thing fixed, I'm going to be on the market for a new heater. Until this year, I've never had strict heating requirements with my spiders. Well, I'll need to heat them 24/7 this year, and I surely won't be running the furnace to do it.

What are your opinions on heaters? I'm very drawn to oil radiators, but I've never run one 24/7. I love that they're silent and efficient, though. There is a ceiling fan in the room, so air circulation won't be an issue.

Ceramic/IR heaters are what I've always used, but I'm not a fan of... well, the fan. The noise bothers me. On top of that, and this may be unfounded, they simply seem less safe than oil heaters.

So, what do you all use? Keep in mind that I'm heating a room. The master bedroom in my house, to be exact. I don't know the square footage, but you get the idea. A small desktop heater won't cut it.

 

[Red Eunice]

Alright, winter is upon us and my old Sunheat in fared heater won't turn on. I'm going to attempt to repair it, but that's a different thread. Assuming that I don't get this thing fixed, I'm going to be on the market for a new heater. Until this year, I've never had strict heating requirements with my spiders. Well, I'll need to heat them 24/7 this year, and I surely won't be running the furnace to do it.

What are your opinions on heaters? I'm very drawn to oil radiators, but I've never run one 24/7. I love that they're silent and efficient, though. There is a ceiling fan in the room, so air circulation won't be an issue.

Ceramic/IR heaters are what I've always used, but I'm not a fan of... well, the fan. The noise bothers me. On top of that, and this may be unfounded, they simply seem less safe than oil heaters.

So, what do you all use? Keep in mind that I'm heating a room. The master bedroom in my house, to be exact. I don't know the square footage, but you get the idea. A small desktop heater won't cut it.

Oil filled heater made by DeLonghi is what I use. Has built in t'stat and 3 power settings (750/1000/1500 watts), plus casters to easily roll about.
My T room is 192 square feet, 8' X 24' room, and in the basement. Does add about $25-30 each month to the electric bill.

 

[Chris LXXIX]

The Spider Shop, among others, sell this kind of stuff:

http://www.thespidershop.co.uk/heating-system-p-3559.html#prettyPhoto

Uh, look like a nightstick or a Lady sex toy this one btw: v

http://www.thespidershop.co.uk/alto-tubular-heater-p-3180.html#.WA4w5SRHzIU

But except for that, I have no clue, man. Never used additional heathing for me & my T's since '92 when I started. I used/use the furnace only.

 

[magicmed]

I don't really have any specifics other than the snakes and beardie. I keep the whole room at about 80 with a small space heater for the T's. then I have some bulbs for anyone that needs higher heat that that (reptiles, not arachnids)

 

[Haemus]

I use a Delonghi oil radiant as well. It's pretty pricey, but very effective against these unforgiving winters in Canada.

 

[EulersK]

Oil filled heater made by DeLonghi is what I use. Has built in t'stat and 3 power settings (750/1000/1500 watts), plus casters to easily roll about.
My T room is 192 square feet, 8' X 24' room, and in the basement. Does add about $25-30 each month to the electric bill.

I use a Delonghi oil radiant as well. It's pretty pricey, but very effective against these unforgiving winters in Canada.

How hot do these get to the touch? And you have them running 24/7?

 

[Venom1080]

Alright, winter is upon us and my old Sunheat in fared heater won't turn on. I'm going to attempt to repair it, but that's a different thread. Assuming that I don't get this thing fixed, I'm going to be on the market for a new heater. Until this year, I've never had strict heating requirements with my spiders. Well, I'll need to heat them 24/7 this year, and I surely won't be running the furnace to do it.

What are your opinions on heaters? I'm very drawn to oil radiators, but I've never run one 24/7. I love that they're silent and efficient, though. There is a ceiling fan in the room, so air circulation won't be an issue.

Ceramic/IR heaters are what I've always used, but I'm not a fan of... well, the fan. The noise bothers me. On top of that, and this may be unfounded, they simply seem less safe than oil heaters.

So, what do you all use? Keep in mind that I'm heating a room. The master bedroom in my house, to be exact. I don't know the square footage, but you get the idea. A small desktop heater won't cut it.

you have winter down there? how cold does it get on average?

 

[Venom1080]

How hot do these get to the touch? And you have them running 24/7?

i have mine on nearly the lowest settings for about 10 hours a day. it gets about to the point where touching the top for more than a few seconds hurts a fair bit.

 

[EulersK]

you have winter down there? how cold does it get on average?

It gets colder than you might think. Last year, my T room got down to the mid 50's. Granted, it's only really cold for about three months, but still.

 

[Venom1080]

It gets colder than you might think. Last year, my T room got down to the mid 50's. Granted, it's only really cold for about three months, but still.

im in nearly the most southern place in Canada and it got nearly a hundred degrees lower then that last winter with wind chill, brr.

 

[Haemus]

How hot do these get to the touch? And you have them running 24/7?

I have mine set at 77F, and turns on most during spring and fall, when the temperature changes are most drastic. During the winter my furnace does most of the job. It can get quite hot when it's on full blast. ATM, it's warm to the touch, but nothing dangerous.

3 months of cold weather huh...Well I'm jealous lol

 

[Jeff23]

I have mine set at 77F, and turns on most during spring and fall, when the temperature changes are most drastic. During the winter my furnace does most of the job. It can get quite hot when it's on full blast. ATM, it's warm to the touch, but nothing dangerous.

3 months of cold weather huh...Well I'm jealous lol

Here in South Carolina we are getting a huge temperature swings during Spring and Fall (highs in the 80s /lows down to the 40s at times). I am also interested in a unit like this so that I don't have to keep switching between air conditioning and heat for the whole home (only heat T room).

 

[EulersK]

only heat T room

And this is my thing. I don't run the furnace at all during the winter - it literally never comes on. I just want to reliably heat this particular room.

 

[Haemus]

@Jeff23 @EulersK http://www.delonghi.com/en-ca/produ...illed-radiators/dragon4-trd4-0615e-0110838303 - this is the exact unit I use. The adjustable thermostat is very useful for those serious drops in temperature. My T room is 10x10', and I can turn it into a sauna very quickly and quietly at high power. Definitely worth it IMO

 

[cold blood]

It gets colder than you might think. Last year, my T room got down to the mid 50's. Granted, it's only really cold for about three months, but still.

Was that a sustained 50, or just for a day or a weekend? Its still pretty warm during the day though, right? Does this room just not heat back up....I'm gong to get back to this in a minute.

im in nearly the most southern place in Canada and it got nearly a hundred degrees lower then that last winter with wind chill, brr.

I hear ya brother, a sustained 50+mph wind roaring at you from across a giant block of ice (L. Michigan in my case) really grabs you by the boo boo when it hits you in the face. At times it can actually hurt. What southerners don't always realize, it that the wind and sun are the things that make for the coldest winter days. That wind chill is important to keep an eye on....it blows right, and things (people included) start dying from exposure. I recall a drunk guy here that stumbled to his house from his car, tripped, landed in a snowbank and passed out...froze to death right there, family home inside. Now most of us are smarter than that, so its not a common thing or anything, but its an illustration of just how quick the cold can take you...this guy was literally touching his door and wasn't found all that long after he fell. Didn't you live in Michigan not too long ago though Eukers? So I'm not telling you anything new

Still my furnace kicks in WELL before my place gets near 50.

And this is my thing. I don't run the furnace at all during the winter - it literally never comes on. I just want to reliably heat this particular room.

What's your furnace set at? If its not going to come on at 50, mean, can't you just adjust the thermostat? The furnace would be the most stone cold reliable way....if its in the master bedroom, I wouldn't expect it to be a cold spot like I might if it was a room in the basement. The whole house this temp?

Now that I've played 20 questions with you Eulers, I will finally get to the things you asked for.

How big is the room you need to heat? Does it have high or low ceilings? Is it only ay night, or will it need to be 24/7? What temperature are you looking to achieve? If its the master bedroom, I wouldn't want to sleep in an 80 degree room, although that may be cold to a thin blooded desert boy.

My room is about 15X10 with 8 foot ceiling. I heat it fall through winter (turned it on this week) with an oil filled heater. It has 3 settings, but I've only ever used the lowest wattage setting. If its in the low to mid 60's outside the 2 setting (out of 5), keeps it mid-low 70's....3 seems to be where the heat builds, at temps into the high 30's, 3 will keep the room in the mid to upper 70's to 80, 4 will make it downright hot. 4 is when temps drop below freezing, and I won't go to 5 unless we get sustained days or weeks of sub-zero weather, which you won't get.

I usually try to keep the room 78-82. I'm going to shoot a little cooler this winter, like mid-upper 70's.

Seems to add about $30-40 to the heat bill, but WI is run by a monopoly, in cooperation with state regulators, so we have some of the higher heating costs.

I like the oil filled, I feel safe with it, as even the carpet just inches below, never really gets that hot, just a little warm. I keep a fan blowing next to it, to pull the heat throughout the room...I find it to be significantly more effective with the fan running, even if its just on the lowest setting.


It is hot to the touch (although its a much older model that the one just posted)...like, you will burn yourself if you pressed against it too hard for a few seconds....never really been an issue though. I do keep my roaches right next to it, it probably heats their enclosure to the 90's...I know they like that additional heat...they go through food like crazy.

 

[Chris LXXIX]

Ah ah, I love the way old good De'Longhi managed to "burrow" a little in the U.S market. Mommy was friend with the Brother, the engineer (the old ones I mean, today runs the show the sons) in the '80 & early '90 :-s

 

[EulersK]

@cold blood
Actually, I've only lived in Miami and Las Vegas And a short stint in Nebraska for college. But you misunderstand - it's not that my furnace won't kick on, and it's that I have it off. Y'know, poor college kid and all. Heat is pricey out here (ironically). So I just wear sweaters around the house and run small space heaters in the room I'm in at the moment.

How big is the room you need to heat? Does it have high or low ceilings? Is it only ay night, or will it need to be 24/7? What temperature are you looking to achieve? If its the master bedroom, I wouldn't want to sleep in an 80 degree room, although that may be cold to a thin blooded desert boy

It's 200sqft with tall, 10'+ faulted ceilings. Luckily, I have a ceiling fan that can run in reverse, so that helps a lot. I plan on running it 24/7, with day temps in the 70-80 range and night temps in the 65-70 range. This room has a lot of windows, so unfortunately I lose a lot of heat that way.

I love what you're saying about the roaches. That's another big reason I want this heat. I don't want that income to disappear.

From your connotations, I'm getting that an oil heater may be overkill. And I right?

 

[cold blood]

No, its what I'd go with....you may not need to run it at very high power, so it will draw less power.

How's the energy expensive there with all that cheap hydroelectric power the state generates?

 

[EulersK]

No, its what I'd go with....you may not need to run it at very high power, so it will draw less power.

How's the energy expensive there with all that cheap hydroelectric power the state generates?

Cool, thanks for the info. I think this is what I'll be going with.

It's not electricity that's expensive (it's not - my last bill was $50ish), it's the gas. My furnace uses gas, and that kills me. I even try to avoid using the oven because of it. The first winter I lived in this house, I had no idea that the furnace was gas. The first cold month, my gas bill was over $200. No thank you.

 

[cold blood]

Cool, thanks for the info. I think this is what I'll be going with.

It's not electricity that's expensive (it's not - my last bill was $50ish), it's the gas. My furnace uses gas, and that kills me. I even try to avoid using the oven because of it. The first winter I lived in this house, I had no idea that the furnace was gas. The first cold month, my gas bill was over $200. No thank you.

I'd kill for a $200 energy bill in the winter.