tomf
Hello, I am about to buy a split level house with electric heating, and a fireplace. There is an attic fan also. Im trying to figure out if there is any nice routine or way to go about keeping the electricity bill down. Like when should I toss logs in the fireplace, what should I set the electric heater at. Should I turn in the attic fan to circulate the hot air from the basement to the 2nd lvl for a faster warming up. Total new experience to me, I will learn first hand, but I wont object to any advice from people with similiar situations. thanks for reading
Answer
See if you can use "off peak" heating, where you get your electricity for about 1/2 price, but have to have an alternate fuel source for a few hours a day when they potentially may turn off your electric (when prices are at the highest). Electric is the most expensive way to heat if you don't do the off peak method - I would not EVER buy a house that used electric heat unless i could do off peak heating (which is what I have). Natural gas is the way to go, if it is available. It is by far the cheapest. If you are already locked into this house, see if you can convert to natural gas heat. Propane is cheaper than full price electric. Fuel oil is costly - still probably cheaper than full price electric, though.
If you want to heat with wood, you either need a woodstove, or a wood furnace. A fireplace will do little - almost all the heat in the house goes up the flue, because you cannot control the draft. Just use the fireplace for ambiance, and don't use it on very cold days below say 10 degree fareignheit, or you will lose too much home heat up the flue. Your home may not be a layout that you can heat with a woodstove - the air needs to be able to get around. A ranch home, for example, would be really hard to get the woodstove heat to all the rooms. I have a small farmhouse, on the other hand - the old fashioned kind - and the woodstove works great.
Get a programmable thermostat, and have the heat at say 65 at night, and heat up the house an hour before you get up, to say 68. Have it turn the heat down while you are at work. The person who said not to do this is wrong. Every energy expert says to do a programmable thermostat to save money. His/her answer violates the laws of thermodynamics, I do not understand why people think that way! do change your furnace filters often in the winter. The more dust trapping the filter, the more often you have to change it. The cheap blue furnace filters cut down air flow least, so they are easy on the furnace, but they don't trap much dust either. So there is a compromise there. If you have allergies, be resigned to changing furnace filters often.
In a very cold climate, plastic on the windows is great- i do that. You can have the electric company do a thermal imaging picture of your house to look for areas that need improvement. It's about $100, I think. I haven't had it done yet.
ask the previous homeowner for tips. every house has quirks, so you want to know them.
See if you can use "off peak" heating, where you get your electricity for about 1/2 price, but have to have an alternate fuel source for a few hours a day when they potentially may turn off your electric (when prices are at the highest). Electric is the most expensive way to heat if you don't do the off peak method - I would not EVER buy a house that used electric heat unless i could do off peak heating (which is what I have). Natural gas is the way to go, if it is available. It is by far the cheapest. If you are already locked into this house, see if you can convert to natural gas heat. Propane is cheaper than full price electric. Fuel oil is costly - still probably cheaper than full price electric, though.
If you want to heat with wood, you either need a woodstove, or a wood furnace. A fireplace will do little - almost all the heat in the house goes up the flue, because you cannot control the draft. Just use the fireplace for ambiance, and don't use it on very cold days below say 10 degree fareignheit, or you will lose too much home heat up the flue. Your home may not be a layout that you can heat with a woodstove - the air needs to be able to get around. A ranch home, for example, would be really hard to get the woodstove heat to all the rooms. I have a small farmhouse, on the other hand - the old fashioned kind - and the woodstove works great.
Get a programmable thermostat, and have the heat at say 65 at night, and heat up the house an hour before you get up, to say 68. Have it turn the heat down while you are at work. The person who said not to do this is wrong. Every energy expert says to do a programmable thermostat to save money. His/her answer violates the laws of thermodynamics, I do not understand why people think that way! do change your furnace filters often in the winter. The more dust trapping the filter, the more often you have to change it. The cheap blue furnace filters cut down air flow least, so they are easy on the furnace, but they don't trap much dust either. So there is a compromise there. If you have allergies, be resigned to changing furnace filters often.
In a very cold climate, plastic on the windows is great- i do that. You can have the electric company do a thermal imaging picture of your house to look for areas that need improvement. It's about $100, I think. I haven't had it done yet.
ask the previous homeowner for tips. every house has quirks, so you want to know them.
Any one out there ever buy an electric fireplace?
Atsa me At
for your home? Not an insert. Which did you buy? I would like to get one that has a large open face so I can see more of the flame..a no headache one...seems everything you buy anymore, if you don't know the correct questions to ask the sellers, they don't go out of their way to warn you of potential problems/hazards, well of course not they want to sell their items...thank you.
Answer
I wouldnt buy an electric if your looking for heat. They are stictly for looks. Sales guys will tell you "OH and it does 3000 or 5000 BTU" If you have a $30 space heater from Target that sits under your kitchen table, then you know how much heat that is. That will heat your bathroom after some time and thats it. All they put in them is a cheap little space heater. If your looking for something large to view Lennox makes the best one on the market but they charge for it. You will spend $2-3000 just for the fireplace and with 220v it will do 10,000BTU with 110v it just does 5000btu. But at that price I would just go for gas or wood, because you still have to purchase a full surround mantel. It def. looks the best out of all though because it doesnt use just standard lights. Other wise all the other brand are just cheap little boxes with lights in them with a 20 dollar space heater. Heat Surge claims to be Amish, but when purchased look on the back and you will see MADE IN CHINA, it's all chip board, Amish don't use chip board, so if the sticker is missing thats proof rite there.
I just recommend pick the one you think look the best, just don't plan on purchasing it for heat. And I would not leave the heater on for long times. Leaving just the fireplace on is just a 60W. bulb but with the heater at the same time you have about 1500w an hour
I wouldnt buy an electric if your looking for heat. They are stictly for looks. Sales guys will tell you "OH and it does 3000 or 5000 BTU" If you have a $30 space heater from Target that sits under your kitchen table, then you know how much heat that is. That will heat your bathroom after some time and thats it. All they put in them is a cheap little space heater. If your looking for something large to view Lennox makes the best one on the market but they charge for it. You will spend $2-3000 just for the fireplace and with 220v it will do 10,000BTU with 110v it just does 5000btu. But at that price I would just go for gas or wood, because you still have to purchase a full surround mantel. It def. looks the best out of all though because it doesnt use just standard lights. Other wise all the other brand are just cheap little boxes with lights in them with a 20 dollar space heater. Heat Surge claims to be Amish, but when purchased look on the back and you will see MADE IN CHINA, it's all chip board, Amish don't use chip board, so if the sticker is missing thats proof rite there.
I just recommend pick the one you think look the best, just don't plan on purchasing it for heat. And I would not leave the heater on for long times. Leaving just the fireplace on is just a 60W. bulb but with the heater at the same time you have about 1500w an hour
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Title Post: Split level home, electric heating and fireplace. how to keep the heating cost down.?
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Rating: 100% based on 99998 ratings. 5 user reviews.
Author: Unknown
Thank FOr Coming TO My Blog
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