Athena
We have a 2 story office building. The office space on top is currently not being used. The bottom office is long & narrow. It is approximately 1000 square feet with 14 foot ceilings. It is brick on the two longest sides (top to bottom) with the front wall totally being glass (windows). The back wall is brick and glass as well. There are 2 ceiling fans we use to keep the heat from totally going upstairs.
It currently heats with a propane furnace but when it gets really cold we spend about 300 on propane every two weeks to heat it. Not an option any more. I sure like the way the heat fills the whole place but we simply can't afford it.
I wanted to put a wood stove in but the stove pipe alone is over $1000 . We have offices on both sides of us so the stove pipe has to go up 2 stories and that is also not an option. Neither is a pellet stove.
I am looking at possibly getting an Edenpure Gen 4 or one of those Amish stoves. Those are really the only ones I have heard of so I am open if you have other ideas. I would like suggestions as to what you think might work in this space to heat it as well as your own experiences.
Thank you in advance for your replies.
Anyone?
Thank you PA for your thoughtful detailed answer. I wasn't looking for a free lunch just a solution that wouldn't eat MY lunch every month...*smile* Thanks again
Answer
I have friends with both - and like them........but there's no such thing as a free lunch. Their comments:
the Edenpure is safe around kids & pets because the cabinet stays cool . . . . . but no way does it heat an entire house - and doubt if it would evenly heat the space you describe. The Edenpure uses quartz infra-red tubes to heat a copper plate: you aren't getting the heat directly from the tubes - heating the copper plate makes it a steadier heat as the tubes cycle on and off. My friend says that it's nice for a room - does no good in heating adjacent rooms in his small house.
I believe the "Amish fireplace" units also use quartz heating tubes, but have a more powerful fan to distribute the air over a greater area.
Most plug-in electric space heaters draw 1500 watts @ 110 volts when on - - - I think that's the same consumption of the Edenpure and "fireplace". A disadvantage of quartz infra-red tube heaters is that the tubes burnout just like light bulbs . . . . they cost from $30 to $45 each and I believe the heaters have 3 or 4 of them. I understand that it's quite a job to disassemble the Edenpure to replace the tubes.
Google Edenpure and "Amish Fireplace" "reviews" and "complaints" and you'll find posts by both satisfied and dissatisfied buyers.
Consumer Reports tested electric heaters a couple years ago: they didn't think much of either (and many others) . . . on their recommendation we got Honeywell baseboard heaters at about $65 each and are very satisfied with them.......maybe the info is still available at the CR website or BUying Guide.
I have friends with both - and like them........but there's no such thing as a free lunch. Their comments:
the Edenpure is safe around kids & pets because the cabinet stays cool . . . . . but no way does it heat an entire house - and doubt if it would evenly heat the space you describe. The Edenpure uses quartz infra-red tubes to heat a copper plate: you aren't getting the heat directly from the tubes - heating the copper plate makes it a steadier heat as the tubes cycle on and off. My friend says that it's nice for a room - does no good in heating adjacent rooms in his small house.
I believe the "Amish fireplace" units also use quartz heating tubes, but have a more powerful fan to distribute the air over a greater area.
Most plug-in electric space heaters draw 1500 watts @ 110 volts when on - - - I think that's the same consumption of the Edenpure and "fireplace". A disadvantage of quartz infra-red tube heaters is that the tubes burnout just like light bulbs . . . . they cost from $30 to $45 each and I believe the heaters have 3 or 4 of them. I understand that it's quite a job to disassemble the Edenpure to replace the tubes.
Google Edenpure and "Amish Fireplace" "reviews" and "complaints" and you'll find posts by both satisfied and dissatisfied buyers.
Consumer Reports tested electric heaters a couple years ago: they didn't think much of either (and many others) . . . on their recommendation we got Honeywell baseboard heaters at about $65 each and are very satisfied with them.......maybe the info is still available at the CR website or BUying Guide.
How should I heat my home for this winter?
nimkiw
We don't have a gas hook-up, so we are looking at either kerosene or electrical. We also have no duct work in place. Should we go with a couple of the lasko small heaters, or should we go with a large quartz or something and then fan it throughout the house? We need something that will be cheap and efficient.
Answer
Kerosene, number one diesel, is smelly and rather expensive. Also kerosene heaters burn up oxygen and produce carbon monoxide. People do use them to take the edge off a large room with a large airspace. But I wouldn't want to live with them used to heat a house and then breath those fumes. You are supposed to leave a window open for fresh air in any space you use them. I would only use coleman fuel since it is highly purified and doesn't contain the additives for automotive use. But it is grossly expensive. Yes you can find cheaper kerosene at a pump but you shouldn't be around the fumes if used in a heater.
Electric is your fair choice. In the past electric was the most expensive. Now it seems with oil at $80 a barrel it is cheaper. That is a change from they way it was almost my whole life.
I suggest you consider an oil filled electric radiator. They heat slower but since you will be heating for long periods it provides a more even heat. One cost with the small heaters with a fan is that people tend to intermittently overheat a room or space costing more. I would use a combination of the two in your case.
Also they draw a bit of power when heating so make sure any outlets you use are in good shape. You might want to consider replacing the outlets if they are older. A 1200 watt unit is 10 amps on what is normally a 15 amp circuit so it is stressing your electrical. And an outlet that doesn't grab a plug well may arc and smoke a plug with heavy use.
Be safe. Remember there is some fire danger with the little fan forced heaters should they get near anything flammable. The oil filled don't get as hot.
It sounds like you need to address a longer term solution but it won't be cheap. A through-the-wall heat pump has a high initial cost but is the cheapest heat. One drawback is that they can't produce much heat with the pump under 45 degrees ambient, outside, temps. Many have electric strip heat for when the outside temp is too low.
How about a wood stove or fireplace insert with a fan?
Good Luck
Kerosene, number one diesel, is smelly and rather expensive. Also kerosene heaters burn up oxygen and produce carbon monoxide. People do use them to take the edge off a large room with a large airspace. But I wouldn't want to live with them used to heat a house and then breath those fumes. You are supposed to leave a window open for fresh air in any space you use them. I would only use coleman fuel since it is highly purified and doesn't contain the additives for automotive use. But it is grossly expensive. Yes you can find cheaper kerosene at a pump but you shouldn't be around the fumes if used in a heater.
Electric is your fair choice. In the past electric was the most expensive. Now it seems with oil at $80 a barrel it is cheaper. That is a change from they way it was almost my whole life.
I suggest you consider an oil filled electric radiator. They heat slower but since you will be heating for long periods it provides a more even heat. One cost with the small heaters with a fan is that people tend to intermittently overheat a room or space costing more. I would use a combination of the two in your case.
Also they draw a bit of power when heating so make sure any outlets you use are in good shape. You might want to consider replacing the outlets if they are older. A 1200 watt unit is 10 amps on what is normally a 15 amp circuit so it is stressing your electrical. And an outlet that doesn't grab a plug well may arc and smoke a plug with heavy use.
Be safe. Remember there is some fire danger with the little fan forced heaters should they get near anything flammable. The oil filled don't get as hot.
It sounds like you need to address a longer term solution but it won't be cheap. A through-the-wall heat pump has a high initial cost but is the cheapest heat. One drawback is that they can't produce much heat with the pump under 45 degrees ambient, outside, temps. Many have electric strip heat for when the outside temp is too low.
How about a wood stove or fireplace insert with a fan?
Good Luck
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