Do electric fireplaces really help you save on your electric bill?

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alucard

Answer
Nope. If you want to save some money; use a 1500w space heater in the room you are in, and keep the thermostat in the house set at 50, or 55. Shut it off - and unplug it - when you are not using it.
How much money you will save depends upon the peak rate from your power company, and what type of heat your house has now.

What are some easy ways to warm up an apartment?

Stringer B

My apartment has very low heating and the landlord doesn't bump it much. This past week has been terribly cold, so much that I've actually resorted to wearing gloves inside the place. My windows are also drafty. So what are some cheap, easy, fast ways to warm up an apartment? The contract says I'm not allowed to use a space heater, so that is out of the question. I usually have people over on weekends, and I don't want them to be cold, so please give me ideas.
?

Answer
Buy a steam type humidfier unit (they are cheap at discount pharmacy and big box stores) and run it. The combination of putting more moisture in the air and the heat in the steam will make the place feel warmer.

Also, hang drapes or even sheets across doorways to reduce the air flow through the house and block drafts. If there are rooms like a spare bedroom that you rarely use, shut the door and close off the register in there so less heat is dissipated to that room.

You can buy gel fuel fireplaces that burn cans of alcohol fuel, like Sterno, and warm up the area. Many of them look quite nice, they are safe to run and have no fumes and do not need to be vented. I have one that looks like logs (made of concrete) in the old fireplace in my own house and it looks and even crackles like a real wood fire when I burn the fuel cans. This is too expensive to run all the time but if you are having friends over you can fire it up and it gives a homey feel to the place and warms it up. Google "gel fuel fireplaces" and you will see plenty of options, Only drawback is the cans can be expensive -- it costs about $10 to $15 for 3 cans that burn about 2 hours each. Sometimes you can find the gel fuel in gallon jugs to refill the cans.

Also get a bunch of those cheap polyester fleece throw blankets that every store has anymore and keep them folded on your sofa and chairs. Sometimes just wrapping one around your shoulders or puttin it over your lap can warm you up a bit.

You can get cheap plastic film kits that tape over your windows then you use a hair dryer to heat and shrink the plastic so it looks smooth. If you don't have curtains, buy some cheap drapes and hang them on the drafty windows too -- it will block air sneaking in around the frames.

For sleeping it is hard to beat electric mattress pads. I have used one for years. Turn it on an hour before you go to bed and you will be toasty. Since I have had one I turn down my thermostat to 50 overnight and still sleep comfortably.

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Does the advertised Amish Heat surge really heat a room well without running up the electric bill?

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WonderWoma

In every Sunday issue of our paper, there's an advertisement for the Amish fireplace mantle with the so called 'free' heater, Heat Surge that prmises to be so cost efficient. Has anyone bought it and realized a difference? Especially in the gas heating bill, and electic bill and efficient heating of a room? We bought the Eden Pure, it doesn't heat a large room, and we're waiting for the electric bill to see if it cost us more!

Answer
Wonder Woman: If you want to save on heating costs, the best way is through âzone heatingâ. This is where you turn down the thermostat on your main heating system by several degrees, then selectively heat just the space you are living in or using. According to the US Department of Energy, zone heating can reduce your overall heating costs by 20% or more. Now, with respect to which heater to use for selective heat, it is true that you can buy many heaters at low cost. What you get with a Heat Surge is the warmth and ambiance of a terrific looking fireplace in conjunction with a great heating unit. Youâll find comparable electric fireplaces at most big-box retail outlets, most for much more than a Heat Surge. Yet none of these competitive products come with the real wood authentic Amish mantle thatâs made us famous. Please learn more about our products and hear from a few of our million happy customers at www.heatsurgetoday.com. Hope this helps!!

Chris Pugh
Heat Surge

Best way to build a fireplace against a brick wall?

Brielle

One of our walls in out living room is brick and we would like to have a fireplace there. How would you suggest building one? It has a gas pipe hookup but we are also looking at electric ones. My husband can lay bricks, tile, stone, whatever. He can also make a mantel. We would really appreciate any tips or suggestions!

Answer
visit a hearth store, they have many options for vent free gas fireplaces, since you already have the line there its your best option, you can buy them with the mantel or without, if its a zero clearance model it will only produce heat out of the front and so the brick is a moot point. i recently installed one in my living room and constructed my own mantel for it, took me about 20 minutes to install and alother 30 to build the mantel, very easy

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