Low cost effective heating for bedrooms

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#1261059 17-Mar-2015 13:56

I vouch for a small fan from behind the heater side on to circulate the heat. Yeah getting a bit messy but it makes a big difference.

timmmay

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#1261068 17-Mar-2015 14:00

I have a heatermate, I don't use it. The reason is it puts the thermostat in out of the way locations, such as under a curtain or behind a cabinet where the plugs are located. I find the thermostat in my $20 warehouse oil heater fine - you can't set a precise temperature, you just play with it over a few days until it gets to the temp you want.

Running costs are totally dependent on the environment: a house that starts out damp, cold, and uninsulated basically can't be heated by an oil heater. My home is dry and insulated, with a heat pump that heats up the living/sleeping area (though not the bedrooms directly), we fine a small oil heater in our bedroom plenty to keep it warm enough for us. Running costs are low for us, I don't remember how much but it was low enough I didn't care.

You can get a device that measures power cost for any plug in device from the warehouse for around $20.

CokemonZ

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#1261100 17-Mar-2015 14:38

Mumx5:
CokemonZ: Hi,
Full disclosure - I own 50% of cleverhome (www.cleverhome.co.nz) . We import and distribute Heatermates, and a similar concept for dehumidifiers called cleverplug.

I recommend cheap and cheerful oil fin heaters ($30 from the warehouse - cheaper on trademe) and a heatermate.
Set the temp at 19 degrees and it will stay there.
The asthma foundation recommends childrens bedrooms are kept between 18 and 20 degrees, big changes are tiggers for asthma as is too hot and too cold.
Watch out for baby monitors with temperature monitors - they wake you up in the middle of the night to change the heaters temp. pain in the rear.

As for the dehumidifier - same thing.
bedrooms should be between 35% and 45% humidity.
Buy the cheapies - unbelievably they tend to do the better job at dehumidifying, but don't have the fancy controls.

enter the code geekzone - I'll do free shipping.

Thank you for your response CokemonZ, I actually picked up last year I think it was 3 of the oil fin heaters from the warehouse on clearance for $5 each, but after being told they were expensive to run, they are still sitting in the boxes.

I was aware of the temperature requirements as one of my children is asthmatic however its been trying to address a form of heating that I can actually afford has been my issue.

I will give the heatermate + oil fin heaters (at night) a go, doesn't need to be during day when kids are at school and during day baby can be at warmer end of house. Maybe this combo with the dehumidifier will work.

I hope it works for you - it has for us, 70's partially insulated cedar clad house.

Either way - if you decide it's not a good option we have a 30 day no questions asked money back policy.
I haven't had anyone do it yet!
We mainly use them at night too, though back on when we put the baby down.

Niel

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#1261338 17-Mar-2015 22:02

Oil fin heaters are considered expensive because the heat is through convection, not radiant. Radiant means the people sitting in front of it gets warm so you tend to turn it lower where as convection tends to heat up the ceiling - unless you add a fan to mix the air... For sleeping where you can't be in front of a radiant heater anyway, the heat rises and it costs the same to run unless you have a fan to mix the air... Try it with a normal pedestal fan, you have nothing to loose. I have done it for 3 Winters, 2 in an old house and 1 in a new house. With a fan the temperature sensor does not get hot from the heater and it is much easier to set the temperature (start fairly low). Then put it on a mains timer to turn on only at night.

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Batman

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#1261340 17-Mar-2015 22:09

put a small oil heater under the cot?

E3xtc

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#1261386 18-Mar-2015 07:49

My boss in a previous job had an oil column heater go pop and burn his house out....I know it's a freak accident, but I just shudder when thinking about leaving those oil column heaters alone un-watched (especially in a babys room). We used to use them sure, but never left them on unattended. Just venting my nervous reaction :)

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Batman

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#1261399 18-Mar-2015 08:41

Smoke alarms ftw

Batman

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#1261401 18-Mar-2015 08:44

Actually I recall my decade old delonghi oil heater caught fire. Wasn't impressed so I called them. They offered to get it checked and fixed for free. Turns out the dust that got in the wiring box (the bout with ask the switches) burnt, but they didn't say whether the wiring had issue. I suspected it eroded got hot and burnt the dust

alasta

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#1261404 18-Mar-2015 08:48

Mishaps involving oil column heaters aren't entirely uncommon which is why I only buy good quality ones and replace them at least every five years. There is no way I would be comfortable using a $5 one from The Warehouse.

Niel

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#1261507 18-Mar-2015 11:09

timmmay: Niel, would you mind linking to the sock style draft stopper? I looked at them last year in NZ but as you said they're expensive and looked fragile.

Found it, but check reviews. Might be better to make your own. It does improve air flow compared to shutter types, but this design might need some tweaking to close properly:
http://www.amazon.com/Battic-Door-Diameter-Draft-Damper/dp/B008D7KDW2

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Premium-4-In-Line-Duct-Back-Draft-Damper-Stop-Drafts-from-Bath-and-Kitchen-Fans-/161012162899?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item257d12a153

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BTR

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#1261567 18-Mar-2015 12:13

Why not use a normal fan to blow the warm air from the lounge towards the other end of the house, I did this before I installed a heat transfer kit and was really surprised at the results.

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#1261974 18-Mar-2015 21:09

How many of the oil column heaters that exploded were covered? As I remember an early consumer magazine test where they covered oil column heaters and that was enough to make a brand new one explode.

MadEngineer

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#1262018 18-Mar-2015 22:46

new born baby? you're in for a world of strife if you use a dehumidifier in close proximity to the baby or even when trying to use it for heating. do whatever you can to keep the new born's room temperature well above 18degc. their bodies are much smaller with larger surface areas of skin and cannot regulate body temperature (can't shiver, burn precious energy to try to warm up through both motion and metabolism). you're going to need either a well working heat pump away from the child's room or some other solution such as an oil-filled heater. get one that has a silent timer and silent relay as the thermostat clicking can be loud.

is this your first child?

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Batman

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#1262049 18-Mar-2015 23:04

In the ideal world ... Yes

In the new zealand world ... Umm... You tend to heat the neighbourhood ...

Niel

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#1262077 19-Mar-2015 04:40

I just realized you said "new born". Let baby sleep with you, everyone will be happier. Our daughter was 6 weeks prem, slept with us for about 4-5 months. Our son was 3 weeks prem, slept with us for a couple of months. Much easier for my wife to do feeding, and then I'd let the baby sleep on my chest to give my wife a rest. Everyone was happy and more relaxed. We did try separation, but it did not feel right and baby was stressed.

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