What are the best kind of heaters to buy that wont use alot of power (aka kick the breaker), for the money?

Question

My house is huge, old, and Victorian (rental), and my gas bill is outrageous every winter even with us on budget billing. I would like to buy a few heaters so I dont have to keep the thermostat so high to warm this house. Thanks!

The house is very up to code, I have the best landlord in the world, this is her only rental.
Now that being said there is a drop ceiling in every room which is about floor to ceiling 10 ft(and thats with the drop ceilings). We have hardwood floors which means we always wear slippers.
Our furnace was just maintenanced last week.
-My gas bill runs about 400-600 a month in winter, with budget billing I pay about 200-300 a month all year.
-Last year we tried finding the right setting on thermostat, we tried 70-74 and it ran all the time would never kick off. We then tried 78 and it would kick off for 10 minutes or so then kick back on. So I dont which is better, btw our furnace was checked last year as well. We have old windows, wood floors, and high ceilings.
I was just going to buy a heater or two, for main bedroom, and my sons room.
I wish I could go all electric, I hate that our gas company is the only one, so we are sorta monopolized.

Answer 1

One of the cheapest things to do is to follow the old camping maxim: "If your feet are cold, put on your hat." Also, if the house has high ceilings, most of your heat could be hanging at ceiling level -- running a small fan pointed at the ceiling can make a room much more comfortable, particularly if you've got "gravity heat" instead of forced air.

Other than that, electric space heaters are all pretty much the same efficiency, so just choose something with a load that doesn't overload the circuit -- so it sounds like something like a low-wattage oil-filled heater might be useful -- I used to use an electric blanket around me while I was working on lesson plans and such, and that was nice.

Don't forget that frozen plumbing can cost $$$$$

Does your utility company offer free energy audits, perhaps? A few bucks spent on caulk and some gaskets cut out of thin foam can tighten up a house more than you might imagine, especially when you know where the leakiest spots are.

Answer 2

Electric heaters will drive up the bill even higher than gas. Just a different bill. The size of the house and the lack of insulation and good windows is your problem. There is really not much you can do. The reason your furnace runs so much, is the heat you are loosing through the ceilings and walls. Close the registers in rooms you are not using or that can be cooler. More heat will then go into the rooms you want warmer. Good luck.

Answer 3

Best to first weatherize your house-- buy some caulking compound and a caulk gun, and seal around all cracks and crannies, close up any holes. Lots of hidden spots for airloss, like around outlets and switches-- you can buy gaskets that seal these for a couple of bucks. Cheap investment. Look at your window coverings; if they are just sheers, buy some heavier lined ones or pick some up at a garage sale. An alternate would be to place plastic shower curtains behind your regular curtains, to keep down drafts. Cheap but effective. Your investment in the rental would be worth it as you will save a lot of $ for your time, and won't be doing anything to violate your lease. Of course, you could ask the landlord to install additional insulation in the attic, and maybe do the sealing himself so you don't have that expense. Or offer to do it, and see if he will pay for the materials.
Electric heaters will such your wallet dry, unfortunately; best are those which radiate heat, look like old fashioned radiators, and they get very warm but are still safe to touch. Used one last winter to heat my mother's room and it did very well. Since your house is huge, also look at closing off any rooms you seldom use- if you can close vents in those areas, do so and just shut the doors to divert the heat to other rooms. Also ask your landlord to have the furnace serviced, if it is not adjusted properly it will not heat as well. Good luck!

Answer 4

With all due respect; and no offense to any others; there isn't a "Space Heater" on the planet that can be defined as "Efficient". Certainly, circumstantially, they afford modest levels of comfort; but they will cost you in an electric bill; or other forms of fuel.

The fact that you live in a HUGE/OLD/VICTORIAN, renal or not, could cause envy in some of us.

Without knowing at all the Power supplied to YOUR "breaker box"; which BTW suggests an upgrade from 19th Century technology; NO 110 Heater should KICK a breaker if you know the breaker capacity for that circuit and define your use accordingly.

I do have one suggestion I advise NOT USE...OIL filled, electrically powered "radiator" type heaters. While they are safe, and compact, even portable and minimal in size; you will be unhappy. Convection types/ fan forced types/ etc. ; will usually offer only specific ranges of heating and efficiency.

More important and valid might be issues you have with a landlord, and the general condition of the house. It might be that you are blessed with low rent??? It might be that the landlord is up to code in Rentor rights? It might even be worth your time to question or negotiate with the landlord; regarding the issue,,,,and finally, on a very personal level; it might come down to what you define as comfort, and in Specific comfort "zones" in that house.

No disrespect meant; but as a rentor; we are usually not living in BLISS; and not knowing at all, your relationship with the landlord; you might investigate what is OK with them.

I'd be curious to know where you live; given that NATURAL gas is often the lest expensive method for multiple utilities in a house.

Steven Wolf

Answer 5

The reason your breaker is triping is the heater is too big for that breaker. Check the breaker that is triping and see the amps size marked on the tab it is probably 15 or 20 amps then check your hearer and see what size circuit is required and it should be located on the tag somewhere on the heater. the breaker triping is doing its job you can also see if the cord to the heater is HOT if so unplug the heater and get a smaller one. There is a chance that the breaker may be weak and you can check it by gently pushing it to the off position if it clicks off it may be weak and when I say gently I mean very very gently.