What is cheaper? Monitor heat or Space heater?

Macdaddy4738

Macdaddy4738

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jun 1, 2005
I think its probably warmer in the fridge at my house right about now so its time to do something about the heat.

We have electric baseboard heat, monitor heat, and a wood stove.

We will definitely be using the wood stove, but I dont think that will heat the whole house, and the basement only has a monitor heater.

My room mate is convinced it will be cheaper to buy a few electric space heaters and not bother with filling up the monitors...

I on the other hand believe the monitor will be cheaper, but I know really nothing about either option. What is cheaper?

Also, short of using space heaters in my room, what could I do to keep it warmer? Im upstairs and I have a feeling the monitor wont heat it all.
 
After a number of winters in Boone and all kinds of heating options where Ive lived...use the wood stove as much as you can. However you should have been stockpiling wood for the last few months. Now is the time that the people that cut and deliver it jack up their prices because they can. Fill up the monitors and use them as secondary...the baseboard heat will throw your power bill sky high if used all the time. I usually keep one small space heater in my room and set it on an hour before I go to bed then put it on a timer to come on an hour before I get up. If it gets colder in between I never notice a difference.

I have an oil furnace where I live now and will be filling it and using it to keep the chill off and any extra needed heat will come from a space heater. Id love to put a wood stove in my basement/garage to keep that area heated
 
StretchASU said:
AHowever you should have been stockpiling wood for the last few months.
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We have a good amount of wood here, but we dont have the space to store anymore than we already have, which is why I haven't been stocking up. I kind of regret not finding more room for it though.
Problem is, our useless landlord has told us that she will be having a chimney sweep come out and take a look at everything, but hasn't yet.
 
If you go space heaters, be sure to have one with a thermostat. If one runs continuously, somethings got to give. Either your house wiring or the heater itself will melt. We had the cheesy ceramic heaters and the faces started melting. My neighbor pointed out for me to feel the wire how hot it got. He also wanted me to crawl under the house and feel the main wire but I took his word and ditched them.
My favorite is the stand up radiator type oil filled but I've found out it's a definate each his own for heater opinions.
As for wood, that's a big duh if you have a burner.
 
6BangBronk said:
My favorite is the stand up radiator type oil filled but I've found out it's a definate each his own for heater opinions.
As for wood, that's a big duh if you have a burner.
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I agree with the oil filled electric radiators being the best for space heat. I heat my bedroom(upstairs) with one in the wintertime, and my downstairs with wood.
 
started up the wood stove tonight....not quite sure if I am getting this right.

Is there supposed to be a grate in a wood stove or is that only for fireplaces? Honestly to me it doesnt feel like the stove is getting too hot, it barely heats the room its in, much less the rest of the house.
 
Macdaddy4738 said:
Is there supposed to be a grate in a wood stove or is that only for fireplaces?
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Yes there should be.
Honestly to me it doesnt feel like the stove is getting too hot, it barely heats the room its in, much less the rest of the house.
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Does it have a blower fan? If not, it's not going to heat much except what's right around it. Try using a box fan or the like to move the warm air to other parts of the house. If it does have a blower, does it work? If yes to both, it could be the wood you're burning. Some types of wood just doesn't have the BTU's as others. Oak is good, Locust is good, pine is bad for several reasons. Research the best firewoods available to you.
 
mattb6679 said:
amish heaters are cost efficent. pricey though
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no. resistance heat is resistance heat - 750W or 1500W. They are glorified cube heaters with a sales pitch to 'zone' heat a house. I'd like to think anyone that doesnt have to (or want to) wear coveralls in the rest of the house would avoid any type of heater like this.
 
Macdaddy4738 said:
started up the wood stove tonight....not quite sure if I am getting this right.
Is there supposed to be a grate in a wood stove or is that only for fireplaces? Honestly to me it doesnt feel like the stove is getting too hot, it barely heats the room its in, much less the rest of the house.
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Did you choke it down? You should be able to load it up with a couple big pieces of hardwood, choke it down, and then not be able to stand within 15ft of it for 4-6 hours.
 
willness33 said:
Yes there should be.
Does it have a blower fan? If not, it's not going to heat much except what's right around it. Try using a box fan or the like to move the warm air to other parts of the house. If it does have a blower, does it work? If yes to both, it could be the wood you're burning. Some types of wood just doesn't have the BTU's as others. Oak is good, Locust is good, pine is bad for several reasons. Research the best firewoods available to you.
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It doesnt have a blower. Im beginning to think the thing is more for decoration than actually heating the house :rolleyes:

The only control of air I have going into the firebox are two knobs on the outside of the front doors, that is all. No control up top, none underneath, and it has no blower fan of any kind.
 
There's got to be a damper on it somewhere. If there's not, you need to install one. You'll never get any heat out of it otherwise.

This is just an iron box, right? Not a catalytic stove or anything?

Macdaddy4738 said:
It doesnt have a blower. Im beginning to think the thing is more for decoration than actually heating the house :rolleyes:
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More likely that you suck at building fires. Keep messing with it, you'll figure it out.
 
yeah definitely suck at building them.

The only dampener I have on it are the two knobs on the front door, unless the dampener up top is controlled from the inside....
 
Sounds to me like your fire isn't getting hot enough. See if you can rig up some type of grate to get some air flow under the fire. I've also heard using a box fan to direct the heat around the room helps well.

I have a dual fuel system in my house, but I also use one of those artificial flame electric heaters in several rooms. It seems to keep my overall power bill down if I only overheat the rooms I'm in. If the room has a chill I turn it on for about 20 mins at highest setting and then set the thermostat down low so it kicks on and off every 10-20 mins. Keeps the room comfortable. Definitely a bad idea for heating a whole house with these though.
 
the dampner would be located above the fire where the smoke goes out of your house. if there is not one tell your landlord to install one. otherwise you are just burning money.
 
there is a metal plate inside the stove that I can move, but its basically in a set position as to which way it is oriented.

There is nothing at the stovepipe though.
 
i figure it will just be easier to show rather than to tell.

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The knobs seen in the first picture are my only way to control air into the stove.

I believe one of our problems is that all the hot coals are falling through the new grate and arent keeping the larger logs hot.
 
The stone work looks nice! Looks like a cozy place, if only it'd stay warm! :D heheh

How many pieces of wood are you putting in? The key is to have a small, but very hot fire. Start with small pieces of kindling. Get those going and use them to catch one or two small logs. Once the small logs are going and you have a good coal bed you can add a larger piece of wood. Don't overload the stove with wood. All that will do is produce smoke and damper your fire. If there's smoke rolling out of the chimney then you're probably doing it wrong. At least that's what I'm told. :D
 
Ok, you have no damper control, just draft (the knobs on front). Your best bet is to just run it with a decent firewood and use a fan to move warm air around the house with fans. That's the best you can hope for.
 
where should the fan be positioned as far as effectively moving the air?

I live upstairs, and my rooms are off a sort of loft area. My area is warm as hell, but the rest of the house, not so much.

I think I have the hang of it now, I was definitely not using enough wood to begin with.
 
position the fan so it blows 'across' the stove in the direction you need the heat. If you have a ceiling fan run it too
 
If the house has central air or heat, you can use that in a fan-only mode to help circulate air through the house, too. It's best if there's a return close to the stove, but just kicking it on for 20 or 30 mins when the stove is good and hot can help.
 
Im sure your place stays warmer then mine. Old farm house with no insulation and only a woodstove. :shaking: Started burning my stove the past few nights. it keeps the front 3 rooms extremly warm, got a radiator type plug-in heater in the bed room.

Had to put a blower on our stove, it makes a big difference.
 
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