Space Heaters = Energy savings?

[shelbylovesmelby]

I was just wondering if using a space heater would be worth my wild to save $ on our heating bill so I can turn the thermostat down.

[banana]

We used oil filled electric space heaters last year to supplement our oil heat and saved quite a bit on our oil consumption. Last year we used 537 gallons of oil compared to our average without space heaters of 700-800 gallons. We did not use them overnight.

Just wanted to add that my electric bill went up by around $40-$50 a month.

[disneysteve]

Originally Posted by shelbylovesmelby

I was just wondering if using a space heater would be worth my wild to save $ on our heating bill so I can turn the thermostat down.

I always wonder about this too. If we are all sitting in the family room for a couple of hours watching a movie or something, why heat the whole house. But I can't figure out how to determine if lowering the house heat and running the space heater actually saves any money or just lowers my gas bill and raises my electric bill.

[tinapbeana]

does you electric bill tell you what your usage was last year for the same time? try it for a month, and see what the cost difference is in KWPD

[disneysteve]

Originally Posted by tinapbeana

does you electric bill tell you what your usage was last year for the same time? try it for a month, and see what the cost difference is in KWPD

It would be impossible to compare because our usage varies from day to day, hour to hour, and is also dependent on the outside temperature and how much time we spend in the house. I don't think there is any simple way to truly know if we are saving any money.

[dossin1]

My dh feels it increased the electric bill quite a bit, so maybe it depends on which is cheaper in your area, your heating fuel or electricity.

[poundwise]

Here is a nice page on the subject:

How To Save Money on Heating Costs

[Broken Arrow]

Thanks for the link, poundwise.

I was just wondering about this subject earlier this week.

[shengmei]

I used electric heaters once and the electric bill went up to $120. OUCH!!!

I would think gas heaters are cheaper.

[rduell]

That is a good article, Poundwise. As we are redoing this house (Victorian from the 1890s) we are insulating and installing ceiling fans in all the rooms. The ceilings are 10 feet high so the fans really help to push the heat down.

We are also replacing the windows. We have about half of them replaced now and you can really tell a difference in those rooms.

[MonkeyMama]

My experience has been that space heaters are FAR more expensive than the furnace. BUT I think it depends on a lot of factors.

I used a space heater for quite a few years - let me tell you what a fire hazard too.

I had an idiot roommate leave those on by mistake all the time - talk about fear of losing all of my possessions - hehe.

I don't know why we had one roommate who demanded we all used space heaters and when she left we turned on the heat and it was far cheaper. It was a pretty big house and all, but older built and not great insulation. Gas heat won by a mile.

[lrjohnson]

Our experience, with old wiring, 12 foot ceilings, and the old heating systwem being big grates in the floor that get hot: space heaters, used very judiciously in one room with the doors closed, resulted in our electric bill going up to $350 from $75. I would be very wary. We used the "good" kind, supposedly. I wear sweaters.

[PRICEPLUS]

I may need to use an electric heater in one of the upstairs bedrooms. I usually use it when the tempature gets in the single digits. I may have to rethink the insulation in the eaves closet. I need to put some money aside for that. The heater is used sparingly and so it does not make too bad a dent in the budget!