Friday, January 17, 2020

Save Money on Heat Costs

Want to save some money on heating costs?  Here's how I did it.


This is a small ceramic heater, they usually cost about $25 and they oscillate.

Some years back while I lived in Texas I did not use the central heat for January.  Instead I used 2 ceramic heaters.  My bedroom was roughly 16' x 12" and one of these on high for 2 hours made it toasty warm enough to either cut it back to warm or what I mostly did which was to turn it off and sleep under my quilt.  One heater I used in the dining area where my desk was.  That one ran for about 5-6 hours an evening on warm.  The one in the bedroom for 1-2 hours and maybe 1/2 hour in the morning in the bathroom.

My electricity bill that covered December 2012 with the central heat set on 60 unless I was home and then it was 68, was $124.  My bill for January 2013 which had about the same amount of cold days and nights, using only the ceramic heaters, was $53.

In October of 2019 I moved to Colorado.  We live in an apartment which has electric heat that comes from registers at the ceiling.  Electric is included in our rent so we have no idea what the cost is.  However, we have 2 Lasko heaters that oscillate, one we bought in November for about $50.  They work very well.  We keep the heat set on 65-70 degrees and run the Lasko heaters at night and when it gets really cold.  

From experience I know these heaters are more efficient than the register heat.  Closing off rooms not in use will also help greatly and of course dressing for the weather.  If you live in a cold climate and don't know about smartwool, you need to get some!  I got some leggings and a shirt meant to be worn under other clothes and they will keep you toasty!

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