Heating question?

Question

ok I have a heating question it has recently turned winter and my electricity bills have shot up I think due to the 2kwh electric heater that I have, now I was told that if I got and oil filled heater it would be cheaper, now assuming that I got a 2kwh oil heater how much would it cost to run per hour, I worked out the electric one costs me 21pence per hour. Would oil be cheaper and how much would it be?

Answer 1

Do you want to heat your place or save money and freeze at the same time.. quite a paradox there.

Oil filled heaters are nice to look at but that's about it, while a forced air ceramic heater  can heat a lot more air quicker with less energy.

You want a heater with manual NOT DIGITAL controls (manual controls much more reliable and accurate).

You really need to look closely at how well insulated the space you want to heat is, how much ceiling area, windows, floor (carpeted or hardwood) and such.

A typical oil or ceramic heater is capable of heating up too 120 to 150 square feet (with an eight foot ceiling) so consider all of the variables and in the end a forced air ceramic will be a much better heater and more efficient in the end.

I did a quick conversion and my forced air ceramic is heating an area 11 X 13 feet for less than 11 pence a day.

Answer 2

Theoretically oil fired heater of the same rating should be cheaper considering the efficiencies but in practice, the economies of scale of the electricity generating companies should reduce the difference. You should also consider the costs of buying the new heater, ventilation costs etc.

Answer 3

A radiant heater is the slowest form of spreading heat around your room. It you can't buy a forced air unit, then put a small fan behind the heater.

I have a wood stove in my basement as a supplemental heat and when I am home I get a good fire going and I have a fan facing the side of the stove. I leave the basement door to the upstairs open and the entire house heats up.

This same principle applies to your heater.

Answer 4

Most oil heaters contain oil within them. They do not need refilled. Electricity kicks on for a few minutes, long enough to heat up the oil, and then shuts off. The oil stays heated for awhile, saving electricity. I've had two for years, and they save me an average of $30 a month during the winter. Sorry, I don't know it down to the hour. :)