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let's talk space heaters...

purbeast0

purbeast0

No Lifer
i'm in the market to get a space heater because my basement has been really cold the past couple weeks with this weather we've had. it's just an open room that is about 19'x26'.

i've been doing a little bit of research and i've seen that there are mainly 2 different kinds - the ones that blow direct heat out and oscillate, like a fan, and then there are ones that are more like radiators.

i'm wondering if anyone has any experience with either types and if so, which one they recommend over the other.

i've been looking at a lasko oscillating one that has good reviews, then also been looking at a delonghi that has good reviews as well. these are the two models.

delonghi - http://www.amazon.com/DeLonghi-EW770...s=space+heater

lasko - http://www.homedepot.com/p/Lasko-23...=RV-_-RV_search_plp_rr-1-_-NA-_-100669066-_-N

so does anyone have any experience with space heaters for this type of useage?

EDIT:

also possibly this lasko one since it's local and i can pick it up.

http://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/sto...-Tower-Heater/1018279843?Keyword=lasko+heater
 
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you want an oil filled radiator like the first one you linked to.

lil rudeguy uses one in his bedroom and it works great. I have used the ceramic type before and they suck up a ton of juice to kinda sorta work. Also if this is in your basement, the ceramic has a much great chance of starting a fire than the radiator.
 
I have both brands you listed but slightly different models.

I have the lasko oscillating in my bedroom and I love it. I find the timer really handy as well as the remote. Warms up quickly.

I had the radiator style in my garage. I assumed that since there was no fan and the oil would continue to give off heat for awhile that this was the best option for the space and the cheapest to run. It could not heat my garage well and never shut off. It also doubled my electric bill so it took only 1 month to learn my lesson. Now I would just use it in case of emergency if the furnace died. I've since added a natural gas heater to my garage that works 1000 times better.

For your basement I would recommend an oscillating. Although you might want one that's a little taller/bigger. The one you listed looks a little small.
 
It depends on the size of the room, how open the room is and how quickly you want it to heat up. I actually like the delonghi style radiators. I keep one in my kids room because she has a huge window which radiates in the cold and the radiator does an excellent job of overcoming that. It works well because we close the door to retain the heat and and the room is just your typical bedroom size. It also takes a couple of hours to warm up the room.

I use an oscilating heater at work and I don't like it nearly as much, but it's an older crappy model and loud and it creates a kind of heat that makes the room almost uncomfortable. I don't know what the deal is.
 
rudeguy said:
you want an oil filled radiator like the first one you linked to.

lil rudeguy uses one in his bedroom and it works great. I have used the ceramic type before and they suck up a ton of juice to kinda sorta work. Also if this is in your basement, the ceramic has a much great chance of starting a fire than the radiator.
Click to expand...

Either kind can start a fire and should not be left unattended. Both will use the same amount of juice.
 
yeah this will only be used when we're down there watching movies or i'm playing games. i'd probably turn it on like 20 minutes or so before we were going to watch a movie and then just keep it on for the duration of the movie to keep it warmer while we're down there.

i was not aware that the radiator ones with oil would use so much power though either, i figured since they have some kind of oil in there that it would use that to heat it quite a bit too, but that doesn't seem to be the case?
 
purbeast0 said:
yeah this will only be used when we're down there watching movies or i'm playing games. i'd probably turn it on like 20 minutes or so before we were going to watch a movie and then just keep it on for the duration of the movie to keep it warmer while we're down there.

i was not aware that the radiator ones with oil would use so much power though either, i figured since they have some kind of oil in there that it would use that to heat it quite a bit too, but that doesn't seem to be the case?
Click to expand...

the radiators take a long time to heat up. If you just want it for when you are down there, get a ceramic one.
 
I have a ceramic one. Works okay. First one broke after 1 season use of. But hey for $30 bucks you really can't beat it. Does suck up quite a bit of power... but it's either that or freeze.
 
purbeast0 said:
i was not aware that the radiator ones with oil would use so much power though either, i figured since they have some kind of oil in there that it would use that to heat it quite a bit too, but that doesn't seem to be the case?
Click to expand...

I figured that too but a 1500W heater is a 1500W heater, you get out what you put in with electric heaters. Only difference is how it goes about heating the air.

Here's the one I have in my bedroom: http://www.homedepot.com/p/Lasko-30...H=REC-_-product-2-_-100669066-_-100669065-_-N
 
cbrsurfr said:
I figured that too but a 1500W heater is a 1500W heater, you get out what you put in with electric heaters. Only difference is how it goes about heating the air.

Here's the one I have in my bedroom: http://www.homedepot.com/p/Lasko-30...H=REC-_-product-2-_-100669066-_-100669065-_-N
Click to expand...

yeah lasko in general seems to have pretty good reviews. i was looking at them at homedepot's website but many of them aren't available in store.

is the one you use fairly quiet? i guess maybe the oscillating one makes more sense since i really just need it to primarily heat up the 1/2 of the room we hang out in for the most part, and more of "at the spurt of the moment" type of situation too.
 
I'd probably start by investigating for air leakage around (and through if operable) all windows and other penetrations. Then look for cold areas that insulation may have been missed along with checking flow from whatever HVAC there is.

After that I'd probably go with a decent ceramic model with some safety features.
 
I've never used the radiator ones, but they can't be worse than the oscillating "fan" one. In my experience, those are only good if they are close to you, and then end up getting too hot on whatever particular body part they are blow on. They don't really heat the room of any decent size. Maybe a bathroom would heat it, but any real size area won't benefit.

They act similar to heat lamps. They heat what they are pointed at, and that is about it.
 
K1052 said:
I'd probably start by investigating for air leakage around (and through if operable) all windows and other penetrations. Then look for cold areas that insulation may have been missed along with checking flow from whatever HVAC there is.

After that I'd probably go with a decent ceramic model with some safety features.
Click to expand...

well the problem is like hardly any heat is coming in from the air cuts at all. i can barely feel anything coming out when i put my hand up to it and the heat is on full blast. i really should have someone come check it out because i have no clue why there is hardly any heat coming out of both vents down there.
 
I like the infrared box style space heaters like this🙁I don't have that brand)
http://m.homedepot.com/p/Lifesmart-...wer-Heater-with-Remote-L-HOM4-NS12/204195244/

They are basically 4-6 food service infrared lamps with a fan blowing air over them, but it is a fairly quick, and comfortable heat. (And heat a room better than the radiator style one I have)
Their biggest benefits are:
Not top heavy (to get bumped over)
No outside surface is dangerously hot.

Because of those safety factors, I have no problem running 2 of them 24x7 even with a dog and kiddo(it helps that electric is cheaper than my propane gas boiler)

I also have an older one in my basement that I use only when I'm down there, and it does a great job warming that half of the basement.
 
purbeast0 said:
well the problem is like hardly any heat is coming in from the air cuts at all. i can barely feel anything coming out when i put my hand up to it and the heat is on full blast. i really should have someone come check it out because i have no clue why there is hardly any heat coming out of both vents down there.
Click to expand...

Where is the furnace?

My guess would be that there is a damper that needs to be adjusted.
 
K1052 said:
Where is the furnace?

My guess would be that there is a damper that needs to be adjusted.
Click to expand...

tbh the furnace isn't that far away. i didn't even know about dampers until i was talking to my buddy a couple weeks ago about it. and i could only find 1 damper in my ductwork in the same room with the furnace, and i tried changing it basically 90 degrees and that didn't help at all.
 
litecoin-gpu-mining-workshop.jpg
 
purbeast0 said:
well the problem is like hardly any heat is coming in from the air cuts at all. i can barely feel anything coming out when i put my hand up to it and the heat is on full blast. i really should have someone come check it out because i have no clue why there is hardly any heat coming out of both vents down there.
Click to expand...

I wonder if those are cold air returns (vs hot air leaving the furnace)
 
purbeast0 said:
tbh the furnace isn't that far away. i didn't even know about dampers until i was talking to my buddy a couple weeks ago about it. and i could only find 1 damper in my ductwork in the same room with the furnace, and i tried changing it basically 90 degrees and that didn't help at all.
Click to expand...

I remembered you posted some pics of your HT. I see an air return grate on the wall (presumably the furnace is on the other side) but only one vent on the ceiling. I think either there is another damper or a major break in the line supplying the vents(s) if you aren't getting much airflow since the furnace is right there.

Also, those windows while they look newish could be letting a lot of air through. I'd double check the caulking and possibly get some interior inserts which shouldn't cost much since they are pretty small.

Edit: upon further consideration I think they may have just run vents between the the joists off the the trunk line feeding the 1st floor. Might try closing up a few vents on the first floor (not ones located on exterior walls) to see if basement airflow improves.
 
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What you need is a gas space heater. They put off 1000x more heat than a shitty electric heater.

b2DBCHn.jpg


(They are... more dangerous - but you take what you can get right 😕)
 
Your code doesn't require heat when you finish your basement?

Can't do that around here. Unless you simply didn't get a permit etc
 
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