| Author |
 Topic Search  Topic Options
|
julz85 
Senior Member
Joined: 12 January 2009
Location: Christchurch
Points: 1176
|
 Post Options
 Thanks(0)
 Quote  Reply
 Topic: economical heating
Posted: 07 April 2011 at 8:47am |
Just thought i would ask you ladies as im trying to decide what heater/s to buy for winter this year . Last year we used 2 oil collum heaters ( a big one for the lounge and small one in amelias room ) and our power bills were through the roof ($400+ month for 2 adults and one/sometimes 2 children) we also work so are not home all day everyday and they only went on on really cold days and in amelias room at night as she gets a bit of asthma in winter.
the house we are renting has been hit quite bad by both the sept and feb earthquake and according to EQC has severe structal damage but as rents in chch have gone up through the roof we are happy to stay here untilll we have to move (as house may need to get demolished) The house doesnt look too bad and it is livable, but there are some cracks and gaps in the windows so im really worried about winter . Because of the situation there is not much point in asking the landlord for a heatpump (i was going to before the earthquakes) because we may not be here too much longer .
I guess we are looking for a heating sloution that is economical and something we can take with us . i have heard about those econoheaters that are wall mounted . anyone know anything about them ? or any other heaters that arent too expensive to run . Ta 
Edited by julz85
|
|
|
 |
|
Sponsored Links
|
|
|
chickadeedoo
Senior Member
Joined: 11 February 2011
Points: 151
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: 07 April 2011 at 9:04am |
|
do you think your landlord would agree to a econoheat (it's a heater that takes the chill off at night in the rooms it is installed in and it mounted on the wall).
|
[/URL]
|
|
julz85
Senior Member
Joined: 12 January 2009
Location: Christchurch
Points: 1176
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: 07 April 2011 at 9:08am |
|
Yea i think he would be fine with me mounting something on the wall , he is pretty easy going and theres alot of cracks and things from the earthquake anyway so they will need to repair all that at some stage too and i doubt that will be for a long time, prob after we ever move out .
|
|
|
|
GuestGuest
Senior Member
Joined: 21 April 2008
Points: 3600
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: 07 April 2011 at 9:57am |
Before we had a heat pump we used two convection heaters just from The Warehouse. We found them really good heat wise and they look nice as well as they tend to make them all sleek and space-age looking now I'm not sure how they compare in power consumption though to other types.
|
|
CrazyCass
Senior Member
Joined: 13 August 2010
Location: Rotorua
Points: 810
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: 07 April 2011 at 10:06am |
I was just about to suggest a convection heater - we've got a fire in the place we own, but when I was in Auckland we used a convection heater - and i had it on 24/7. Only 1 heater (about a meter long) heated a 2 storey house quite nicely!
I've also heard good things about the econo heaters, but if your walls are still moving it might place strain on the points that are fixed to the wall (and you dont want your heaters damaged, cause you can take them with you  )
|
|
|
|
mothermercury
Senior Member
Joined: 12 December 2009
Points: 884
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: 07 April 2011 at 10:12am |
I think anything that warms your room up significantly is going to be expensive, and I don't think there is any magic electric heater that uses less electricity.  ( See here. )
I have heard mixed things about those econoheat panels. I was interested in them a while ago so read a whole bunch of reviews. The reason they are so cheap to run is that they use very little electricity, and consequently don't put out very much heat (someone compared it to the heat put out by a plasma TV). Also, they work better if you have a very well-insulated house, otherwise the heat tends to just seep out through the walls (as they are wall-mounted). It might take the chill out in a climate that's not very cold, but if it gets very cold in your house it might not be enough. It is worth doing a google search for reviews.
From personal experience, I house-sat one winter for some people who had a 1930s wooden villa (in Wellington), and they had econoheat panels. We kept them on all the time and I did not notice any difference; we were still bundled on the couch in blankets. Then again, these people had no curtains, and I'm not sure how well-insulated their house was.  YMMV though.
|
|
MamaT
Senior Member
Joined: 07 November 2008
Location: Nelson
Points: 3149
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: 07 April 2011 at 10:18am |
|
Yeah missshell is right, unless the house is well insulated any heat from the econoheater will be lost through the wall.
We used a convection heater last year in the living room and a 6 fin oil heater in DS's room, our house wasn't insulated and had really high ceilings. I ran both pretty much all day everyday in winter and our powerbill hovered around 120-160 (2adults, 1child), our summer power bill is around 60.
Hopefully that gives some indication for you.
|
|
|
|
Nothing
Senior Member
Joined: 05 June 2009
Location: Nelson
Points: 1470
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: 07 April 2011 at 10:41am |
|
I have a Dimplex eco heater (looks like an oil column one). Cost $80, much cheaper to run than a oil column heater. I just use it in DD's room. It heats up within 3-4 minutes to temperature, uses less power and can come with a timer- if you buy the bigger model. Noel Leeming stock them.
|
|
|
|
High9
Senior Member
Joined: 14 July 2009
Location: North Island
Points: 6750
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: 07 April 2011 at 11:21am |
|
We were looking into a wall mounted heaters last winter but were told they could only go on an external wall and walls with insulation (think it was the econoheat one we looked at). We ended up just sticking with our gas bottles. That was at my grandparents place and they're getting 2 heat pumps this year.
This Winter we're living at MILs and they have a heat pump/underfloor heat transfer unit thingy... One that does the whole house by ducts in the floor... Not sure what the exact name is.
|
|
|
|
EmDee
Senior Member
Joined: 01 January 1900
Location: Waikato
Points: 4407
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: 07 April 2011 at 11:48am |
We have an econoheat panel in DS2's room and it does take the chill off the air ... BUT we are in Hamilton (so nowhere near as cold as CHCH), we use a small oil heater to get the room warm initially and his room is well insulated and small (about 7m squared).
I agree that unless the house is well insulated, you will lose heat.
You may know this already, but thought I'd add it as it may help you while you are looking at options:
To figure out how much electricity a heater will use look at the wattage of the heater. If a heater is 1000W then it is equivalent to 1 kilowatt (kW). Over an hour it will use 1kW = 1kWh. A kWh is 1 unit of electricity. So if you know what you get charged per unit of electricity (take a look on your power bill), you can work out how much a heater will cost to run.
Example = a 1000W heater turned on for 12 hours per day, is equivalent to 12kW or 12 units of electricity. If you pay 25c (before GST - usually GST is added at the end of the bill) per unit, you will be paying $3 per day before GST. I hope this helps (and I hope it makes sense! )
Edited to fix my maths!
Edited by mummydee
|
|
DS 8
DD 6
DS 4
DD 2
|
|
EmDee
Senior Member
Joined: 01 January 1900
Location: Waikato
Points: 4407
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: 07 April 2011 at 11:52am |
Interesting High9, we have our econoheat panel on an internal wall, I'm fairly sure there was nothing on the packaging about it having to be on an external wall??
Actually I just read the website and they say not to install it on an uninsulated external wall as the heat will be lost through the wall.
|
|
DS 8
DD 6
DS 4
DD 2
|
|
MrsMac
Senior Member
Joined: 11 November 2010
Location: Palmerston North
Points: 116
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: 07 April 2011 at 12:13pm |
We're in a two-bedroom place at the moment and installed econopanel heaters last year. They do need to go on internal walls (rather than external walls) and not under windows etc which will suck out the heat. We've got two large ones in the lounge and a small one in each bedroom. We found them good enough and we're in Palmerston North. They don't give the instant heat of a gas heater etc, but over a few hours they take the chill off the air, and we were careful to keep doors shut to keep the heat in the room wherever possible. It's quite handy to use a timer-switch to have them switching on a few hours before you get up in the morning or are due home from work
|
|
|
|
kebakat
Senior Member
Joined: 01 January 1900
Location: Palmy North
Points: 10980
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: 07 April 2011 at 12:20pm |
|
Interesting what people say about the econoheaters. We have one in each bedroom and after being on in a couple of hours its really toasty in those rooms.. even in daniels room where the only place it could go was under a window it actually get too hot in his room that we have to leave the door open so heat can come out and thats only a small heater not the larger one
|
|
High9
Senior Member
Joined: 14 July 2009
Location: North Island
Points: 6750
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: 07 April 2011 at 12:21pm |
 MrsMac wrote:
We're in a two-bedroom place at the moment and installed econopanel heaters last year. They do need to go on internal walls (rather than external walls) and not under windows etc which will suck out the heat. |
Sorry got it mixed, this was our problem, well one of them anyway, needed to go on internal wall as we don't have insulation but we couldn't have it on an internal wall (no space/power points.
|
|
|
|
julz85
Senior Member
Joined: 12 January 2009
Location: Christchurch
Points: 1176
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: 07 April 2011 at 12:43pm |
|
thanks for all the feedback ladies :) interesting stuff about those ecnoheaters .
|
|
|
|
Plushie
Senior Member
Joined: 21 May 2008
Points: 3796
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: 07 April 2011 at 1:17pm |
|
I too am interested in the econoheater, i saw one up and running and it wasnt hot to the touch which was a bonus (foward thinking to crawling touching baby). For those of you that have them is that all the time or do they get hot after they've been going a while or at a high heat?
|
|
EmDee
Senior Member
Joined: 01 January 1900
Location: Waikato
Points: 4407
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: 07 April 2011 at 1:22pm |
They do get hot, but I don't think it would be enough to burn.
Here is the Econo-Heat website with more info. I have seen that one of the home improvement companies (Mitre 10??) have brought one out too, so if you go with theirs I'd double check
|
|
DS 8
DD 6
DS 4
DD 2
|
|
LG
Senior Member
Joined: 31 March 2007
Location: Northland
Points: 607
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: 07 April 2011 at 1:33pm |
|
Yep, as Mummydee said they get hot but not hot enough to burn. We got 1 put in DD's room last winter and live in a very old, cold house that only has insulation in the ceiling and under the floor and massive bedrooms with high ceilings. It doesnt make the room so warm that when you walk in you think 'hmmmm nice warm room' but its a comfortable temp and doesnt get stuffy. Oh we have high ceilings as well. Its been good to read what others have said about them because i wondered what they would be like in insulated/smaller rooms.
We just ordered them for our rental and more for here too
|
 Angel Baby Aug '12, Feb '13
|
|
GuestGuest
Senior Member
Joined: 21 April 2008
Points: 3600
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: 07 April 2011 at 1:50pm |
|
I honestly think those ecnoheaters aren't warm enough for ChCh's climate. I have a couple of friends with them and you can hardly even tell they are on when you walk in the room. I prefer something that can give you full on heat instantly (like a convection heater) and you can always turn it down if you need to.
|
|
Mum_mum
Senior Member
Joined: 30 April 2008
Location: NZ
Points: 1394
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: 07 April 2011 at 3:52pm |
Not too sure on the choice of heater etc since we use a wood fire but also in winter last year ran an oil heater for DD's room which between that and the dryer sent our bills to $400-$500 and we are only in a 2bdroom house! I think though with our fire an econoheater would be enough this year for her room.
Anyway I more came on here to give you this link, not for the electricty company but thought it had some good info for what it costs to run appliances.
Appliance costs
|
|
|
|
economical heating
Angel baby - May 2008