Ceiling Fan Direction to Help Heat and Cool

Ceiling fans are a staple in Arizona. I have one in almost every room of my house and I plan to have them in the Shouse as well. Many folks do not know that a ceiling fan not only helps you feel cooler in the summer, but warmer in the winter as well.

During the summer months a fan should be set so the blades turn counterclockwise. They should be set to turn quite rapidly as this helps to push the air down. Airflow from a ceiling fan can make a room feel as though it is 8 to 10 degrees cooler than the room actually is. This is due to the wind chill effect. Ceiling fans can help reduce your air conditioning bill by as much as 40% in the summer months.

During the winter a fan should be set to turn the blades clockwise and at a slow rate. This creates a gentle updraft which pulls cooler air up and forces the warm air that rises and is trapped at the ceiling to move down, thus making the room warmer. By setting the blades to turn rather slowly, you do not create the wind chill effect, but move the air from the ceiling down the walls. Running your ceiling fan in this manner in the winter can help you save up to 15% on your heating costs.

If you have very high cathedral ceilings like I do in my living room right now, you do not need to switch the directions as the height of the ceiling will negate the wind chill effect. The speed will help force the hot air back down and keep the air circulating up by the ceiling.

You can adjust the direction of blade spin on your ceiling fan from the remote if your fan has one or on the fan housing itself. There is a small switch on the fan housing.

If you don't own a ceiling fan, you should consider installing one in each of your most frequently used rooms. They start at around $15 and pay for themselves in a very short period of time in both heating and cooling savings. Ceiling fans are relatively easy to install and provide years of hassle free use.

Saving On Heating Costs From the Comfort of Your Bed

Heating Mattress Pad 

I woke up this morning around 4 a.m. for some reason. Not quite awake, not quite asleep, but aware that the air in the room is cool and the bed so nice and warm. Curled up beside me is my cat, who I like to refer to as the space heater, warm and snugly as well. It got me thinking about heating blankets and how wonderful they are. It also inspired me to write about the cost savings for those who use them and turn down their thermostat at night.

I discovered the Electric Blanket Institute (yes, there is such a place) at http://www.electricblanketinstitute.com/features-benefits/actual-cost-to-run.html has a wonderful bit of information about just how much the estimated costs of running a heating blanket and/or a heating mattress pad. I thought I would share that with you today since the holidays are rapidly approaching and you might want to consider adding a heating blanket to your wish list.

Actual Cost To Run
Electric Blankets or Electric Mattress Pads

Federal Government Ranking of Appliance Energy Usage

How does electric blanket energy compare to that of other appliances? The United States Department of Energy rates a heated blanket as the most energy efficient appliance in your home.

Source: US Dept. of Energy booklet “Energy Savers – Tips on Saving Energy and Money at Home” October 2008

Electric Blanket Energy Usage – Actual Cost to Run

People often ask us how much energy does a typical automatic blanket use or how many watts do electric blankets consume. Do not be confused by the manufacturer’s rating-tag wattage. Many manufacturers artificially over-state their products’ wattage rating in order to imply more heat and to assure that they will never exceed UL’s stringent requirements on ratings. In fact, all warming blankets consume only around 75 – 100 watts (per side on Dual controlled models) when used on HI. However many people set their controls around #5 or lower thus effectively halving that wattage to 40 – 50 watts. For eight hours, this amounts to approximately 0.35kwh consumed or about 4 cents per night in most areas of this country.

Heated Mattress Pad Energy Usage – Actual Cost to Run

Additionally people ask us how much energy or wattage do typical electric mattress pads use. Again, do not go by the rating-tag watts. When actually measured, most warming mattress pads consume around 60 to 90 watts (per side on Dual controlled models) when used at HI. Inherently, electric mattress pads are more efficient than electric blankets because ALL the heat of the pad is trapped in the air space under the top sheet and top blanket, whereas much of the heat generated by an electric blanket travels upward to the ceiling of the room. Many people set their pad controls around #3 thus effectively cutting wattage consumption to only 20 watts. For eight hours, this amounts to less than 0.2 kWh consumed or about 2-3 cents per night in most areas of the USA.

Heating Cost and Energy SAVINGS from
Electric Blankets and Heated Mattress Pads

Saving Energy and Heating Costs

Are you trying to lower your heating costs and save energy? How can electric blankets or heated mattress pads save energy or save you any fuel costs? It’s because you can turn your house furnace thermostat down while you sleep and still stay warm and comfortable in your bed. Obviously it costs a lot less to heat beds than whole houses. We've heard it asked: Why would I want to heat my kitchen when I'm asleep in my bed?

Conservatively, in most parts of the United States, you can save 1% of the house-heating bill for EACH degree the furnace thermostat is turned down for a period of just eight hours! In some cities, 2% or more per degree setback can be saved. Thus, for example, if your heating bill is $200 for one month and you turn your house thermostat down by 10 degrees just while you sleep you will save $20-$40 in your heating costs during that one month! Therefore, your electric blanket or electric mattress pad product will pay for itself quite quickly in energy savings. Note: You can easily install a programmable thermostat and set it to warm your house just prior to awakening for total comfort.

Real Life Examples from Trusted Authoritative Sources

A very good article demonstrating actual energy savings can be found in the February/March 2008 issue of Mother Earth News®. The author shows how he spent $125 for a warming mattress pad and saved $186 the first year in energy savings, not to mention a CO2 reduction of 1150 pounds. He further estimates his 10-year heating cost savings due to the electric mattress pad at almost $3000! What a payback not even counting all the comfort and health benefits he gained! Check out that Mother Earth News article here.

Another trustworthy article recording actual energy savings can be found in a forum moderated by Alan Graham, liaison for the Discovery Channel's Treehugger where Mr. Graham states he paid for his electric mattress pad with two months of home heating savings. He says he further benefited by never getting a chill during the night while also helping to save the environment.

A very similar story is documented at Planet Green and in January of 2009, Consumer Reports stated that the average American household would save $233 per year by lowering the home thermostat 8 degrees for 8 hours per day 25 weeks per year.

So, as you can see, investing in a good heating blanket or heating mattress pad is definitely something to consider. While not an inexpensive investment, the rate of return is rather fast, being less than one winter season. You can sleep well both warm and knowing that you are doing something comfortable and healthy for you as well as wise for the environment.

Do you currently own a heating blanket or heating mattress pad?

Baby It's Cold Outside

This morning temperatures here in the desert are at freezing. Those of you who live in climates where it is cold in the winter probably are not phased by freezing temperatures, but those of us from desert climates who laugh when others complain that temperatures are in the 90's realize that freezing is unusually cold. In Arizona we wrap our plants in sheets, bring our pets in, and make sure to park our cars in the garage. Facebook is a-buzz with folks griping about having to use their heaters.

Thinking about heating a shouse makes me smile, since it is a relatively small area to actually have to heat. I thought I would do a brief post about heating options for those who may be considering living in a Shouse, tiny house, or other small home. This by no means covers all the options, but these are the layers of heat I will be using to ensure a safe and warm home on even the coldest of days.

The first consideration is fuel. If your heat source is only electric, you could put yourself in a very precarious situation. During ice storms and blizzards, power is often lost. Not just lost for an hour or so, but potentially for days. This could be fatal in some instances, so you must consider having an alternative source of heat in cases where electric may be interrupted.

I have four sources of heat for my Shouse: A cool-touch ceramic wall panel (actually 3) for radiant heating, baseboard heaters, and two styles of kerosene heaters.

Radiant Heat Panel

Radiant Heat Panels:  Fuel source: electric. These panels are awesome because they hang on the wall (spacers keep the back from resting on the wall and allows airflow around the panel), plug into a standard outlet, and can be painted to match your decor. They slowly release radiant heat, gently warming the air in a room. These are meant to run constantly and are not able to heat a cold room in a short amount of time. You would use these super efficient panels to supplement the heat in a room or to maintain temperature of an already warm room. They are reasonably priced and can be used for zone heating tasks. Safety is the best thing about these panels as they feel warm to the touch, but typically will not cause a burn.

Baseboard Heater

Baseboard Heat: Fuel: electric Baseboard heaters are a highly effective way to heat a room. They are hard-wired in and throw enough heat to warm a room in a reasonable amount of time. They are thermostatically controlled, so you can adjust just how much heat they produce and for how long. They can be a safety issue around small children because of a potential for burns. Fires can also occur if curtains or other flammable materials were to be touching the unit. These are often a primary source of heat in smaller homes and apartments and are dependable (unless the power goes out).

Vintage Perfection Heater

Modern Kerosene Heater

Kerosene Heat: Fuel: Kerosene Kerosene heaters are popular in the north east. They require refilling and, depending on efficiency and heating requirements, can run for a day or two before requiring refilling. Kerosene heaters throw off a lot of heat! They are typically used to support an inadequate heating system or to supplement heat on days that are extra cold. I have two styles of heater: One is from the early 1900's and is part of the K.I.S.S. principle (keep it simple, stupid) because it is just a wick and kerosene. They are small and portable. The second one is a more modern Kerosene heater with a tank and electronic ignition. It is quite a bit larger and will run longer because of the size of the tank that stores the fuel. It has a wide base and safety cage, making it a little safer than the vintage one (especially around pets and kids). Kerosene fuel is not too expensive and, even when the electric goes out, you can be toasty warm in your tiny abode. Kerosene is safe as long as you follow basic precautions, and you must keep children away from them as they can cause very serious burns. Wicks need to be replaced and maintenance considered. Refilling can be a hassle as it must be done out-of-doors.

Awesome Wood Stove

Wood Heat: Fuel: Wood I have toyed with the idea of a wood stove, but as of right now I will not be adding one. I don't want to take up floor space with something that I will only need part of the year and cannot be stored when I don't need it. I will revisit wood heat as a source once I have spent a winter in the Shouse. The picture to the left shows what I am talking about for the Shouse, but there are many, many styles of wood heaters to select from. Wood is relatively inexpensive, and the stoves throw off a lot of heat. Again, burns are a concern as well as the potential for chimney fires and other types of fires. They require maintenance and cleaning frequently. You still must fetch wood to add to and maintain the fire as well.

The cold front we are feeling the affects of is sweeping across the United States bringing some bitterly cold weather to a good portion of the states. Considering heat is best done before the cold snap hits. What type of heat would you use in a small home? Do you have a method of heating not mentioned here? Share with us in the comments below.

Heating a Small Space Super Cheap

I recently saw a post of this video on Facebook and found it intriguing. I don't know if it would produce enough heat to heat an entire tiny house, but it may be just enough heat to warm up a bathroom or loft. Safety is an issue, as it is an open flame, but used properly, this just may provide an inexpensive source of supplemental or emergency heat. What do you think? Watch and comment below.