Space Heaters - Which Ones Really Are The Best?

[John_]

I've been using space heaters for years to supplement, but I would like one that's effective enough to use as a primary heater, and also fairly quiet and doesn't light up in any way (also not one that requires filling with any kind of fuel). I'm in an apartment that's about 600 square feet total, having a main room connected to a hallway which leads to closets and the bathroom. Since I can't close off the hallway, it makes a huge difference in how much you can accomplish with space heaters. Right now I have one of those enclosed oil-filled portable radiators, and one of those oil filled models that is like a horizontal strip that sits about 6" off the floor and about 2' or so long - I think both are Honeywell. They are good products, but no match for a room like this which you can't close up with a door.

The main heating and a/c source is a vertical fan coil unit that comes with the apartment, but it appears that I may not be able to use it very much any longer, so I need a "super" space heater that can really do more than the common kinds I've mentioned above, and which you can also just run from a regular wall outlet.

So far the only one that sounds like it has potential for what I'm talking about is this Vornado thing:

http://www.vornado.com/ProductDetail...egory=TVH+600#

I have to admit that I'm skeptical though, since I also used to have a Duracraft ceramic space heater, like a little cube that sat on the floor - great for an enclosed room, but not a room you can't close up.

There also seems to be some positive buzz about a Holmes quartz tower, and a lot of negative reporting about ones you see hyped on TV, such as that Edenpure infrared thing which I had hoped would be the answer. Having used space heaters for years, I really doubt if even the Vornado or Holmes tower can do what I'm talking about. What I also wonder about is if there is anything off the beaten path that is not normally considered a mainstream consumer product, and which you don't see being the subject of all these reviews and such. For instance, what about all these companies out there that are in the business of selling industrial and safety supplies? Do any of them sell special kinds of space heaters that more or less nobody every talks about or makes the subject of a review, but which could powerfully and effectively meet the kind of needs I'm really looking for? Or is there a more "mainstream" consumer item that really can fit the bill?

[johnsp]

Instead of wasting money on all these dangerous space heaters. Get the fan coil fixed. The landlord would probably prefer to fix the unit then allow you to burn the whole bulding down.
As a rental he has to provide basic heat.

[motoguy128]

Much of the heat frmo a space heater will simple rise to the ceiling and stay there. The central ventilation system will circulate the air and ultimately use less energy without hte risk of buring the place down.

I so think that at night, a small oil filled unit in the bedroom in winter will allwo you to drop the temp in the rest of the house very low.... but i would never use space heaters to heat hte entire home.

Make you landlord fix that unit. YOU are paying for it as part of your rent. Would you rent a mid sized car in the summer in Florida and be ok if the A/C was broken???

[Shophound]

The best space heater is no space heater at all, but a reliable heating system sized correctly for the apartment. You might check your state or local laws...some areas require a landlord to assure a tenant has a safe, functioning heating system at all times. If your landlord balks at repairing your system, I would move in that case. He's creating an unsafe condition by forcing you to improvise ways to heat your apartment.

Granted, space heaters used properly may never cause a problem. I just don't like the idea of a very warm object in the middle of the room, subject to human traffic patterns and habits, when safer, more efficient alternatives are available.

[John_]

Thanks for these posts. I could probably make use the fan coil when I'm up, which I do now, but would only want the "super" space heater for when I go to bed. But you guys are clearly not into them. I've used them successfully for years and found them to be very safe, though, and only buy good ones. The whole thing relates to this thread I posted in the Commerical section: http://hvac-talk.com/vbb/showthread.php?t=266192.

[yellowirenut]

U only buy good ones?...how do u know its a good one or a safe one? Using one as primary heat is not safe....i use one in my garage and porch room that is not ducted and only if i am in there more than an hour...its temp heat. unplugged and off when i am not in there

[amd]

Space heaters are 1500 Watts/5000 BTUS - no exceptions. They're crap when it comes to efficiency, temperature control, and safety.

The only efficient way to heat with electricity is with a heatpump. (200-300% efficient vs 100%)

Either get the fan coil fixed or be cold.

[John_]

Either get the fan coil fixed or be cold.

Well, I have the sticker that came off the motor for the fan coil system, and I can't seem to find an exact replacement on the Web. It says it's a "Magnetek Universal Electric Motor, SER. 47CA 65902P, MOD. DA3E212K#, STOCK NO. 393, 115 V 50/60 HZ 2.4A, 1050 RPM, 1 PH CONT A.O.," and then almost three more lines after that which seem to just relate to hi, med, and low settings.

I've been able to determine that Magnetek's motor operations where taken over by A. O. Smith all the way back in 2000, as written about here: http://www.aosmithmotors.com/html/mo...ourceEASA.html.

There are also Magnetek Motors one can find through Google or Ebay, but so far not this exact one. I'm guessing that if it does not exist under the same model # any more, perhaps this type of motor is a standard industry type for which one can perhaps substitute another brand, or perhaps there is another Magnetek or A. O. Smith brand that is the same thing but just under a different #?

If I were to try to hire an outside contractor myself then I'd definitely like to know what parts to be looking for, and roughly how much they should cost, even though this is really the building's obligation.

I've been in or reading many forums the past serveral years now, including legal and business related forums, and I must admit that I've never seen a forum of any kind where there was the level of concern about disclaimers or being too helpful or informative in posting and so forth as there apparently is here. If any of you do know where this part is located or what the standard substitutes are, I would be willing to post any absolute 100% disclaimer or waiver about not taking it as advice of any kind that you want in order to feel comfortable about posting, or I would be perfectly happy if you were to post like you sometimes see in the movies or TV where they might do it like saying "well, hypothetically speaking, if I were in a position to know something like that, I might be inclined to suggest that these particular substitute products are what you are looking for, maybe even at this particular website address (link included); but, of course, I'm only speaking 100% hypothetically. :-)"

Thanks again for the best you can do...

Disclaimer: I accept and affirm that the opinion(s) expressed within this forum may not be considered as professional advice of any kind and come with no warranty of any kind whatsoever.

[jpsmith1cm]

Now this is taking a DIY direction.

Call the landlord or building super. If that doesn't work, then I would contact an attorney. As a tenant, you have certain rights.

While you may have used space heaters for years and years, the guys here KNOW heat. As was previously stated, they are designed for temporary heat and nothing more. I have friends that sprinkle their homes with them and I cringe every time they talk about it, but I have tried unsiccessfully to convince them of the error of their ways.

Maybe, just maybe, if their house burns down, they'll get it.

[John_]

Now this is taking a DIY direction.

No it is not, jpsmith. Especially since I stated "If I were to try to hire an outside contractor myself." I wouldn't even dream of attempting it now, either - the only thing I would consider trying myself now is to bend something already there back into place if that were even possible and were easy to do, which I really doubt is doable with this. But I am the type of consumer who likes and expects to know as much info as possible (I do this with almost everything important or that has a significant problem) so that I know what I'm dealing with, what is needed and what to look for, and also have the knowledge needed to avoid being gouged by unscrupulous folk. If you have a problem with that, that is totally 100% unreasonable. You guys are obviously very blunt and aggressive, which is common in forums, so maybe it's time to see if you can handle a tiny bit of what you give out. What I'm saying is that this whole DIY thing is just plain paranoid - this is absolutely the most paranoid forum I have ever seen in my life. You don't see this anywhere else that I've encountered, I've never seen this kind of extreme uptightness, but rather just the opposite. And so far virtually every thing here has been nothing but blunt berating about space heaters with no effort whatsoever to help with the overall matter. Most of the time people are happy to share valuable knowledge and don't think it's going to somehow harm their field or industry just because a few people who happen to be exposed in a forum will benefit. That is just really extreme at best, and at worst very paranoid. Maybe one can be "forgiven" for a little bit of this because of the global economic crisis stuff, but not overall. I'm probably wasting my time or if anyone agrees with me maybe they would be too afraid to post because of peer pressure or something. But anyway, I'm not about to attempt replacing those parts myself, but only hiring someone like all of you pros instead, as in helping and not hurting your industry, and me getting knowledge about the details isn't going to hurt a fly, and it's not like it can't ultimately be gotten somewhere anyway even if people here are unwilling to help.

[beenthere]

If its the buidings responsiblity. Then call the management.

It is DIY. Since you basically just requested someone to tell you what motor to use.

Saying if I called a contractor doesn't make it not DIY.

Don't make request like that again.

Questions and discussions pertaining to HVAC for the home. No pricing, NO DIY, Thank You.

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