Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I'll pile on and say that if you have wood available, go that route and get a fireplace insert or other type of woodstove.
To balance the heat, on your thermostat, change the fan setting from "auto" to "on" and let the blower run constantly. If your system is new(er), that "on" setting will run the fan at a low speed. If older, it'll run it at the same speed as if the A/C was running.
I'm finding out that burning wood in a fireplace isn't as efficient as I thought it would be. Correct me if I'm wrong.
They're definitely NOT efficient. Basically, you get heat when there's a fire but when the flue is wide open until everything cools before you close the damper. Basically, you have a window open.
That's the benefit of a woodstove. They're pretty much airtight so even if they go out, very little air is going up and out. They make inserts to go into fireplaces so that may be an approach for you.
Does your air handler have heat strips? When it gets too cold for the heat pump, on your thermostat, switch it to EMER (emergency) heat. That will turn on the heat strips and that should keep you plenty warm. Be advised that they do use a pretty decent amount of electricity so I wouldn't say they qualify as an "inexpensive heating option".
I'll pile on and say that if you have wood available, go that route and get a fireplace insert or other type of woodstove.
To balance the heat, on your thermostat, change the fan setting from "auto" to "on" and let the blower run constantly. If your system is new(er), that "on" setting will run the fan at a low speed. If older, it'll run it at the same speed as if the A/C was running.
I do have a fireplace insert with two small blowers. We don't have the glass on the front though, we just use a screen. What do inserts do differently?
They're definitely NOT efficient. Basically, you get heat when there's a fire but when the flue is wide open until everything cools before you close the damper. Basically, you have a window open.
That's the benefit of a woodstove. They're pretty much airtight so even if they go out, very little air is going up and out. They make inserts to go into fireplaces so that may be an approach for you.
Does your air handler have heat strips? When it gets too cold for the heat pump, on your thermostat, switch it to EMER (emergency) heat. That will turn on the heat strips and that should keep you plenty warm. Be advised that they do use a pretty decent amount of electricity so I wouldn't say they qualify as an "inexpensive heating option".
It does have heat strips that kick on. They do absolutely nothing but run the electric bill up. LOL
As for the fireplace, we run it during the day until 10 PM but my DH doesn't want it running at night due to safety and not too mention, you have to constantly feed it. Therefore, the flue has to stay open all night. I'm sure that is makes the house cold.
I'm thinking it's mostly at night in the 3 bedrooms where we need something. Do we turn the central heat down in the rest of the house at night and run these portable heaters or any suggestions? We live in the Upstate of SC. All of the insulation has been checked and replaced.
Since your heat pump isn't keeping up with the cold, it would be unwise to turn the heat down. The heat pump will have even more work to keep up with the cold.
I would NOT use a space heater while sleeping. It's a fire hazard. Just turn them on when you wake up and turn them off after you get dressed. They heat a room up quickly.
Since it's mostly the three bedrooms a night, I recommend getting new winter bedding. With the proper bedding, your body heat should keep you plenty warm at night. My son lived in a house in Vermont one winter where the indoor temperature was in the low 50s all winter (even with the house having hot water heat and two wood burning stoves). I bought him a fleece wool mattress cover, flannel sheets, a lambswool blanket and a down comforter. He was soooooooooooo comfortable.
What type of clothes are you wearing while you're awake? When I complained about being cold, my husband would tell me to put some clothes on! I was walking around in bare feet, tee-shirt or a long sleeved thin shirt. Once I invested in some really great socks and warmer clothing, I'm never cold anymore. I can't believe I spent decades being cold simply because I didn't have the right clothes for being warm.
When my son got out of that super warm bed in Vermont, he'd turn on the electric heater in his room and head for a hot shower. When he returned to the bedroom, it was warm enough to dress. When he got home from work in the evening, he wore ski clothes to be warm. Of course, you won't need to go to that extreme since you're in South Carolina, but some sweaters and wool socks can make a huge difference in your comfort. Not all wool is itchy. There are some really great soft wools these days. You can keep warm just dressing in layers. Wear a tank top under your long sleeved tee-shirt and a cardigan over that.
I'd seriously invest in some warm clothing and bedding before I left a space heater on all night.
Warm clothing and bedding is the cheapest way to keep warm too.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I'm working on getting the power company out to a draft test.
