Space heaters vs central air

**Katarina** · 01-19-2010 09:39 PM

I know it might seem like it makes sense to run your HVAC and have your temperature at a flat rate, but we dropped our utility bill by using space heaters. We keep the general temperature in the house around 68 degrees - but then use space heaters at night when we need a little help. Coupling that with a timer on our thermostat so it only warms the house when we're around and our bill dropped by a few hundred a month.

Anyone else tried this?

**adam** · 01-20-2010 12:35 PM

Good idea...Overall though, I think it depends on how many space heaters you are using. Space heaters are less efficient than a gas furnace or heat pump. But the disadvantage of a furnace or heat pump is that you have to heat the whole house instead of the 1 or 2 rooms you are actually using. If you can limit your activity to 1 or 2 rooms and just use the space heater as a boost, a space heater makes sense and will definitely save money. But once you start trying to heat the whole house with them, it'll get expensive! Not to mention a fire hazard!

Leroy01 · 03-18-2010 06:08 AM

It's a nice idea. Space heaters are one of the most useful tools for keeping costs low during cold winter nights. It's a supplemental heat to house. It also helps in saving money.

**rockdigital** · 03-16-2011 07:23 AM

Too many variables. What type of central heat? What type of space heaters? What's the electric usage on the heaters/central heat?In general, natural gas cheaper than electric or propane, which are about equal right now.