Need heating advice

[GaRp58]

How are your kids in Germany doing Gary? Praying they have a wood stove and sufficient wood.

Hi sis, my son is unemployed at the moment, living off my MREs I left him and has not enough money to feed his visiting kids when they come. He is dependant on his landlord and the state for the gas to heat...except for a 800 watt infrared wall heater I left there. As long as he has electricity, he can survive with that. My daughter and her fiancee have about $ 6000.00 a month net and are presently helping my son to survive. They eat often together and only live about 3 miles apart, thank God. NEITHER of them has any alternative heating or water purifying ability. My daughter also has minimal food stored for maybe a few weeks....If the SHTF in Germany, they could only cuddle in blankets, or come here...if they can even get enough gas/diesel for the trip and all the roads are not blocked by military vehicles or the side roads from those trying to bug-out....not happy at all, but I cannot influence them at the moment.

 

[MNwr786]

Thanks for the replies doods and gals, I'm still processing them but am tending towards a "dry" (ie non-oil filled) electric radiator at the moment because i can't see what advantages an oil-filled one would have.
And as i see it, an oil one would take longer to begin heating the room because it'd have to heat the oil first.
Luckily I live in a small 3rd-floor flat which heats up quickly, but I might get some expanded polystyrene ceiling tiles so heat doesn't escape through the ceiling.
In fact most homes ceilings are too high anyway which means we're wasting cash and energy heating the empty space 3 feet above our heads, so I might try to get some really thick tiles i(f they make them), to fill up most of that space..

We have both dry and oil-filled heaters, and although the ceramic ones heat much faster, the oil-filled ones don't leave you with an instant chill once it cycles off. The hot oil continues to heat the room after the unit's internal thermostat shuts it off.. They are much safer if they tip over too because they have no hot spots. If you are stuck heating with electricity only, I would use both. Just mind your flat's electrical ratings. Small apartments are known for packing lots of outlets on the same breaker.

 

[Propwash]

Yeah, most ordinary houses including mine were originally built with rooms that are about 8 feet high, so maybe all future house builds should be regulated to have rooms that are only about 7 feet high so that we wouldn't have to heat the unwanted air space above our heads.
Here's DrHenley's pic of a typical room again, and i've shopped in what I mean, namely the empty space above the red dotted lines is useless and serves no useful purpose because the ceiling is unnecessarily too high.
Of course as members have said, we can always fill in that space with thick layers of lightweight expanded polystyrene insulation tiles..

 

[rainingcatzanddogs]

Yeah, most ordinary houses including mine were originally built with rooms that are about 8 feet high, so maybe all future house builds should be regulated to have rooms that are only about 7 feet high so that we wouldn't have to heat the unwanted air space above our heads.
Here's DrHenley's pic of a typical room again, and i've shopped in what I mean, namely the empty space above the red dotted lines is useless and serves no useful purpose because the ceiling is unnecessarily too high.
Of course as members have said, we can always fill in that space with thick layers of lightweight expanded polystyrene insulation tiles..

My cousin is 7'2" tall and his sister is 6'5. They aren't liking doorways much less a whole short room.

There is already enough regulation in building...if you want shorter ceilings, build them and if they sell, it will be a thing. If they don't...then that is on the builder. No need to use government to take even more choices away from people. Government regulation is part of the reason for the energy mess in the first place.

 

[Propwash]

We have both dry and oil-filled heaters, and although the ceramic ones heat much faster, the oil-filled ones don't leave you with an instant chill once it cycles off. The hot oil continues to heat the room after the unit's internal thermostat shuts it off.. They are much safer if they tip over too because they have no hot spots. If you are stuck heating with electricity only, I would use both. Just mind your flat's electrical ratings. Small apartments are known for packing lots of outlets on the same breaker.

Thanks but iI'm still trying to figger out the 'dry' or 'oil' thing..
For example suppose I set the thermostat to 22 degrees C, (regardless of whether it's a dry or oil radiator), I presume it'll switch on the radiator when it senses the room temperature is below 22, then switch it off when it senses the temp has climbed to over 22, and so on up and down like a roller coaster throughout the day.
So because dry's and oils both do roller coastering, why is one any more cost-efficient than the other?

 

[GaRp58]

So because dry's and oils both do roller coastering, why is one any more cost-efficient than the other?

The cost efficient question is not there. Only the time to heat and how long the heat is stored in the oil. Neither one is cost efficient, only the price in purchasing and the weight to move it around your house if it is not on wheels...

 

[GeorgiaPeachie]

Saw this yesterday and thought many people could benefit from it. Especially those in Germany.




There is a Bermese guy I saw who uses the manure from 20 cows to heat and provide cooking for numerous houses via this method…but on a larger scale. Cool huh?!!