heat-fan-light unit...thoughts?

[RAY_PA]

My wife is trying to get me to install one of these in our sons bedroom. The ceiling fan in there now is busted and needs replaced. What is the opinion of the guys in the know?
(broken link removed)

 

[begreen]

Does the room have a dedicated circuit going to the existing ceiling fan? I would prefer that given the wattage load when the fan is in heating mode. Lighting circuits are often wired with #14 wire and with many other lights on the circuit. That wouldn't work well with these units.

Personally I think I would prefer a basic high quality ceiling fan and a separate baseboard or oil-filled radiator heater. Then if one craps out, you still have the functionality of the other. I also don't like a heater working solely on a wireless remote control. Could be just me but I am paranoid about false triggers.

 

[pdboilermaker]

I have seen these at Menards, they have a sample one that you can push a button and feel the heat come off. Like most electric heaters I assume that it is 1500 watts, the only advantage is that the fan would blow it down and disperse the heat through the room better than the plug ins.

I would say go for it if it is a room that is off kilter to the other rooms as far as heating goes.

One good thing is that if you are already using a temporary electric heating solution such as a plg in, it would be safer. I mean Jr. isnt going to knock it over and burn up your carpet, drapes etc. Nor is Jr. going to sit any plastic toys on it to melt and flame on.

 

[RAY_PA]

great points, thanks BG...there isnt a dedicated circut, but I could throw one in without much trouble. I am not 'sold' on this idea either.

 

[RAY_PA]

the room is off kilter, as far as heating goes, it was added on after the main construction of the house and the duct work for the oil heat is a very chitty job and barley puts heat into this room, and it is the last room to get heat from the Summit, so I am a bit worried about it. We have freinds that have this unit in a cool room and they just rave about it.

 

[pdboilermaker]

It seems like a logical choice then and should keep Jr. safer than a plug in

 

[Telco]

Have you tried shutting the vents for the rest of the house a bit, and opening the vent in this room full blast to see if it balances out? And, have you checked the ventilation duct itself to make sure it was put together right? Had a house that had a cold room a few years back with little airflow, and I found that the ducting had not been put together properly. It was spitting part of the air out around the fiberglass wrap that was around it, and the wrap was disguising the problem. Sealed it up and the room got dramatically warmer. On a sadder note, my attic got noticeably colder in the winter.

So far as safety goes, so long as Junior can't reach the control and the fan has a THERMOSTAT control, I don't see it being any more dangerous than a bathroom vent with heat. In fact, since it sounds like this isn't sticking into the insulation, might be safer.

Another concern is, how much juice does this unit pull? Would suck to buy one, then find your power bill is a hundred a month more to heat one room. That kind of money would easily pay to have the substandard ducting you describe fixed.

 

[Highbeam]

I would say that the first priority would be to fix the ducting for the sake of central heating. If that is too expensive or difficult and you need the heat then you would have a hard time beating the simplicity, price, dependability, and safety of an actual UL listed cadet style wall heater. These are the kind that are nearly flush mounted to the wall, have a dedicated 220 or 110 circuit, and have a real thermostat that can be programmable to only provide heat at night when the kid is sleeping in there.

I have this situation in the two kid's bedrooms in my house. These back bedrooms would be very cold in the morning after the house cooled after the fire burned out at night. My little girls are too good to freeze out.

The heaters use 1500 watts or so and only run a couple of hours each night when it is really cold. 6 KwH * 10 cents perKwH is 60 cents per night for both heaters and warm kids.