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Heater with Humidifier Combo-Good Idea or Not?

You might ask yourself why anyone would want a heater that has a humidifier combined with it?

There’s a good reason actually.

Heaters tend to dry the air out and having a humidifier running at the same time adds moisture back to the air.

As far as combination devices go, a heater that has a humidifier built in is probably the most logical of all combination appliances. At least as far as indoor climate control goes.

It makes sense.

Most appliances that combine more than one function are as not meant to use both functions at the same time or even in the same season.

For instance an air conditioner that has a heater will never run the AC at the same time as the heat.

Or a dehumidifier combined with a humidifier. Technically you can get all the components for both devices all in one shell,

but there is never going to be a time when you need to run a humidifier at the same time as a dehumidifier.

Even water air purifiers are only useful for about half of the year when your your home needs the extra humidity.

So the ideal of combining a humidifier and a heater together is actually a good one. And they are both primarily winter appliances.

Some benefits to a heater with a humidifier

1. Cheaper (presumably)
2. Space saver
3. It makes sense to have a heater that also humidifies.
4. All the above

But with that being said, is there actually anyone that is building a heater with a humidifier combo that is getting it right?

Unfortunately, the ideal of what a heater with a humidifier combo could be doesn’t exactly match up with what is available.

For instance, You would presume that because you’re only talking about one device compared to two, that the price would be cheaper or at least not more than double.

And though this doesn’t apply to everyone, there are definitely some companies that think that combining the two appliances justifies raising the cost significantly.

Because the price is about three times as much as you would pay if you bought the two appliances separately.

It would be much different if there were units out there that actually justified raising the price that much.

But so far what I found is:

The heater function in these units seems to be standard. They do carry with them all the usual overheating and tip over protection features. Nothing special but will get the job done..

But…

Its the humidifier function that is the problem.

Think about it…

If I pay $150 for a humidifier and heater combo, you at least expect to get a heater that is worth $75 and a humidifier that is worth $75 also.

But…

$75 can buy you a nice Vornado heater packed with the latest technology and extra safety precautions.

Or…

$75 can buy you a extravagant Levoit humidifier. One that is fillable from the top, has a built-in hygrometer and humidistat. Can be used as a cool mist humidifier or a warm mist and a aromatherapy diffuser to boot.

In other words, the best heater and humidifier on the market.

But the humidifiers that come built in with these heaters, even the one that is on the Dr Heater series, is at best an afterthought.

They are 99% basic evaporative humidifiers that you will find in the pharmacy section in a big box store for 25 bucks.

To be fair, most of these heater humidifiers do not claim to be the best heater or humidifiers. Nor do they reflect it in price.

Unfortunately the technology of a heater humidifier combo has not come anywhere near what you can get if you buy the two devices separately.

But they are a space saver, right?

This point I can give you. The size of these machines does not take up any more space than one or the other if you were to buy them separately.

Heater with humidifier. Good idea?

The ideal is there.

A fully functioning modern heater that has a fully functioning modern humidifier incorporated would be an awesome combination machine.

I could see it being sold as a standard product other than an exception to the rule.

But the market has just not caught up, quite yet.

Here’s a small list of some of the heater humidifier combos you can find on Amazon.

GeekHeat Portable Electric Heater with Humidifier

In contrast to traditional heaters, Geek Heat heater designs with humidifier functions, allowing you to enjoy warmth without drying the air.
Plus, the both functions of heating and humidifier can be run separately or concurrently. Just lightly press the mode buttons to select the humidifier, heat or both. With the 90 degree oscillation feature, Geek Heat space heater spreads warmth and mist to your immediate area.
Safe humidifying: Unlike the conventional built-in humidifying heater for water tanks This portable heater uses an separate water tank to isolate the humidifying system from the heating system, ensuring complete peace of mind. Additionally, the water tank is independent and is simple to refill and keep clean. With a capacity of 200ml and the ability to spray up to 6 hours.
Multi-protection: Apart from the usual tip-over protection and heat protection from overheating. We also create a design that has an auto shut-off feature. It will automatically shut off the humidifying or heating mode after continuous 8 hours or 5.5 hours of work. Additionally, the power switch as well as function switch are separate to prevent accidental touching. ETL certified. More secure than you think.
Small and compact: 5.2 x5.5×9.8in and 2.8lb when placed on your desk will only take just a tiny corner where you can take in the warm mist and warmth closely. The sleek black design blends with the surrounding area easily. You can put it to use in your office and study rooms as well as bedrooms. It provides you with comfortable moisture and warmth during cold winter months.

Remarks
This heater humidifier combo gets the best reviews on Amazon. It has a separate cylinder type water tank that can be easily removed and refilled.
The humidifier is nothing special but it is easily refilled and can last for 9 hours
Out of all the heater with humidifier products available, this one comes in at the top.

Dr. Infrared Heater DR998, 1500W, Advanced Dual Heating System with Humidifier

Dr. Infrared Heater functions in the same way as the light from the sun, heating objects, not air. The infrared light is natural and is efficient in energy use making use of 100% of the heat that is generated and causes virtually zero loss of heat with a minimal cost.
Easy to Maintain
Equipped with an adjustable filter that’s simple to clean and replace to allow for a clean start each time you need it.

Ultrasonic Humidifier & Oscillation Fan. The inbuilt ultrasonic humidifier helps to add much-needed moisture to winter’s dry air. Its oscillation function disperses moist and warm air throughout the entire space quickly.
Make use of a water bottle instead of the water tank
The Ultrasonic Humidifier as well as the heating mode are able to be operated in a separate manner
Can operate as a fan, either with or without humidifier. Ideal for summer heat.

Remarks
This is another standard heater that has a humidifier option. The humidifier in this case is a slot for a water bottle.
Water bottle humidifiers are a cool idea on their own and it does seem like a good idea to combine with the heater.

But the price is around the \$150 mark. And neither the heater or the humidifier constitutes paying that high of a price. Plus there’s a replacement filter.

HRC 2-in-1 500W Office/Desktop/Bedroom Space Heater with Mist Humidifier

Contrary to conventional heaters, HRC heaters with a humidifier function allow you to enjoy the warmth and not dry. Plus, the functions for heating and humidifier can be run separately or concurrently. Lightly press the buttons that indicate mode to select the humidifier, heat, or both. With the 90deg oscillation, the HRC space heater spreads the warmth and mist to the area around you.
Warm and comfortable without waiting for the winter months with the PTC Ceramic Heating Technology, the space heater requires 3 seconds to warm the air surrounding it and provide you with instant heat. It is designed with intelligent cooling that allows the heater to run for about 30 minutes to release the heat after turning off the heating. Extending the life of the unit.
Safe humidifying: Unlike conventional built-in humidifying heaters, this portable heater utilizes an independent water tank. This keeps the humidifying system separate from the heating system, ensuring your absolute safety. Furthermore, an independent water tank is simple to refill and keep clean with a capacity of 200ml that allows you to mist for up to 6 hours.
Multi-protection: Other than the standard tip-over protection and the protection against overheating, we have added an auto shut-off feature. It will automatically shut off the heating mode or humidifying mode after a continuous 8 hours or 5.5 hours of work. Additionally, the power switch and function switch have been designed separately to prevent accidental touching. ETL approved. It’s safer than you think

Remarks

Basic heater and basic humidifier combination unit.

This unit is very small it only produces heat up to 500 w. A typical heater is 1500 w on high and 750 on low.

It has a small carrying handle that you can fit your finger into.

The price is set about right though at around $40

Yivibe Electric Heater-Humidifier

Spray working modes Continuous adjustable spray/intermittent spray/ direct spray for about 5 hours. The intermittent spray lasts approximately 9 hours 2. It comes with double spray humidification. The skin is not dry anymore while remaining warm, and the skin remains hydrated.
120-degree shake head feature and area heating. Wide selection of shaking head heating that heats indoor air Close heating is more convenient.
This button can be adjustable by 135deg of rotation. The blowing angle can be adjustable to the desired angle and can be obtained by changing the knob.
The temperature control is available at three levels that correspond to different requirements for use and can be adjusted to a comfortable temperature by pressing the switch.
The water tank has an ambient lamp that can serve as lighting for the night when it’s switched on, with minimal sound and silence, making it easy to accompany you as you sleep.
Safety protection, if the fuselage gets bumped or tilted more than 45 degrees, the fan heater will shut down automatically and turn off the power.

Remarks

Very similar to The Geek Heat unit. Pretty much a copycat other than the price tag that runs about $40 more.

VItCSM 3 IN 1 Multifunctional Heater Desktop Office Household Night Light Humidifier

A powerful and compact personal heater that ensures you don’t get cold in winter. It is portable and easy to use.
If the plug is in place for two seconds and warmth will flow out. It’s not only secure to use it, but also extremely energy efficient
The slim and attractive design is ideal for your bedside desk, table, or coffee table-no matter where you’ll need it.
Ideal for study rooms, reading areas as well as dormitories, work office spaces, home offices, campers, work spaces as well as basements, benches garages etc.
The quiet fan that whispers and soft light at night make it perfect to use all night long to sleep in a peaceful way
Product size: Diameter 135mm Height 212mm
Area of application: 15M2.
Power: 800W
Water tank capacity: 400ml

Remarks

This heater and humidifier combo looks more like the traditional oscillating heater.

The product description says near nothing about the humidifier. But the picture shows the water sitting at the top. Which in my guesstimation means it’s a top fill unit which would make it much easier to manage.

The price is set pretty good at around the $60 mark. Which would be about the same amount if you bought these units separate.

Recap

The ideal of a fully functioning heater with humidifier combo appliance is a good one.

Heaters are known for drying out the air in a room.
And one of the primary reasons people use humidifiers is to combat the dry air caused by a heater.

Why not combine them into one?

Unfortunately even though you can currently purchase a heater with humidifier,

The ones available on the market are quite simple.

Modern heaters and humidifiers come with a full load of bells and whistles when you purchase them separate.

But combining them seems to reduce them down to the most basic of both.

And in some cases the price can be as about as much as three times the price of one or the other.

It’s a Great idea.

Just one that hasn’t fully developed into what it could be and hopefully one day will be.

Are Space Heaters Expensive to Run?

Heating and cooling are easily the most expensive items on your utility bill.

If you have central heat and air in your home, you don’t have to wonder what’s eating your lunch and raising your payment.

That being the case, it is no wonder that many people try to find a way to supplement their heating and cooling to lower their bill.

Vornado VH2 Whole Room Space Heater

Space heaters tend to be the first thing you think about when you’re trying to find a way to get the heating bill down.

And even though central heat is meant to warm a whole house, you may know by experience that there are plenty of areas in the home that don’t quite get as warm as you would like them.

So using a space heater to supplement the heat in those areas may be needed.

Space heaters are generally small mobile heaters that run off of electricity.

Heaters that use gas are not used inside of a house unless they are properly vented. Which makes them not useful as mobile space heaters.

Not to mention the threat of carbon monoxide poisoning that is present with gas heating.

Are space heaters expensive to run?

Space heaters are expensive to run, yes.

Space heaters use a lot of Watts. 1500 w on high is the standard for all space heaters.
As a point of reference, 1500 w is the most that any outlet can handle.

That means that if you plug anything else into the same outlet with your space heater, you are most likely going to blow a circuit.

(Space heaters most usually come with a auto shut off safety precaution feature that shut the heater off before the circuit blows, but hopefully that illustrates the point)

Supplementing the heat in a room that is not getting enough heat from your HVAC with a space heater is definitely not going to be a money saver.

But if you only need heat in a specific room and are not going to run the heating in the rest of the house, then running a space heater will cost you less.

In other words it costs less to run a space heater rather than a whole house system.

But one space heater is definitely not going to warm up the entire house.

And putting a space heater in every room will use more energy than running the whole house HVAC system.

Obviously not everyone is trying to supplement their utility bill using space heaters.

There’s plenty of times you’re just trying to find a way to heat a space without breaking the bank.

Space heaters are not intended to heat up a whole house.

They’re more geared to keeping the bathroom warm while you’re taking a shower or warming your legs and feet while you’re sitting at your desk, doing your work.

The best way to spend less with the space heater is to find one that is more efficient at heating a room.

The space heater that can heat a room well on a medium temperature is going to cost less to run in a space heater that has to be turned on all the way to do the job.

The amount of time you plan on using a space heater everyday plays a big part on what type of space heater to buy also.

Ceramic type space heaters warm up fast and can get pretty hot. A good type of heater if you need a way to warm your hands or feet.

But if you’re planning on using a room for an entire day, an oil heater takes longer to heat up a room but it will do it more consistently.

But the heat that comes off of an oil heater is not the type of heat that you will be able to warm your hands by.

Suggested Space heaters

Vornado is a very good brand of heater that outweighs the competition in just about every capacity.

Not only rated the highest for efficiency, they are rated the highest for safety precautions also.

And for style, they have a heater that can fit in most any decor.

The Vornado VH2 is widely reviewed as one of the best small heaters you can buy. It uses what they call Vortex air circulation.

The heat that it produces is not as intensely hot but it moves a lot of air which warms up a room nicely..

Vornado VMH500 Whole Room Metal Heater with Auto Climate

One of Vornado’s Cadillac models is the vmh500.

It features a thermostat that controls your climate on auto and has a 12-hour timer.

The construction is metal so that you do not have to worry about any plastic parts melting.

It also features advanced safety features like cool to the touch exterior, a two-stage auto shut off, and tip over protection.

It also has a remote.

Vornadobaby Sensa Nursery Heater

Vornado also carries a heater that is specifically made for the baby’s room.

Vornadobaby Sensa

This heater is designed to shut off when any excessive heat is detected.

It is cool to the touch and delivers a heat that adjusts to ensure that the crib stays warm but never gets hot to the touch.

The controls are all lockable to ensure that children cannot tamper with them. It also has no sharp edges and shuts off immediately if tipped whatsoever.

Wi-Fi Space Heaters

This year’s heaters are finally starting to catch on to the Wi-Fi trend.

Almost every appliance has a Wi-Fi version these days. So make a lot of sense, some not so much.

Space heaters are an appliance that actually makes sense to be incorporated with smart technology.

Being able to schedule a heater to come on to warm a room before you get in there is a pretty great feature.

And think about the fact that if you’re already in bed or comfortable on the couch, you can simply tell your heater to turn up or turn down without having to get up. Nice.

Atomi has a nice Wi-Fi Incorporated space heater that oscillates. Also a great feature for a space heater.

The heater is not meant to be in the children’s room.

Though it has the standard safety features required for space heaters it can get hot to the touch.

Whether you’re trying to supplement your home’s heating system or if you are just trying to find a space heater that you can use to warm your office.

You should know beforehand that space heaters are one of the more energy consuming appliances that you can buy.

That’s why finding a space heater that is more efficient and can be very effective on a low setting is important.

Atomi Smart WiFi Portable Tower Space Heater

What Heaters are Safe to Leave Unattended Overnight?

Easily one of the most important questions you can ask about a space heater is whether or not it is safe to be left on all night while you’re sleeping?

Safety is and should be one of the main features you search for in a space heater.

Especially when it comes to needing a space heater to warm up a room that will be unattended.

It’s a touchy subject. And no one wants to suggest a product or a way of using a heater that causes a fire and God forbid an accident of death.

And you’re not going to find a manufacturer that doesn’t tell you to “never leave a space heater unattended”. That’s just asking for a lawsuit.

However impractical,

When you’re talking about leaving a space heater on while you sleep,

You’re going to cross a line. So make sure you do it gently.

What Heaters are Safe to Leave Unattended Overnight?

There are certainly some types of heaters that lend themselves to keeping a room warm with less worry than others.

For instance, an oil heater doesn’t get nearly as hot to the touch as say a ceramic heater. And it is encased in steel whereas most space heaters are made out of plastic these days.

But if you are wanting to use a room and need it warm, you will have to turn the oil heater on a while before you use it.

Because oil heaters do take a while to heat up a room. And unless they are on a dedicated circuit, they tend to auto shut off pretty fast if you turn them on high.

Which all pretty much adds up to leaving the heater unattended while the area warms up.

It’s a built-in problem because no one is going to sit in a freezing room waiting on an oil heater to make a difference in a room.

And let’s face it, sleeping is practically the same thing as ” left unattended” for most people.

Most any type of “electric” space heater will be safe provided it has the proper safety protection features installed.

I say electric because fuel type room heaters that use propane or kerosene are not meant to be used in a closed off space.

The risk of carbon dioxide poisoning comes with burning fuels.

Leave those for the shop and garage.

Perhaps a better question than:

” What type of heater is safer?”

is instead

“What heaters provide the best safety features?“

Space heaters have improved remarkably since I was a kid.

I remember having a steel contraption that glowed orange and buzzed loudly sitting on my carpeted bedroom floor. You didn’t want to touch it either. It was super hot.

It was a different time with a whole different mentality towards safety.

(But I’m glad I was a kid then instead of now).

The safest heaters that you can get away with sleeping with them on, are going to be the ones that have the better safety features.

What types of safety features should you look for in a heater?

1. Long Enough Cord
2. Tip over protection
3. Cool to the touch
4. Thermostat/Auto Shut-Off
5. Timer
6. Thermostat

1. Long Enough Cord

One of my biggest pet peeves when it comes to space heaters is that they call for being centered in a room away from anything that could possibly be a fire hazard.

But the cord that they come with is usually so short that you have to have the cord stretched through the air to come anywhere close to long enough to get centered on the floor.

That makes the cord on a heater a major tripping hazard that can easily lead to Knocking your heater over.

Getting a heater with a long enough cord is definitely a must for using a space heater safely.

2. Tip over protection

A pretty standard safety precaution that comes on nearly all space heaters these days is tip over protection.

This is a safety feature that turns the heater off as soon as it tilts.

This keeps the heater from starting a fire on the floor or even burning it.

And as we discussed before, the cord on a heater can easily become a tripping hazard because of its length.

Tip over protection is put in place for just this type of problem.

3. Cool to the touch

Modern space heaters are much cooler if you happen to touch one then they used to be.

A space heater that doesn’t burn you when you touch it is a feature that no one should do without.

And certainly an added protection if you decide to run your space heater while you are sleeping.

4. Thermostat / Auto Shut-Off

A thermostat and auto shut off go hand in hand. Without them your heater would just continue to heat.

Auto shut off keeps from overloading the breaker as well.

Both of these features are a requirement if you are going to leave the space heater unattended for any length of time.

5. Timer

A timer is a great protection feature that will allow you to run the heater for a period of time and shut down.

Some timers offer a scheduling feature that will periodically turn the machine on and off during the night.

Though “smart heaters” are not be as available as say a smart air purifier or humidifier, smart plugs offer the capability of scheduling when a certain outlets are powered.

Other precautions

Easily one of the most prevalent and dangerous things you can do with a space heater is to drape something over it like clothing.

Using an electric space heater to dry clothing is asking for a fire accident.

The best rule of thumb is to keep the heater at least 3 ft away from anything considered the least bit flammable.

As over dramatic as it may seem, this would include things like curtains, coats, especially boxes, fake plants, etc.

Even sitting a heater on carpet is a scary proposition. A much safer option is the place it on a large cookie sheet.

To keep it away from anything remotely flammable is the ideal.

Leaving a space heater unattended sitting on a desk is a recipe for an accident.

Recap.

A space heater you can leave on while you sleep is not an easy thing to shop for.

No one wants to be responsible for a fire. Nor does anyone want to be on the butt end of a lawsuit.

So using a room heater while you sleep is a personal choice. But one you can make some good decisions about if you absolutely need to.

First, the safest heaters come pre-installed with the best safety features including: auto shut off, tip over protection, cool to the touch, and a long cord that doesn’t have to be stretched through the air.

Other precautions include never draping anything over a space heater. Never using a space heater to dry clothes, and keeping a space heater at least three feet away from anything combustible.

And if you have to place it on the carpet floor, use a buffer like a large cookie sheet between the heater and the carpet.

The point being, take the utmost of precautions if you are in a situation where you need to have a space heater running while you sleep.

The Best Portable Space Heater? (Our Best 2 Recommendations)

What should you look for in a space heater?

Modern space heaters have many more features than the old steal rattling boxes that were a part of many households in the 80s and 90s.

Heaters these days are much more safe and effective.

Some of the features that you can expect to find on modern space heaters include:

360° or wide angle oscillation
Rapid room warm up
Cool to the touch
Safety precautions like:
Overheating shut down
Tip over shut off
Built-in timers
Remote control
Temperature sensors that adjust with the temperature in the room.
Smart capacity.

Honeywell HZ-445R

#2 Best Portable Space Heater

Honeywell builds heaters to last. I personally have owned a Honeywell tower heater that I have used every winter for 15 years.
Honeywell ceramic surround heat is a powerhouse.

I bought this heater for my daughter for Christmas. Out of the box, it looks pretty small but all you have to do is open her door and you realize how well this thing works.
It’s small size also makes it very handy to be able to carry back and forth to the bathroom or even her cubicle at work.

The fact that it is has an automatic shut off and is cool to the touch is a big plus, especially for me and my wife and knowing that it is being used in my daughter’s room.

Cons- Auto Shut Off kicks in to fast with the heater on high

Atomic Smart Wifi

#3 Best Portable Space Heater

Like every other modern device, space heaters have made the transition into being a smart appliance.

Atomi works with a smart app which allows you to schedule the heater, change temperatures, and alert you via your phone if the heater tips over.

It also works with Alexa and Google Assistant which makes it completely voice activated.
The unit does not need to be hooked up to the Internet to run though.

It’s standard basic features include being cool to the touch, tip over safety switch, and built-in timer.

Space heaters lend themselves to being smart appliances more then other types of appliances simply because of the safety element involved.

Atomi checks all the boxes to give you the rite of passage into a new world of space heaters. It also comes with a 3-year warranty.

Cons- Requires Alexa or Google Assistant

My Electric Space Heater Keeps Tripping the Breaker?

Having a electric space heater that keeps tripping the breaker is an exasperating problem.

Only this past winter my wife told me that the electricity going to her office at work keeps blowing and she’s losing her computer progress every time it happens.

When they finally figured out the problem, it turned out that she had put a space heater on her feet… Which seems like a perfectly reasonable thing to do if your feet are getting cold sitting at your desk all day.

But the problem was, it was plugged in on the same power strip as her computer, her printer, her coffee machine and her microwave.

Funny but not uncommon.

Space heater keeps tripping the breaker

When your electric space heater keep stripping the breaker, you can generally be narrowed down to two or three things that you can easily check out for yourself.

1. Overload

It’s combined with other appliances on the same circuit.

Space heaters use a lot of Watts. Almost every brand of space heater you can purchase is a 1500 watt unit.

That means that they cannot run on high at the same time as any other appliance or machine on the same plug is running at all.

Not only do they use a lot of energy, most of them surge when they come on.

Taking the heater off the combined outlet and plugging it in to its own dedicated outlet could be the solution you’re needing.

2. Heater going bad

Considering the amount of wattage, the typical space heater uses, if the heater has any loose connections, you can expect that it is simply getting too hot.

Things you can check:

1. Turn the heater down and run it on a lower temperature. If you’re still blowing the breaker, then your heater is malfunctioning.

1. Feel of the cord running to the wall while it is running. If it is getting hot. Your machine is malfunctioning.

Look at the outlet. If the plug looks melted or burned in any way, your heater it’s not working right.

If you have any of these issues, it’s time to get a new heater.

3. Extension cord

Since space heaters are a household item, most people do not give a second thought to plugging them into a extension cord to locate them to their most convenient spot.

The problem is not all extension cords
are rated to be able to handle the amount of wattage coming from a space heater.

If you have a space heater on a extension cord, you should be thankful that the breaker is blowing rather than the extension cord melting and catching a fire.

Though definitely not as convenient, putting the heater on a dedicated outlet without the use of a extension cord or power strip is the safest way to go.

4. The breaker itself

Breakers weaken and go out. Hello this is usually not the case, it is not impossible that the breaker itself needs to be switched out.
The easiest way to tell if this is the case or not is the plug the heater into another outlet in another room, and see if you’re still blowing the breaker.

Hopefully this helps to get you back to a safely running space heater or at least let you know that it’s time to replace it.

The main issue is that people rarely think about how many amps a electric space heater pulls. They tend to be viewed as an everyday item like any other appliance that you just plug in and go.

Unfortunately that is not the case with space heaters and though most people realize that you would have to put a washing machine or refrigerator on its own dedicated circuit, the same kind of consideration is not given to electric heaters.

In case you’re wondering, they decided to go with oil-filled heaters in my wife’s offices because of the surge and demand that the little electric space heaters were putting on their load.

How to Stay Warm Without Heat or Electricity

Are you prepared for a power outage this winter? You never know when it’s going to snow so hard that you can’t leave your house and are possibly snowed in for several days. And what’s worse, electric lines can easily snap and leave you without electricity during a blizzard.

What do you do if you find yourself in that situation?

How do you stay warm without heat or electricity?

Generator
Gas heater
Battery Operated Heater
Fireplace
Put on Extra Layers of Clothing
Wrap Up in Blankets
Close Up any Part of the House You Don’t Need
Weather Seal Around Doors and Leaky Windows
Warm liquids and Hot soup
Open the Curtains and Let the Sunlight In
Huddle Up
Go to Grandma’s house or a shelter
Warm Bath

Hopefully this article is a before the fact type of article that succeeds in urging you to invest in a generator or gas heater of some sort.

1.Generator

When electricity goes out, having a emergency generator on hand is the best possible scenario. A portable generator is not only useful in emergencies, it is a great way to stay warm when you are on a camping trip or hike.

2.Gas heater

Having some sort of gas heater, whether it be propane or kerosene on hand if you are stuck in a situation with no electricity to heat your home is a lifesaver. Consider purchasing a indoor vent free propane heater. You stop a heater comes equipped with a oxygen sensor that will shut the machine off if it detects a lack of oxygen in the room and the risk of asphyxiation.

3.Battery operated heater

Just like you should keep a flashlight loaded with fresh batteries ready for such a Time as this, having a battery operated space heater and package of brand new batteries handy will get you out of a miserably cold situation and sustain you till you can get the power back on.

4.Fireplace

Keeping your fireplace stocked is a simple way of making sure that you have a way of keeping warm at the electricity goes out.

5.Thermal underwear

Long johns, thermal underwear, whatever your favorite way of referring to them is, can give you an extra layer of warmth , whether or not you are stuck in a cold house or you’re out on a job where there is no heat or electricity.

6.Put on extra layers of clothes

Lettering up is a great way to keep the warp insulated inside of your clothes. Remember that your feet and your head is where your body heat exits the fastest. Pay special attention to where extra socks and a toboggan to keep your body temperature at a safe place.

7. Blankets

Stocking up on blankets may seem like a waste of space until you find yourself in a situation where you need those blankets. Bundling up in a warm blanket is a excellent way of building up body heat in order to get and stay warm.

8.Close up the parts of the house you don’t need

If you find yourself with that electricity trying to warm up in your house, close the doors to any part of the house you don’t need. That will not only reduce the amount of area that needs heating, keeping everybody in the same room will combine everyone’s body heat.

9.Weather seal around doors and drafty windows.

Putting towels under the door and window seals will help keep cold air from pushing through the windows and the doors.

9.Drink warm beverages and eat hot soup

If you have a gas stove, a hot bowl of soup or warm tea can have a very warming effect on your body.

10.Open the curtains and let the sun in

During the day when the sun is out, open the shades and let the sun warm the room up. The sun coming through the window will have the extra benefit of the window magnifying it, and helping add some warmth to your home. In the same respect, close the drapes at night so that the cold night Air does not amplify through the Windows.

11. Huddle up.

Two bodies are better than one. If you have someone to huddle up with even if it’s a dog or a cat, the combination of bodies will cause an exponential rise in the amount of body heat you can generate.

12. Go to Grandma’s house or a shelter

Sometimes the best thing to do is just find a different place to get. If your home is too cold for you to safely stay then it might be time to find a shelter that will help you out during the excessive cold.

13. Warm bath

Assuming that you have a gas water heater, taking a hot bath is a great way to warm up quickly. The trick is to get dried off and into some jammies and under the covers before you get cooled off afterwards

Are Electric Heaters Bad For Your Health? Cross-Examination

Are Electric Heaters Bad For Your Health? I would have to admit that I am the first one that has a bit of apprehension when it comes to running an electric heater. Especially at night.

I can’t explain the fear other than maybe I am afraid that something is going to catch on fire if I leave it alone or fall asleep.

But I am not the only one that has an apprehension to electric heaters. Many people do.

Some of the most common worries are whether electric heaters can be bad for your health or if they can cause carbon monoxide poisoning or even cause cancer.

So are these fears based in any kind of reality or can they be put the rest using some basic logic?

First of all there’s all types of space heaters that run off electricity including fuel-based heaters that are equipped with an igniter that needs electricity to get started.

An electric space heater is more likely to be defined as a small heater that you plug in to warm a small space. A machine that is heating up coils that glow red and orange. And buzzing loudly as it does so.

So let’s take these concerns one at a time.

Are electric heaters bad for your health?

You could say that electric heaters are bad for your skin health. Because they do dry out the air.

But in truth, the whole humidifier industry is built around the ideal that heaters dry out the air during the winter months when the heater stays on so much and the windows stay closed.

Do space heaters or electric heaters dry out your skin or cause bloody noses or dry throat? Or any other dry symptom related to low humidity?

Probably.

But it’s a problem that is easily combated with a cool mist humidifier running in your home alongside any space heaters you have running.

There are also easy and natural ways to humidify your home like putting a bowl of water out into a room or just leaving the door to the bathroom open when you take a shower.

Can electric heaters produce carbon monoxide?

No. Carbon monoxide is an invisible gas found in fumes. Fumes that are produced by burning fuel.

There are types of heaters that do pose a risk of carbon monoxide poisoning because they do run primarily off of burning fuel. Fireplaces, furnaces, even kerosene lamps and heaters all work by burning fuel.

But electric heaters do not pose a risk of carbon monoxide poisoning because they simply do not run or heat the air by burning any type of fuel.

Do electric heaters cause cancer?

The ideal that an electric heater can cause cancer comes from the assumption that electric heaters create ultraviolet radiation.

But infrared space heaters do not create UV radiation but infrared Radiation. There is no scientific evidence that infrared radiation causes cancer.

Electric space heaters have grown leaps and bounds and now come with a variety of features like cool touch, safety shut off if the heater gets up against something or if a a item of clothing is thrown on it, and safety shut off for being tipped over.

Many of the worries like getting burned if you touch it or tipping it over and catching a fire are just not something that can take place with modern electric space heaters.

If you will follow a few basic rules there is no reason why your electric heater shouldn’t be absolutely safe.

1. Distance
Don’t run it around anything flammable. It probably goes without saying that you’re not going to run your space heater around gasoline but remember aerosol cans can be explosive when heated to a certain temperature. Certain fabrics can also be combustible because of plastics and nylons that are threaded in them.

2. Grounded Plug
Make sure that the outlet you have your electric heater plugged into is grounded. That means it has three prongs. Electric heaters are known for surging when they cycle on and off. If your heater is not properly grounded, you can be risking a fire.

3. Smoke Alarm
Make sure you have a smoke alarm and that you keep a fresh battery in it.
Regardless of whether you’re running a space heater or have lighted candles in the house, smoke alarms are a must to prevent a would-be fire.

4. Not a Dryer
Don’t use it to dry your clothes. Throwing any clothes on the space heater spells bad luck. Towels that have been used to wipe up greasy messes can be very hard to get completely clean and become a fire hazard if exposed to the type of heat that comes from an electric space heater.

5. Be Aware
Don’t leave it running when you’re not around. Of course there are times when you want to have a heater on before you get into the room so that the room has a chance to heat up, and those types of situations make sure you use the proper diligence to make sure you adhere to the best safety advice.

These days, smart plugs abound, that can give you the ability to turn your heater on from your smartphone or schedule it to come on or go off at a certain time.
If you need to fall asleep with your heater on, a timer or smart plug is an excellent way to have it power down during the night so you can get to sleep and rest easier knowing that you’re not in risk while you are asleep.

6. Safety Qualifications
Make sure you only use a heater that is in compliance with all the safety regulations and is certified by UL, ETL, or CSA.

After all, What is the alternative? Frostbite? Freezing your skivvies off all winter? We all got to have heat in the winter and if you live up north, you know how much having a space heater for your feet can make a difference.

But if you are using a gas heater, kerosene heater, propane heater, or even just a fireplace, these are the type of space heaters that have to be vented outdoors.

If you are using a space heater that requires any type of fuel, besides making sure that it is adequately ventilated, you should also make sure your carbon monoxide detector has a fresh battery. And if you do not have a carbon monoxide detector, they are fairly cheap, as low as 15 to $20 in some cases.

How to Reset Honeywell Thermostat – Touchscreen and Program

How to Reset Honeywell Thermostat

Most of us know the irritation of coming home to an extra hot or cold house only to find out that somebody has messed with the thermostat again.

Honeywell programmable touch screen thermostats ensure you are never “surprised” by the thermostat being changed again.

They also give you the advantage of being able to schedule when your heat and air comes on or stays off.

A great advantage for saving energy while you are at work or on vacation.

If you ever need a factory reset,
Resetting your Honeywell touch screen is a simple process.

But be warned “Factory reset” completely wiped all your previous setting including your WiFi password.

Honeywell Touchscreen Thermostat Reset Instructions

Menu- Preferences -Restore Defaults

Step 1. Press Menu -Located in the right hand top corner. Then use the up and down arrows to scroll down to “preferences”

Step 2. Press “Preferences”. Use the up and down arrows to scroll down to “Restore Factory Defaults”

Step 3. Press ” Restore Factory Defaults”
This will more than likely bring up a dialog box that ask you to confirm that you want to return all your settings to factory default.

Step 4. Press Yes.
You should see a message across the screen saying “Restoring factory default settings”
After about 10 seconds, the screen will go dark and the Honeywell logo will appear.

Step 5. As the thermostat resets a “please wait” message will appear on the screen.

Step 6. When you see a message asking you for your Wi-Fi details, your Honeywell touch screen thermostat has reset to factory and is ready to be freshly programmed.

Honeywell Programmable Thermostat Reset (non-touchscreen)

Step 1. Turn the thermostat off

Step 2. Look at your breaker box and flip the breaker that controls the thermostat to the off position.

Step 3. Remove the batteries

If you have the type of thermostat that has to be removed from the wall first to get the batteries out, remove the thermostat first

The easiest way to get it off the wall is to remove the batteries and hold the back plate against the wall through the battery compartment while you pull the front cover off with the other hand.

Step 4. Reinsert the batteries backwards so that the positive terminal on the battery is lined up with the negative terminal on the thermostat. Leave the batteries in for a few seconds, up to 7.

Step 5
Take the batteries back out and put them in the right way this time.
The display should come back on at this point.

The Honeywell thermostat is now freshly reset to factory.

How to Lower Humidity in a House?

What humidity level is uncomfortable?

As the old saying goes ” it’s not the heat, it’s the Humidity”

Most people have a hard time dealing with high humidity. The temperature can be somewhat mild but then humidity outside can make it feel extra hot. Andt at a certain time of the year, namely the late summer heading into fall, there are days when you can turn the air conditioner on and not even feel it because of the humidity in the air.

According to shorstmeyer.com, the humidity that most people start to feel uncomfortable is about 65% with the temperature at 90° outside.

Is 65 humidity high?

65% humidity is about the top of the scale before it becomes too miserable for most people. At 65%, according to the heat index, the temperature at 88 degrees feels more like 98°.

Is 70 percent humidity high?

70% humidity can make a 96° day feel like 126° outside. And at 70% humidity, dust mites and mold begin to be a real problem. For persons allergic to dust mites and mold spores 70% humidity can be more than hot, it can be a nightmare.

What causes high humidity in a house?

High humidity can begin in the house with the simplest everyday activities that you wouldn’t give too much of a thought to otherwise.

High humidity in the house can start from activities like:

1. Cooking – boiling water
2. Bathing – showering
3. Drying your clothes
4. Washing the dishes
5. Dirty AC filters
6. Setting the thermostat to “on” rather than Auto
7. Location-climate

Other reasons can include actual structure problems like:

1. Poor ventilation
2. Improper insulation
3. Weather stripping need replaced

How to lower humidity in house

1. Dehumidifier
2. Air Conditioning
3. Ventilation and exhaust fans
4. Heater
5. Dehumidifying plants
6. Fans
7. Shorter & Cooler showers
8. Change thermostat to “auto”
9. Crack the window
10. Charcoal dehumidifier
11. Rock Salt dehumidifier
12. Rice dehumidifier
13. Cat litter

1. Dehumidifier

Dehumidifiers are mobile devices that work almost entirely the same way that a air conditioner does to remove humidity except that it expels heat into the room rather than cool air.

Dehumidifiers are great for areas like a damp basement or an areas where there has been leaking pipes and or water damage.

Dehumidifiers reduce the moisture by pulling air over refrigerated coils that cause the moisture in the air to condense.

The moisture is then captured into a tank or ran outside with a garden hose.

2. Air conditioning

Air conditioners and dehumidifiers are essentially the same machine only the air conditioners are used to cool the air and dehumidify the air as a byproduct.

Air conditioning is one of the easiest and most effective ways of reducing the humidity inside of the home provided it’s a refrigerated unit that condenses the humidity into the air and moves it outside.
Other types of air conditioners called “swamp coolers” or “evaporative air coolers” will increase the humidity because they are basically fans blowing over water.

3. Ventilation and exhaust

The main rooms in the house that have exhaust fans are the rooms the create the most humidity. The bathroom and the kitchen.
Showers and baths will steam up the house quicker than anything. It’s important to keep the exhaust fan running while you are taking a shower or bath to reduce humidity damage to your structure as well as mildew and mold production.

The kitchen is also a room that creates a lot of humidity from cooking and boiling water. It’s important to keep a lid on your pots and have the exhaust fan running to reduce the humidity produced by simply cooking.

4. Heater

Though most of the time people notice the level of humidity in the air is during the summer, winter also has its fair share of humidity buildup inside of the home.

You probably noticed water droplets and condensation building up on the Windows during the winter.

One of the easiest things to do during the winter to reduce the humidity is simply running the heater. Hot dry air coming from the heater will naturally dry out the moisture in the air.

5. Dehumidifying plants

Plants are natural dehumidifiers. And some prefer more humidity than others.
Some house plants that you can put in your home to help reduce the humidity in the house are:
a. English ivy
b. Boston fern
c. Peace lily
d. Reed palm

6. Fans

Using fans positioned around the house is also a natural way to reduce the humidity. Having fans operating is a simple way to dry the air out.

7. Shorter and cooler showers

A simple way to keep your bathroom from becoming a steamy Haze is to turn the temperature down on the water and not run it as long.
Another word if you don’t like the steamy feeling in the room don’t produce the steam in the first place.

8. Change AC thermostat to auto

There are many proponents for keeping your air conditioning thermostat on the on position because helps keep the air more evenly cooled when the AC cycles off.
But the other side of that argument is that the condensation never gets a chance to drip out before it evaporates and gets blown back into the house as humidity.
Keeping your thermostat on “auto” will help the dehumidifying function of the AC work much better and save you money in the long run.

9. Crack the windows

Sometimes the easiest way to reduce the humidity inside is to crack the window and open the door.
Of course if the humidity outside is 90%, this is not going to work.
But if the inside of the house feels extra muggy, opening the windows and letting the air exchange will help freshen up the room and keep the humidity down.

The next four suggestions falls under the “home remedies for absorbing moisture” heading. These are products that you probably have around the house already that you may not have known were excellent for absorbing moisture and reducing the humidity in the air.

10. Charcoal dehumidifier

Charcoal is a natural dehumidifier that can be a super easy DIY project.
According to Readers digest, charcoal briquettes can be placed in a coffee can with hose punched into the lid and placed in humid areas to absorb moisture.

Placing charcoal briquettes in bookshelves that have glass doors is a librarians trick for keeping musty odors and mowed from getting inside of old books

11. Rock salt dehumidifier

If you have ever owned a pink Himalayan salt lamp, you have noticed that it appears to leak water.
But in actuality it is not leaking water but pulling moisture out of the air onto itself and dripping off.
The same concept can be used with rock salt.
The rock salt humidifier can be easily built by taking an everyday planting pot and filling it with rock salt. The planter works good because as the salt draws moisture to itself and leaks it has a place to leak into instead of the floor.

12. Rice dehumidifier

You’ve probably heard that if you drop your phone into the toilet you can throw it in some rice afterwards. I’m not sure I’ve ever known anyone that that is work for. But rice can definitely soak up moisture from the air over a period of time.
After all, you can put a cup of rice in a pan and fill it with water and the rice will practically absorb every bit of the water.
This is the same concept as placing small containers of rice around a room to help with humidity.

13. Cat litter dehumidifier

Kitty litter is excellent at absorbing moisture. Not only can it be used for your cats, it will also draw a moisture from the air.
An easy DIY cat litter dehumidifier is to fill a tube sock with kitty litter and hang it in the closet or wherever you’re having an issue with moisture.

One application is to hang it from the rear view mirror in your car, which can help keep your windshield from condensation building up on the inside.

Recap

Humidity is the difference the temperature being mild outside and insufferably hot.
At 65 and 70% humidity, the temperature can feel 20° hotter.
And when the humidity is at those levels, household allergens like dust mites rise in population considerably.

But when you have high humidity in your house, there are many things you can do to reduce the humidity including some easy do-it-yourself dehumidifiers that can be made with products you already have around the house.

Braeburn Thermostat Programming Instructions

Braeburn systems is a company based in Montgomery Illinois. Their product line includes thermostats, humidistats, and zone dampers.
They have a full line of thermostats that include programmable, non-programmable, and smart Wi-Fi, including wireless and touch screen.

Braeburn programmable thermostats allow you to schedule when your heat and air are running. A feature that will save you money by turning your air off while you’re out of the house or sleeping.

Braeburn Thermostat Instructions

Set Up

1. Date/time

Locate the dates last time button on the keypad. Using the up and down arrows, change the hour, then the minutes, then the day of the week. Save each selection by tapping the day/time button afterwards.

2. Set the Fan

Scroll through the fan settings by pushing the “Fan” button repeatedly till you find the setting you want.

“Auto” runs the fan only when the unit is running.
The ” On” setting keeps the fan on continuously.
The ” Circ” setting runs the fan for 24 minutes and off for 24 minutes continually.
“Prog” is the setting that you program the thermostat to run the fan on.

Confused about which one to pick?
See this resource.

3. Set the differential

This is the setting that allows you to choose how much the temperature in the room changes before the air conditioner or heater comes back on.

To set it, hold the return button for 4 seconds. Pick what you want your differential to be by scrolling up or down. Some models have two and three different stage differentials that can be set using the same procedure as well.

Programming your thermostat

1. Enter the programming mode by pressing the” Prog” button.

2. Choose “Heat” or “Cool”.
Some models have a switch that you simply move into position, others require you to make your choice by pushing the “system” on the touch screen.

3. Day/time

On this step you can either choose to program one day at a time or a full week. Simply press the day/time button to choose one or the other.

4. Hours/ minutes

This is the hours and minutes of the day that you want the heat and air to run.
Hit the up and down arrows to scroll up or down to find your desired times.

5. Unoccupied

The “Unocc” mode is the program your thermostat for when the house will be unoccupied. To find this mode, simply press the “Prog” button.

6. Unoccupied mode is programmed the same way as the other settings. Use the up and down arrows till you find your desired days and times.

7. When you’re finished, press return to complete.

Congratulations you have finished programming your Braeburn thermostat!

Some benefits to a heater with a humidifier

1. Cheaper (presumably)2. Space saver3. It makes sense to have a heater that also humidifies.4. All the above

Unfortunately the technology of a heater humidifier combo has not come anywhere near what you can get if you buy the two devices separately.

Heater with humidifier. Good idea?

Here’s a small list of some of the heater humidifier combos you can find on Amazon.

GeekHeat Portable Electric Heater with Humidifier

Dr. Infrared Heater DR998, 1500W, Advanced Dual Heating System with Humidifier

HRC 2-in-1 500W Office/Desktop/Bedroom Space Heater with Mist Humidifier

Yivibe Electric Heater-Humidifier

VItCSM 3 IN 1 Multifunctional Heater Desktop Office Household Night Light Humidifier

Vornado VH2 Whole Room Space Heater

Are space heaters expensive to run?

Space heaters use a lot of Watts. 1500 w on high is the standard for all space heaters.As a point of reference, 1500 w is the most that any outlet can handle.

The best way to spend less with the space heater is to find one that is more efficient at heating a room.

Suggested Space heaters

Vornado VMH500 Whole Room Metal Heater with Auto Climate

Vornadobaby Sensa Nursery Heater

Vornadobaby Sensa

Wi-Fi Space Heaters

Atomi Smart WiFi Portable Tower Space Heater

What Heaters are Safe to Leave Unattended Overnight?

” What type of heater is safer?”

“What heaters provide the best safety features?“

What types of safety features should you look for in a heater?

1. Long Enough Cord

2. Tip over protection

3. Cool to the touch

4. Thermostat / Auto Shut-Off

5. Timer

Other precautions

#2 Best Portable Space Heater

#3 Best Portable Space Heater

Space heater keeps tripping the breaker

1. Overload

2. Heater going bad

3. Extension cord

4. The breaker itself

How do you stay warm without heat or electricity?

1.Generator

2.Gas heater

3.Battery operated heater

4.Fireplace

5.Thermal underwear

6.Put on extra layers of clothes

7. Blankets

8.Close up the parts of the house you don’t need

9.Weather seal around doors and drafty windows.

9.Drink warm beverages and eat hot soup

10.Open the curtains and let the sun in

11. Huddle up.

12. Go to Grandma’s house or a shelter

13. Warm bath

Are electric heaters bad for your health?

Can electric heaters produce carbon monoxide?

Do electric heaters cause cancer?

If you will follow a few basic rules there is no reason why your electric heater shouldn’t be absolutely safe.

How to Reset Honeywell Thermostat

Honeywell Touchscreen Thermostat Reset Instructions

Honeywell Programmable Thermostat Reset (non-touchscreen)

What humidity level is uncomfortable?

Is 65 humidity high?

Is 70 percent humidity high?

What causes high humidity in a house?

How to lower humidity in house

1. Dehumidifier

2. Air conditioning

3. Ventilation and exhaust

4. Heater

5. Dehumidifying plants

6. Fans

7. Shorter and cooler showers

8. Change AC thermostat to auto

9. Crack the windows

10. Charcoal dehumidifier

11. Rock salt dehumidifier

12. Rice dehumidifier

13. Cat litter dehumidifier

Braeburn Thermostat Instructions

Set Up

Programming your thermostat

1. Cheaper (presumably)
2. Space saver
3. It makes sense to have a heater that also humidifies.
4. All the above

Space heaters use a lot of Watts. 1500 w on high is the standard for all space heaters.
As a point of reference, 1500 w is the most that any outlet can handle.