ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Sunday, February 18, 1996 TAG: 9602200108
SECTION: HOMES PAGE: D1 EDITION: METRO
COLUMN: Cut Your Utility Bill
SOURCE: JAMES DULLEY
Q: I get chilly, especially my feet, and I need a small electric space heater. Is there really any difference among the various designs and which models are safest with children around?
A: Not all electric heaters are created equally, so don't just buy the cheapest. Comfort and safety, especially for children, vary significantly.
One model specifically for feet, Heat Rest, lays flat on the floor. It gives off low heat for your feet and has built-in foot massaging balls.
Using a small electric space heater can lower your overall utility bills. It allows you to set your furnace thermostat lower. This saves 10 to 20 percent and more than pays back the cost of operating a small heater.
New combination humidifier/heater models are efficient. These produce about one gallon of moisture per day when the heater is on. This not only improves comfort and is healthy, but the humidity makes you feel warmer, too.
One child-safe model, by Patton, is shaped like a football and plugs directly into the wall (no cord). It has a child-safe grill and doubles as a night light.
Another new design, Dual Baseboard, is a radiant heater. It can be bent in the center to fit into a corner or left straight to fit along a wall. In the corner configuration, it is out of the way and difficult to tip over.
Select a space heater with a thermostatic control. Electronic controls are most precise. Choose multiple heat settings, often 600, 900 and 1500 watts. On maximum output, all electric space heaters produce about 5120 BTU/hour.
The basic designs of electric space heaters are convection (built-in fan), radiant (built-in directional reflector), upright and baseboard radiators (some oil-filled) and decorative wall-mounted radiant picture heaters.
Convection models are best to heat an entire small room. For large rooms, one may not provide adequate heat. For heating just one spot, like a desk or easy chair, a directional quartz radiant heater is good. One new design has triple elements and reflectors to blanket you with instant heat.
Radiator designs are good for total room heating. With no fan, they are quiet and effective for bedrooms. The "Heat Machine" has 24 vertical hot air tunnels for even heating and a 24-hour timer with 96 possible settings.
Decorative radiant wall picture heaters look like a painting. Many attractive scenes are available or you can order a blank one and paint your own. The surface does not get extremely hot and is safe to touch without harm.
For a buyer's guide of 15 electric space heater showing design types, heat output settings, thermostats, comfort and safety features and prices, send $2 and a business-size self-addressed stamped envelope to James Dulley, The Roanoke Times, 6906 Royalgreen Dr., Cincinnati, Ohio 45244. Ask for Update Bulletin No. 909.
Q: I have an aluminum storm door on the side entrance to my house. It helps block chilly breezes, but the one corner sags and it does not seal as well as it used to. How can I fix it myself?
A: First check to make sure the door was installed properly and that it is in square. Remove the upper glass panel from the door and try to replace it. If it does not go back in easily, the frame is probably out of square.
Many aluminum storm doors have corner keys that hold the door edges square. These corner keys can get bent or can break. Install a replacement corner key support if needed. Also check the squareness of the door frame opening.
LENGTH: Medium: 65 linesby CNB