Get Rid of Dry Air with a Humidifier!

Dry air is extremely common during the cold winter months. As a result of low humidity, you can experience dry eyes, dry skin, chapped lips, respiratory problems, and even a scratchy throat. Additionally, dry air damages electronics and cracks paint and furniture. To prevent (or solve) these health and furnishing problems, you should use a humidifier. These convenient units add moisture into your air for additional comfort by emitting water vapor or mist into the air. There are two main types of humidifiers:

Warm mist humidifiers like the Coway MHS-E5010X produce warm mist by heating water in the tank, significantly reducing bacteria growth. The warm steam adds moisture into your air and is extremely effective in particularly cool, dry areas. However, because these units can become quite hot to the touch, they should not be used around small children.

Cool mist humidifiers like the Essick Air 697500 produce cool mist without using as much energy as warm mist humidifiers. They cover larger areas: the Air King 9929 can maintain a comfortable humidity level in areas up to 3200 square feet! These units are definitely safer to use than warm mist humidifiers, but they are actually much more noisy and they need to have their filters changed often.

Some humidifiers also come as additional features on other types of appliances. For instance, the Sharp KC-C150U is an air purifier and humidifier! This unit is great for those who have breathing problems such as asthma or allergies because it can remove the allergens from your air while providing extra moisture. The Soleus HC4-15-20, on the other hand, is a heater and humidifier in one! This convenient space heater is perfect for the winter months because it will keep you warm and comfortable at all times by providing heat and moisture.

If you need more help when deciding which humidifier to pick, take a look at this informative humidifier buying guide!

The Many Different Types of Space Heaters

There are many choices when it comes to efficient heating: space vs. garage heaters, electric vs. fuel heaters, and so on. Even when you choose to use an electric space heater, you are forced to choose between the different types of space heaters. Here's a run down of the 5 different types you can choose from:

1. Fireplace heaters: These heaters are the next best type of warmth for those of you who want the beauty and aesthetics of a real wood-burning fireplace without having to worry about the mess it makes. They use 90% less energy than fuel heaters, and they only cost a few cents per hour to operate! To read more about fireplace heaters, take a look at one of our previous posts.
2. Reflective or radiant heaters: These heaters only heat objects and people right in front of them, so they don't waste any energy when keeping you warm. Units like the NewAir AH-320E produce warmth that replicates the sun's rays for healthy heating!
3. Oil-filled heaters: These radiator heaters heat up a reservoir of oil to keep you feeling warm in the coldest of winters. The oil never needs to be replaced or refilled, so maintanence is a breeze! Radiator heaters like the NewAir AH-450 space heater are excellent spot heaters that keep objects and people around them warm and comfortable.
4. Ceramic heaters: This type of space heater is the most popular because a ceramic heater always stays cool and provides focused heating on areas that need it the most. Units like the Honeywell HZ-315 operate quietly and efficiently to bring warmth into areas with an insufficient heat source.
5. Micathermic heaters: These heaters combine radiant and convection heating to provide safe heat. Micathermic heaters prevent energy loss by warming up almost immediately. Units like the Soleus HM2-15R-32 don't overheat easily while providing instantaneous warmth.

Air & Water's Twitter Contest!

Air & Water is giving away 4 Lasko 754200 portable electric space heaters! This heater eliminates the winter chill. It only weighs 4 pounds which makes it ideal for use any place it is needed such as homes and offices. Features on this heater include 3 selectable settings and an adjustable thermostat.

For your chance to win one of the 4 heaters, follow @airnwater and tweet Air-N-Water.com on Twitter by November 30, 2009. Open to the continental United States (excludes Hawaii and Alaska).

Electric vs. Fuel Heaters

When purchasing a heater, is it rather difficult to decide which features are the most important. One of the most common questions surrounding heaters is the one concerning the different types of heaters: heaters that run on electricity and heaters that run on fuel. Each has its own advantages and disadvantages:

Electric heaters:

• are much less expensive.
• are easy to maintain.
• don’t emit pollutants or chemicals into the air.
• can be costly when used very often.
• have all passed rigid safety tests.
• feature many different safety features, including tip-over safety switches and overheat shut-off features.
• usually have lower surface temperatures.
• are relatively silent.
• can feature fans to speed up airflow.

Propane heaters:

• are perfect for instantaneous heat in large, well-ventilated areas.
• operate efficiently by using combustion to directly heat areas.
• don’t waste energy “heating up.”
• provide much more heat than electric heaters.
• are much more cost-effective for larger areas such as warehouses and construction sites.
• are not suitable for areas that are closed off, as they may emit carbon monoxide.

If you are still having a difficult time deciding which type of heater to use, you can even settle for the middle ground: kerosene heaters. These heaters run on fuel as well as electricity. They burn cleaner than propane heaters and warm more area than electric heaters. Kerosene heaters, like those that run on propane, should be used in well-ventilated areas such as patios and backyards, as they also emit carbon monoxide.

Stay Warm in the Office with an Under-Desk Heater!

Nowadays, many Americans spend most of their time at work, in their respective offices. Unfortunately, the temperature is one thing that most people can’t control at work. When the office feels too cold, all you can do is rub your hands and feet or put on a thin jacket. Instead of having a hard time maintaining a comfortable temperature, you should try to use low-wattage under-desk space heater! These units don’t take up a lot of space, use very little energy, and keep you warm throughout the day!

One of the best ways to stay warm is to keep your feet warm, as we see with people who put on a pair of socks to warm up. Personal space and feet heaters such as the FW insulated heat mat by Indus Tool keep your feet warm, and the heat then travels up to the rest of your body. This heating mat can also help you dry your socks and shoes on rainy or snowy days with its ability to warm up to 130 degrees! Best of all, the FW insulated heat mat weighs a mere 6 pounds and uses less than 120 watts of energy!

The SoleAire personal foot heater from Vornado is one of the most trusted of feet heaters - and coolers -in the heating market. This personal space heater offers surface bumps on the tops and sides of the unit for a passive foot massage that even promotes better posture! Only consuming a maximum of 225, the SoleAire can be used year-round with its fan-only function, so you don't have to worry about the hot office days, either!

If you have a little bit more room, you can try to use the AH-400 NewAir space heater to stay warm. This personal heater offers adjustable temperature control as well as an overheat protection feature for optimum heating efficiency. This space heater uses oil-filled radiator heating technology, which means that the oil in the sealed reservoir is warmed and never needs to be replaced. You can use this heater in your office for years!

Don't let the office temperature affect the way you work - use an under-desk space heater to stay focused and awake no matter how cold it is around you!

Save Money with Tankless Water Heaters!

When cold weather comes along, the use of hot water dramatically increases, which may actually cost you a lot of money. Standard storage water heaters are most typically used in households, but they waste a lot of energy because they switch to "stand-by" mode when hot water is not in use. Once you turn on the water heater, it has to warm up, which can also take away a lot of your precious time. A tankless water heater is the perfect solution for those who want to enjoy hot water and to save money while doing so.

Tankless water heaters, which are also called instantaneous or demand water heaters, are becoming extremely popular these days because of their efficiency. Cold water travels through a pipe into the water heater and is then heated by an electric or a gas-fired element. As a result, hot water is instantaneous, and you don't need to waste your time waiting for the water to warm up. These units are so popular that now even the U.S. Department of Energy recommends the use of tankless water heaters!

A unit like the Stiebel Eltron DHC-E-10 tankless electric water heater is perfect for homes and even RVs, boats, and cabins! This unit is ideal for smaller homes and apartments, and they're safe and easy to use. The DHC-E-10 doesn't let the hot water pass a temperature of 125 degrees Fahrenheit, so you won't get scalded or burned when trying to use your hot water!

For larger homes, the Tempra-24 from Stiebel Eltron can deliver hot water with no frills or heavy installation costs. This tankless water heater features a smart microprocessor that constantly monitors the water's temperature to prevent scalding. Additionally, the water heater offers an easy-to-use control dial that lets you adjust the water to the temperature you desire! The Tempra-24 is great for homes with up to 3 bathrooms, or even for commercial and industrial areas that don't use a heated water tank!

Use a Stiebel Eltron tankless water heater today to maximize efficiency and simultaneously minimize bill-paying!

Tips for Efficient Heating

Contrary to popular belief, it is actually very easy to save energy and money during seasonal months. Now that winter is nearing, you may be worried about your bills taking a big chunk out of your wallet. You can stop worrying because you can actually keep your bills low and your home warm in many different ways with little to no hassle!

1. Keep your curtains open during the day and closed during the night. Keeping your curtains open during the day let the sun's rays warm up your home without costing you a single penny! At night, you'll want to keep the shades closed to reduce heat loss and to keep the heat trapped inside your home.

2. Use a programmable thermostat to maintain the temperature in your home. Thermostats like the Honeywell TH8321 help you control the temperature depending on how often you're home. By setting the temperature a little lower when you're not home, you can easily save money and energy. Studies show that you can save up to 33% on your bills by reducing the temperature by a mere 3 degrees!

3. Use a tankless water heater like the Stiebel Eltron DHC 5-2 to boil water instead of a water heater that features a tank. Tankless water heaters use less energy because they keep the water at a constant heated temperature and they use up to 50% less power! If you have a larger home, the Tempra-36 by Stiebel Eltron can easily provide hot water for a home with up to 4 bedrooms! Also, though most tankless water heaters can reach up to 140 degrees, it is wise to keep yours at about 120. This prevents scalding as well!

4. If your central heating just isn't cutting it for you, use an electric space heater instead of turning up your heating unit. Setting the thermostat to a higher temperature won't warm up your home any faster; it will only make you pay more money.

5. If you're looking for an efficient yet decorative way to keep your home warm, you might consider electric fireplaces such as the NewAir AH-510E and the DeLonghi SFG1031. These beautiful, realistic fireplaces make your living room look and feel warm and comfortable. Refer back to this post if you want to find out more information about electric fireplace heaters!

Overall, it is rather simple to keep heating costs down and heating effectiveness up. With these tips and tricks, you'll be keeping your home warm while paying a lot less!