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.

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!

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!

Get Ready for the Cold Weather!

Summer is coming to an end (fall 2009 begins a week from today!); over the next few months the weather is just going to get colder. Of course, with winter months comes the need for a heater. Like everything else, there are so many different types of heaters. How do you know which one to choose?

By Area
People usually buy their heating or cooling devices depending on how much area it covers. There are space heaters, which are for personal spaces and small rooms. The Vornado SoleAir is an example for a personal space heater: this unit keeps your body warm by heating up only your feet! Other Vornado heaters use vortex action technology to blend hold and cold air to maintain a comfortable, warm temperature.

Larger rooms usually use garage heaters because they can heat more space. With 19,000 BTUs, the QMark BRH562 easily warms up large areas in a short amount of time. Infrared heaters warm people and objects without affecting the air quality and temperature. Infrared units like the HGW-308R wall mounted micathermic heater by Soleus save energy and operate silently to provide maximum comfort.

By Design
Buying appliances for your home sometimes requires you to be picky. After all, you wouldn't want something hideous standing next to your wall for everyone to see. Some heaters are designed with specific aesthetic qualities to provide optimum heat and unique designs. Electric fireplace heaters are extremely popular when it comes to aesthetics. Dimplex, DeLonghi and NewAir provide electric stoves that look like real fireplaces but don't come with the terrible mess or smell of a real wood-burning fireplace. Deco Heat heaters are also very popular. Like the Deco Breeze fans, the Deco Heat heaters look great and operate with a lot less energy than most heaters. For example, the Deco Heat DHH0386 oscillating space heater has a beautiful mahogany finish, and it warms the room up almost instantly!

Flat Panel Space Heaters?

Perhaps one of the most interesting things to come out of the High Definition TV phenomenon is the unique flat screen with its wall hanging design. Whether it is plasma or LCD, a big attraction of these TV’s is so how light and thin they truly are. People are constantly finding new ways to place them, saving them space and giving them entertainment where they need it the most. The wall hanging ability keeps them out of the way allowing for less clutter. Now imagine if other appliances could utilize this feature? That would be something to see. Unfortunately for most appliances it seems outside the ream of possibility. A flat washer and dryer, although great would never work, nor would a wall hanging refrigerator. Yet some appliances are suited perfectly for it.

Space heaters are a great way to keep your house warm during the cold months. They usually tend to be light weight and portable allowing you to take them where they are needed the most. But they also tend not to be too kind on the eye. They are often placed in the corner or under desks to hide them from public view. Now imagine if there was some way to keep them out of the way and provide a significant amount of heat to them.

The Soleus HGW-308R-W Electric Flat Panel Micathermic Space Heater

Well Soleus, a company known for its quality products has created a the HGW-308R-W “flat panel” heater. While it will not show your favorite TV shows, it is incredibly thin and the wall mountable design allows you to bask in heat without ever having to worry about it taking up floor space.

Efficient and Convenient:
Incredibly powerful for such a compact design, this heater features an extremely easy to operate digital thermostat and controls that will provide you with the heat that you need. It is extremely eco-friendly with its energy saving mode and has a remote control so that you can receive the desired heat that you need from anywhere in the room. Plus, it works so quietly that you won’t even know it’s on except for the gentle stream of soothing heat.

Space Saving:
It sports a white/grey color that lets it blend it into most walls easily. It only weighs a mere 11 pounds and is 25 inches wide and 22 inchers high. Its 2 ¼ inches thick when wall mounted and only 8 ½ when placed on its easily mountable stand. This is a space heater that can be placed in any room without every having to worry about space.

Safe Operation
You can operate the Soleus HGW-308R-W with piece of mine as it offers overheat protection and automatic shut down in case the unit tips over. Overheat protection stops the unit and immediately shuts it down incase of any problems. The safety switch works by stopping power in case the unit ever tips of there by averting any problems.

For a reliable flat panel space heater at an afforadble price you could do no better then the Soleus HGW-308R-W electric flat panel micathermic heater.

Stay Stylish and Warm

Space heaters are a great and efficient way to provide you with the heat that you need. Yet there does seem to be one major problem with space heaters, they tend to be major eye sores. They are usually designed to be placed in corners or under desks. The problem with this is that it often limits the amount of heat because of their placement. Luckily, Deco Breeze has created the Deco Heat line of low wattage space heaters. Each one is uniquely designed and offers a gorgeous finish that can compliment just about any room. They are light weight and made specifically to be placed just about anywhere. They camouflage their way into just about any room, allowing you enjoy a gentle, oscillating heat that works so well you quickly forget where the heat is coming from.

The Deco Heat DHH0385 Rococco Decorative Oscillating Space Heater

Unique and Stylish Design:
While each model in the Deco Heat line offers the same amount of power, safety features and options, the best benefit is that each Deco Heat model has a unique and gorgeous design that can fit any room perfectly. One of the most popular models is the DHH0385 Rococco. Rococco is a specific design that was made famous in 18th century France. It is extremely stylish and features a carved floral pattern that surrounds the entire heater.

Powerful and Petite:
The DHH0385 uses a heating filament with reflective metallic dish to provide gentle and relaxing heat. It is extremely energy efficient and has an expected life of 5,000 hours. There are two settings to provide you with heating options. Standard is great for more localized heating, while oscillating spreads the heat around to evenly warm the rest of the room. It operates extremely quietly and uses a low amount of energy to help keep your energy bill down.

This space heater is perfect for just about anywhere. Standing at 19 inches, this petite and lightweight heater is ideal for desk and table placement. The 8 inch diameter dish provides a surprisingly large amount of heat for such a small dish. Best of all this dish has adjustable tilt so that you can focus the heat exactly where you need it the most.

Very Safe:
This space heater is extremely safe. It boasts two safety features to keep you and your loved ones safe. The overheat protection stops power incase it begins to over heat. The tip-over safety switch is great as it will cut power incase it ever accidently gets knocked over.

Our Opinion:
The Deco Heat DHH0385 is a great all around low wattage space heater. It works perfectly and gives you the heat that you deserve. But in this reviewer’s opinion, the DHH0385 Rococc design works best for him as it adds a touch of class to just about any room. But feel free to find the Deco Heat style that fits your room the best.

A Luxury Space Heater?

Luxury, outside of their initial cost, usually refer to items or goods that offer plenty of options. They are usually features that work so impeccably and easily that you won’t realize what you were missing until you buy and use them. They are reliable and worth the price, and what’s more they seem to be entering every area of commerce. From refrigerators with televisions to designer i-Pods, its getting to the point at every good offers a an exclusive or luxury model. Well, maybe not exactly, but the idea of loading a tool or a appliance with plenty of features to make your life easier defiantly seems to be spreading. Yet some of these features are anything but unnecessary and many of them do add significantly to you purchase.

Space heaters are known for their simplicity. You turn it on, and it heats the room. If you want more control you can purchase one with a thermostat to change settings. You should not expect a lot of bells and whistles. Yet Vornado has decided to create an advanced heater that gives you plenty of heating options at your finger tips. There might not be a T.V. included, but the Vornado iControl has plenty of features that will leave you wondering how you ever lived using a lesser heater.

The Vornado iControl

The Vornado iControl already sets its self apart other heaters as it is a whole room digital electric space heater. It features Vornado's signature Vortex heating technology to effectively and gently warm the entire room. This heater can evenly heat up your room from ceiling to floors within minutes. It uses 1500 watts to create a 5,118 BTU/hr and its fan can do 1000RPMS. There are three different heat settings that include high, low and fan only.
One of the truly unique features that you will find you can’t live without is Vornado iControl's innovative one-knob interface. Much like a radio control in a car, the interface is immediate easy to use controls and at your finger tips because all you have to do is simply turn the knob to scroll through your choice of settings - Timer, Fan Speed, and Set Temperature. Once you've decided on your selection, a push of the knob is all it takes for the iControl to put your desired setting into immediate action. The large LCD screen with clear contrast visibly displays your choice of options plus its stops those annoying hot or cold cycles that you get with other heaters. The Vornado iControl uses automatic climate control so that your desired temperature is automatically maintained at all times without wasting any energy. The wireless remote lets you control the unit from anywhere in the room giving you immediate warmth whenever and wherever you like it.

Don’t worry about your safety, as the Vornado iControl utilizes multiple safety features such as a cool touch cabinet in case of accidental touch, a non-glowing heating element for protection, an extra-wide base for stability, tight grille spirals to protect the fan, and an automatic shut-off incase it over heats.