The oil filled ones have worked best for me. The ones that look like little radiators.
The ones with elements and fans are great for warming up an area but it sounds like you are looking to maintain a room.
What kind of central heat do you have? heat pump or gas/oil? A heat pump uses less electricity than a couple space heaters. Electric space heaters use 1500w per hour while running. A heat pump, according to my research, uses about 3000w per hour. Using 2 space heaters doesn't gain anything over a heat pump unless they only run a fraction of that hour.
With that said, we use a tower ceramic heater in our bedroom during super cold nights. the heat pump stays on about 66 though.
Yes. I set the house to 58F at night. I think my kids might be getting the sniffles from not being quite warm enough at night. I thought getting a space heater I could set to 68F or so during the night would be an efficient way to keep them warmer.
Being cold doesn't make you sick. I think it's more likely they're getting crap from school. Have them dress warmer, and give them warm blankets. My house is set to 56F. My daughter 's computer folds in her room, and I'd say it's 58F in there, but I haven't measured it. She's quite healthy.
They don't go to school. They are two years and five months. They wear fuzzy pajamas, but the little one isn't allowed blankets yet. The older one goes to bed with a blanket, but wiggles out of it.
Ah, little ones. I still don't think they're getting sick by being cold. 58F is fairly warm, and downright luxurious compared to some culture's standards. If anything, I'd say being hot is more likely to get you sick, but that impression is from walking around hot assed stores, and likely contacting the diseased masses :^D
Electric Space Heaters
Electric space heaters are generally more expensive to operate than combustion space heaters, but they are the only unvented space heaters that are safe to operate inside your home. Although electric space heaters avoid indoor air quality concerns, they still carry hazards of potential burns and fires, and should be used with caution.
For convection (non-radiant) space heaters, the best types incorporate a heat transfer liquid, such as oil, that is heated by the electric element. The heat transfer fluid provides some heat storage, allowing the heater to cycle less and to provide a more constant heat source.
When buying and installing an electric space heater, you should follow these general safety guidelines:
* Electric heaters should be plugged directly into the wall outlet. If an extension cord is necessary, use a heavy-duty cord of 14-guage wire or larger.
* For portable electric heaters, buy a unit with a tip-over safety switch, which automatically shuts off the heater if the unit is tipped over.
Parents no longer have to lose sleep over Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) thanks to the latest research findings, and they can take a proactive role in reducing both the worry and risk involved for their infant.
He also advises keeping your baby comfortably warm, but not too warm. Over-bundling, and consequently overheating, has been shown to increase the risk of SIDS.
Make sure your babys head is uncovered, and put your baby to sleep on his side or back. When baby sleeps on her stomach, or prone, with her cheek and abdominal organs against the bedding, these prime areas of heat release are covered, thus conserving heat. Also, never bundle a sick baby, as babies who are sick tend to have fevers, and bundling only increases body temperature. Keep the room temperature where your baby sleeps around 68 degrees, unless you have a preterm or newborn weighing less than eight pounds; then you might want to increase the temperature by a few degrees.