Using Furnace vs. Electric Heater

[prestonj12]

We've used one 1500 watt quartz space heater with a fan and oscillating action paired with the furnace set to 55 and tank heaters to stay just fine down to 5 degrees at night up at 6500 feet here in Idaho. The tank heaters seem to be the greatest thing since sliced bread. Without them on, we have one line that will freeze up somewhere between 15 and 20 degrees. With the tank heaters we've been cozy and freeze free down to 5 overnight.


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[A32Deuce]

I set my propane heater @ 40 degrees sitting @ home. Was in MB in march came home , did not winterize again because I'm going out again this sat. Keeping heat @ 40 doesn't use much propane and keeps me from winterizing again.

[oldtool2]

Originally Posted by mlwood

Many of you have said you use electric heaters. Is anything required in the basement compartments to protect the pipes from freezing?

I use an electric and set the stat for the furnace to take over if the electric can't keep up. To protect the pipes and pump I get a smaller electric heater that I put on its own stat. Here is the heater I use.

http://www.amazon.com/Vornado-VH202-...ilpage_o03_s00

I got the stat from Home Depot. it is for controlling a booster fan in a hot air system. It turns the heater on at 40 degrees. he electric heater has two settings, 375 watt and 750 watt. I keep it on 375 watts so it doesn't use a lot of power. I can reach in and unplug it easily if I want.

Is it really needed? I don't know but it wasn't that expensive to install and is a nice backup to protect my pump just in case. FR offers the 12 volt heating pads for the tanks, wish they would put one on the pump also.

Jim