We used to have a slow combustion fire, but when free wood dried up, it got hellishly expensive to buy it. Our winter heating bill went from around $200 (we also had a small gas heater for in between times) to nearly $2,000. The fire was lovely, but I got sick of having to constantly clean the house as the ash would get everywhere. I liked that it ran 24/7, so the house was always warm. I never let it go out when cleaning the ash out. I'd clean half the ash out from one side, then move some larger coals over that side, then remove the rest of the ash. I left enough coals whereby they would ignite properly again when I put new logs in.
Had chooks back then and the ash used to go in their dustbath holes because it's good for keeping lice at bay. The excess would go on the compost heap (after being allowed to cool first).
When we decided no more fire, we updated the little gas heater to a bigger one and that does a great job. It gets well below 0 here in winter and we've never needed to have it turned on high. It heats the room really quickly on medium, then gets turned down to low to maintain it. I don't care that the bedrooms aren't heated. That's what electric blankets are for. I actually leave a window open in the bedroom because I quite like being tucked up in a toasty warm bed and have an icy breeze blowing on my face!
We also have a reverse cycle on the wall. It gets used in between times to take the chill out of the air. I also set the timer on it for about an hour before we have to get up for work, so the room is warm to walk out into. Nothing worse than trying to crawl out of a warm bed when it's -10 outside! Lately, Mr Tippy has been running both the gas and the air con. It's killing me because the house is like a furnace. He'll get upset when the power bill comes in, but he'll have no-one to blame but himself!
It's cold enough here in winter whereby we need the heater on all the time while we are home.
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