@x Hedge wrote:
Hi @Mominohio. You make several very good points. I'll add, the 400 square-foot units produce lower BTUs then the thousand square foot infrared units. So for every dollar you spend on heating you get more actual heat with the infrared quartz units.
The vendors repeat these units cost up to $0.25 per hour to operate because electric costs vary by area.
For me, about $0.09 per hour is right. I don't know who is paying $0.25 per hour.
Possibly some people who live in desert areas, or other parts of the country where they have to buy most of their electricity from neighboring state rather than producing it in their own area. But $0.09 an hour is a far cry from the upper limit of $0.25 an hour.
I prefer the infrared quartz units because they do not dry out the air. It's more comfortable. And it's far better for my hair and skin to be closed up for 7 months with air that is not dried out and cooked.
75 degree air, whether it's dried out and cooked or not, still reads 75 degrees to a thermostat. But our perception is that the dried-out cooked air feels warmer.
Going by reviews, I'd say past customers were surprised when they bought infrared units and found that they didn't produce heat that felt as warm. Their complaints resulted in moving the heating unit from the bottom of the Duraflame to the upper area so that customers could better feel the heat.
The same heat is being produced whether it's pushed out at ankle level or higher level. This change in design was all about the perception of whether it "feels" warm.
Hi @x Hedge
I really don't know what our cost to operate per hour is here, but I do know that even heavy use of my heaters doesn't really run my bill up much. And early in the season, as well as late, I'm able to shut off the baseboard heat, and use the Duraflames as needed when we are in each room. I've gotten to the point where I only run my baseboard heat in most of my house, when it is consistently cold enough to freeze the pipes.
I will add, for people to just have a heads up. that most everything on Q's website right now from Duraflame appears to be the infrared quartz.
I don't like that we don't have the option any more, to get the older style. Energy efficiency is of considerable value, but honestly, of the four quartz heaters I have and love, I choose one of my older ones (non quartz) when it is really cold and I want to get warmer faster.
Getting that more heating area doesn't really mean anything to me, when it feels like chilly air blowing on me. The quartz will eventually make the room as warm as the regular, it just takes much longer for it to happen, and you're ok if you don't have the heating unit pointed directly at you, as it really does feel like chilly air blowing out (unless you get right down near the unit).
Your ideas about the reasons for the moving of the quartz unit's heating elements up off the floor are very interesting, and something I hadn't even thought of. I just wonder if over time, more people will notice and complain that now the floor and feet aren't easily warmed, as that heat is now rising to the ceiling even quicker!
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