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Old 12-05-2015, 03:35 AM   #1
TYR
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Efficient Use of Furnace

After spending almost 4 years up in NJ where this really wasn't an issue (it was cold, baby!), we are back in Texas and wondering really about the most efficient use of our furnace.

Is it better to leave it at a higher setting, say 65-67 or so, with the furnace running for longer periods of time versus setting it lower (about 62-63) and having it cycle on an off more?

Seems like a tech once told us it was better on the furnace and used less propane when running more continuously. That sort of makes sense.

Again, it's Texas, so not bad during the daytime but down right now into the upper 30s/low 40s. We have our fireplace and 2 tower heaters to supplement, but the furnace does give a nice overall warmth to the basement, floors, etc.

Thoughts? What do you do in milder climates?

Hope everyone's staying cozy out there!

Betty
 
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Old 12-05-2015, 04:03 AM   #2
Rob Walters
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Glad you're back in Texas. I don't know if it's efficient but I set mine at about 67 or 68 and use my small electric heaters to help. I LIKE being warm, and HATE being cold that's why I live in Texas.
By the way, that's a FANTASTIC photo of your rig and the stormy skies.
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Old 12-05-2015, 09:57 AM   #3
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I guess we're at the other end. We set the furnace at 55 and use a small electric heater and the fireplace for most of the heat when the outside temps are above freezing.
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Old 12-05-2015, 12:27 PM   #4
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If you do not pay extra for the electric, use electric. Google electric vs propane. There are web sites that can provide some comparisons.
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Old 12-05-2015, 02:18 PM   #5
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We nstalled a catalytic propane portable unit last Jan. and have not turned on our furnace since. If we are on electric we use a electric heater but since we dry camp a lot we use our portable unit. Since we do not spend to much time in colder weather I am not to worried about heating the underbelly. If I had a choice I would remove the furnace so I had more storage.. Maybe some day they will come up with a better furnace.
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Old 01-09-2016, 09:52 AM   #6
richfaa
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Our is set at 70 Degrees we use no other source of heat. The furnace in this 13 3402 does a good job. The 06 3400 was sieve seals leaked air. etc. Since we alternate between warm places in the summer and warm places in the winter we do not use the furnace much.
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Old 01-09-2016, 12:59 PM   #7
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Ours stays set at 58 and we supplement with the fireplace. If the nighttime temps stay above 40, a 30# tank will last quite awhile.
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Old 01-09-2016, 02:09 PM   #8
DarMar
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We like to be warm also with furnace set about 68 and two extra electric heaters set at 70. If it's cold enough that the two heaters can't keep up then in cuts the furnace. When that happens it's usually cold enough that the underbelly needs some heat from time to time.
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Old 01-10-2016, 02:18 AM   #9
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Hi Betty,
Crazy winter we are having everywhere. I am a recently retired HVAC service tech and business owner in the biz all my life. Your (our) furnace is incredibly inefficient, noisy, and expensive to run. They make a 2 stage furnace that is very nice, but still wasteful with propane. The reason folks run the furnace exclusively, (no electric or supplemental heaters) is that below freezing weather, we need to run it to help heat the underbelly where the tanks and various water lines are Above freezing, you don't need to run it, electric or other propane gear is what many go with.
If you have to pay for the electric, strictly electric heat will be very costly, depending on what it costs per unit kW
I use a ventless Propane heater, around 98% of my propane is used to heat my Monte.
I like it, and it's cheap to run.
For your living comfort, just run your furnace, be comfortable, the furnace will be fine.
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Old 01-10-2016, 03:19 AM   #10
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Our electric for the month of December here in Florida near Disneyworld was 110.00 at a rate of just under 13 cents per KWH. This has been the hottest month on record in this area. We average @ 28KW a day running everything on Electric with both A/C/s set at 77 degrees. Running furnace only set at 70 degrees in a "normal" Florida winter our bill is around 70/75 dollars. We have not yet used a tank of propane since we arrived October 21st.These are our comfort levels and we pay the bill.


10 days into January and it has cooled down to a "normal" Florida winter/ The furnace might run a bit overnight. Fridge and hot water tank still on electric. We have a induction cooker and they are power hogs. We are averaging 16K per day.
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Old 01-10-2016, 07:24 AM   #11
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Another issue that hasn't been discussed is when one of you needs a different temp than the other. In our household Joyce is always cold and I'm always hot so we use the electric heaters to direct heat to Joyce while I can be cooler on the other side of the room.
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Old 01-10-2016, 09:45 AM   #12
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We don't like being cold. But we both sleep much better if it is cool and we can snuggle under warm covers. So ours stays set at 59 degrees at night. Then the next morning I get up, set it to 68, and turn on the fireplace to let it warm up while I make coffee. DW gets up when the temp rises and coffee is ready.
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Old 01-16-2016, 11:07 PM   #13
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At night we set the temp to 60. TRY this: we also close the bedroom door, it keeps the bedroom several degrees warmer then the rest of the RV.
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Old 01-17-2016, 02:19 AM   #14
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Quote:
quote:Originally posted by bikefever

At night we set the temp to 60. TRY this: we also close the bedroom door, it keeps the bedroom several degrees warmer then the rest of the RV.
That's interesting because ours is just the opposite. Close the bedroom door and it cools down pretty quickly. Heat rising in the downstairs can't rise up to the bedroom.
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