Keeping Old Cast-Iron Radiators, or Replacing Them
Most old cast-iron radiators don’t need to go anywhere. The metal outlasts furnaces, roofs, and usually the people who install them.
Line-Voltage Thermostats: Why Baseboard Heat Is Controlled Differently
A line-voltage thermostat carries the full electrical current of the heater it controls, because on an electric baseboard there is no furnace or boiler…
What a Space Heater Actually Costs to Run
A 1,500-watt space heater running four hours a day costs whatever your electricity rate says it costs, multiplied by 6 kilowatt-hours.
The C-Wire Question: What It Is and What to Do Without One
A common wire, also called a C-wire, is a low-voltage conductor that gives a thermostat constant power so its screen, Wi-Fi radio and processor can run…
Why a Space Heater Should Not Be on an Extension Cord
No. A space heater should run straight from a wall outlet, plugged in directly, with nothing in between.
A Pellet Stove in a Power Cut
A pellet stove goes cold within minutes of a power outage, and there’s no workaround built into the appliance itself.
What a Smart Thermostat Does That a Programmable One Does Not
A programmable thermostat runs the schedule you typed in, nothing more. A smart thermostat also reacts to things you never told it: an empty house, a…
A Leaking Radiator: Where the Water Is Coming From
Water pooling under a radiator almost always comes from one of four spots: the pipe union where the valve meets the radiator, the valve spindle itself, a…
Sealing Your Own Ducts: What Works and What Falls Off
Sealing your own ducts works best with a brush-applied mastic or a foil tape carrying a tested rating mark, applied to the joints closest to your furnace…
Oil-Filled Radiators: What the Oil Is Actually For
The oil in an oil-filled radiator heater sits sealed inside the metal fins for the life of the appliance.