Should my oven be on 24/7 or not?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the efficiency of using an electric heating device (referred to as an oven in the initial post) for maintaining a comfortable temperature in an apartment, particularly whether it is more economical to keep it on continuously or to turn it off during the day when the occupant is away.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • One participant calculates a heating need of about 1.8 kW to maintain a temperature of 20°C in their apartment when outside temperatures drop to -19°C.
  • Another participant questions the terminology used, clarifying that they are discussing an electric heater rather than a cooking oven.
  • Some participants suggest that it may be more economical to turn the heater off while the occupant is away and use a timer to preheat the apartment before their return, although this is presented as a guess rather than a definitive conclusion.
  • There is an anecdotal mention of using an open oven door to heat a kitchen in a different context, highlighting variations in heating practices.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing views on the terminology and the heating strategy, with some suggesting the use of a timer while others are uncertain about the best approach. No consensus is reached on the most economical method of heating.

Contextual Notes

Participants do not provide specific data on the thermal properties of the apartment's construction or the exact efficiency of the heating device, leaving some assumptions unaddressed.

Who May Find This Useful

Individuals interested in energy efficiency, home heating strategies, or those living in similar climates may find this discussion relevant.

TSN79
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In my appartment I mainly use one oven for heating. This has a max capacity of 2 kW. I have calculated (roughly) that my appartment has a need for about 1.8 kW at the minumum temp of -19 C outside. Now, my question is do you immediately think that it's more economical for me to turn the oven off during the day (when I'm at work) and then turn it on when I come home, or should I have in on 24/7? This without sacrificing too much comfort due to lower temp of course...

Naturally I'm looking to have about 20 C at all times when I'm in the house, except maybe during night time. The building is mainly of concrete, and so I'm not sure how long it takes for the heat to escape, and how long it would take to bring the temp up again...

Thoughts?
 
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When you say oven, do you mean an oven that one uses to cook food?
 
Hehe, no, that would be a stove. I'm talking about a regular heating device, like a radiator, only it's electrical.
 
TSN79 said:
Hehe, no, that would be a stove. I'm talking about a regular heating device, like a radiator, only it's electrical.

:smile: Here, that would be called an electric heater. I was very puzzled by that, and had this strange image of the door to an oven (stove) open in an attempt to heat the apartment.

As to your question, I'm not sure. I would say that it would be more economical to turn it off when you're not in the apartment-- maybe see if there's a way to time it so it comes on an hour or so before you get home, to give chance to warm the place up. That's just a guess though!
 
Dang Norweeds and their terminology... :-p
At my house (which I don't live in), we used to leave the oven door open to heat the kitchen, since there isn't a proper furnace outlet in there. Both run on natural gas, so it didn't cost any more to do it that way.
As for an electric space heater, I agree with Cristo that a timer on the supply line would be the proper way to go. Set it to activate a half-hour or so before your arrival.
 
Excellent :) It shall be done! Thx
 

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