This forum is dedicated to connecting hosts with other hosts. Sign up to get the latest updates and news just for AirBnb hosts! Note that we are not affiliated with Airbnb - we are just passionate hosts!
I have a small room (about 130 sqft not including the bathroom) that has a vent for my central heating and evaporative AC. Because the door into that room is closed off the room often seems chilly to me and the bathroom has no vent or heater so I had a space heater sitting in the little entry hall. I’m aware of safety issues with space heaters: what if they plug it into the powerstrip and leave it on all night, what if they try to put it in the bathroom, etc. I have one but my guest complained that it was noisy and sure enought it it much noisier than I recall from last winter. Rather than see if I can repair it I’m looking at replacement.
I’m considering a wall mounted unit, a plug in baseboard heater or even a wall hanging LED fireplace. Normally I wouldn’t consider the fake fireplace because I personally find fake things offputting. But given the prices, functionality and the apparent pleasure these seemingly give to those who buy them (based on reviews) they are in the running.
Edit to add: I’m also getting an estimate next week for a mini split unit in the room that will replace the window AC and the space heater. In the bathroom I want to put an appropriate ceiling heater so there’s no space heater in there.
What about one of those heat-lamp bulbs that mounts in the ceiling and is controlled by the wall switches. Many bathroom ceiling fixtures are set up for the two screw in elements – light bulb and heat lamp. Might be more of an “install” that you want, but worth considering. The wall switches then control the exhaust fan, the heat lamp, and the overhead light.
I will definitely look into that @KenH. I was considering one of the Heating element fixtures that attaches to the ceiling. A heat lamp would be more elegant and could be changed out seasonally (perhaps?)
might be a bigger project, but I’m seeing a lot heat pumps installed in garages. The prices have come down a lot. It would give your guest room more autonomy and reduce the load on the main part of the house. I think its less risky than space heaters, less Faux than the fireplace option, and give your guest some AC option for those not so cool TX summers.
There are in wall units that look like Air Conditioners, or sleak ones that are usually closer to ceiling height.
@HH_AZ yes, the mini split has tons of appeal. I can have the condenser installed on the side of my house and it can service two fan and control housings, one in my bedroom and one in the guest room. The only downside is cost. I think one room will be about $1600 vs $5-600 for window units/spaceheaters. The pro is coming next week to give me an estimate for that.
Mini split heat pumps are amazing and really quite affordable now. I love mine, worth every penny.
I also used a infrared heating unit, it’s a nice wood cabinet, I paid a fair dollar for mine it has remote, timer and fan.
When I looked into a heat pump 15 years ago it would have run me 12 to 15 thousand $ plus!. Last year I installed a mini split heat pump ( one unit for the suite, the other for my main livingroom space. ) $3,200 installed. I use the infrared heaters for the upstairs bedrooms and another little bach flat my family or friends stay in when visiting. I like the infrared as I can move it around and turn it way down to just keep the chill out of rooms I don’t use very much. ( I live on the west coast rainy and damp )
I have a big old rambling house, the central gas heating was killing me. I have a Dr. Infrared & two Duraflames, these units are now 3 to 4 years old and still going strong. I did purchase a cheaper model once, can’t recall the name but it was lousy, the fan started to scream, and it was in a plastic cabinet, you get what you pay for.
This is a link to a review site: https://www.homeair.org/best-infrared-heater-reviews/,
I have the fake fireplace in my office, its quiet and I like it. I coupled it with a smart plug in thermostat thing which was half again the price for the heater and I love it. One in my home office guest room as well. Amazon for both
If you also want the unit to have AC I would go with the mini splits. If you just need heat there will be cheaper options for a wall unit or baseboard.
Forgive me for my ignorance, but do you have to have new, updated wiring to support one of these mini-splits? We are also on the west coast, have a 1959 building with baseboard heat. We have a portable a/c unit for the summer that works okay. We have big picture windows that face west (and barely open) so the room heats up. Have thought (not very much) about alternatives which include replacing the windows with more energy efficient or at least so they open without affecting the view, additional a/c units blow the circuit; in fact a guest cannot blow dry her hair and have the a/c on in the bedroom. Usually the a/c unit is in the living room so it’s fine, but we also can’t have 2 a/c units.
I know that the heat pump will require a designated breaker, probably 40 amp. If you have room in your electrical panel this should not be a problem. Also, you would no longer have to run any additional a/c at all as the H/P converts to a/c. I have upgraded all wiring in my house; but this place had a foundry and there had been a salon here years ago, so I have tons of power coming into this house ( 4 -150 amp panels ) in my case all I replaced all the knob & tube with 14/2 in the house, all the auxiliary buildings and basement had new wiring, in the house I can still blow breakers, so i installed GFI’s in the suite so they can reset and I don’t have to get out of bed and go to the basement to reset the breaker, I don’t have kitchens but I do have a snack prep area: fridge/micro/kettle/ toaster. I was able to resource and replace the appliances that were pulling 1500w and replace with ones that draw 700w, so if you do the math…2/700w appliances pull the same power as one 1500w appliance. If they have a monster hydro pulling blow dryer and trip the breaker they can reset by way of the GFI located in the suite. I inform guests that the circuit will trip if they have they have too many electrical appliances running at the same time and where the GFI is located so they can reset. It has only happened 3 X in 4 years, most folks get it, depends on your clientele.
I just placed a space heater after doing a complete research that how can I reduce the consumption cost and also got help from here ( http://www.mnenergysmart.com/when-space-heaters-make-cents-and-when-they-dont/ ) but now, my guests are complaining about noise. I am fed up of this issue. My husband is focusing on reviews of electric fireplace ( https://bestazy.com/best-electric-fireplace/ ) nowadays but I don’t think it would be a good idea in term of consumption cost. What do you say?
I started this thread because of a complaint about the rattle of my existing space heater. I found though that if I turned it on once it warmed up it didn’t make that much noise. So I bought a small one designed to be used in the bathroom and kept my noisy rattling one for now. I haven’t ruled out getting the electric “fireplace” to hang on the wall. But thing is, winters are short and most nights, pretty mild here. And the number of guests who are super sensitive to noise are limited. I haven’t had another guest comment about the heater noise. I may put a mini-split (AC/heat pump) unit in there if I can find someone to do it at a reasonable cost.
As far as consumption cost that’s something that has to come last on my list. It needs to fit the space, be quiet, etc first. There are other kinds of heaters that are supposed to be quiet so maybe look into those.
robin1:
Usually the a/c unit is in the living room so it’s fine, but we also can’t have 2 a/c units.