Is It Still Cold Where You Are? Get An Envi Heater Panel

We live in a 100 year old house and the landlord isn't exactly into upkeep and insulating; as a result, we have to do a lot of draft protection installations and work with small space heaters running while we are awake. To make matters worse, the room hubby and I sleep in is in the basement. Technically, it's what you'd call a "finished basement", but the heating ducts apparently do not know that and, in all honesty, we suffer with a bedroom temperature of less than 40 degrees during these 40-below Fargo, North Dakota, winters. (I have recorded a temp of 34 in that room!)

Sure, we use a heated mattress pad, have several blankets under an uber-thick comforter, and keep the door closed to trap our body heat inside the room. And those things do make the bed warm, eventually. But those tricks do nothing for the actual temperature in the room itself. At night, you walk on that cold (though carpeted) floor to turn the heated mattress pad on, then get undressed in that cold room and put on a frigid sleep shirt before diving between the still-not-warm sheets. You wake up in the morning, strip yourself of the warm bedding, and shudder in the cold air. You walk on that cold floor to get cold clothing out of the drawer and, at my age, try not to pee while doing so.

Obviously, I was excited when the folks at eheat.com contacted me about reviewing one of their electric panel heaters. But hubby was skeptical... Understandably, he didn't want to put out another fire in his underpants. But the Envi High-Efficiency Whole Room Plug-In Electric Panel Heater is not your typical space heater.

These 100% pure convection electric heating units are slim, safe, soundless, efficient, economical, easy to install -- and they are made in America.

What does that all mean?

First of all, the set up. The Envi heater is easy to instal. Hubby loved how the box was a hanging guide -- as in the box itself was a template of where the screws would go on the wall! Amazingly easy!

It's slim design, means it is not only unobtrusive in terms of decor, but safely out of the way from family and pets. And should someone touch it, the Envi remains cool to the touch.

Since there's no fan, there's no added noise to your house. No more turning the TV up louder and louder to accommodate all the household noise. Light sleepers will appreciate the no-noise factor (and small light that dims as well). Since it's that fan that really adds to the wattage in heaters, no fan means less wattage and lower bills.In fact, it takes less wattage to run the Envi than it does our mattress pad heater!

The low wattage used makes these heaters is economical, yes; but more than that, they are safe to use as they are not likely to overload outlets. Envi heaters also have an enhanced thermal cut-off, which means if the unit's air vents are blocked, the heater quickly shuts down. Because we can leave the Envi on 24-7, with no worries of fires, we sleep tight -- and warm -- now. (Not to mention just entering the room has greatly improved!)

It is rather remarkable that with such a low wattage that they are so effective. Our bedroom temperature increased by 15 degrees (or more on nights not so severely cold!) and that is huge in terms of living quality.

Whether you want to go green, or just want to save some money, I highly recommend the Envi heaters for warming up your house -- or other space. (Once the weather becomes more Spring like here, we plan on taking our Envi heater to the house we are restoring so that we can create a warm-up spot and start working earlier!)

Disclaimer: You should know by now that receiving review products doesn't mean anything other than the fact that I will give an honest review. I have given negative reviews of items I have received because they were, in my opinion, bad or even horrible. My recommendation of this heater is based on nothing but the use of it and not the fact that it was given to me for review.

Get Those Babies Ready For Spring!

I don't blog much about babies; it's been years since I've had any, and my advice all seems old hat. But when I spot a product line that I wish was around back in the day I was lugging babies & toting toddlers, I have to mention it.

Cozy Cover is a Minnesota company offering some great new items that make taking baby out and about easier and safer. First, there are nifty (and cozy) covers that go over infant carriers. The original designs are for warmth, but, just in time for Spring, there are new arrivals for protecting baby from sunlight, rain, and bugs.

Perhaps most exciting are the other products designed to make life with a baby a less clunky, more portable, affair.

The On-The-Go Changing Pad is a much smaller version of the old diaper bag. Along with the necessary diaper changing pad, there are expandable pockets for diapers, creams and wipes, and a zippered pocket for keys keys, I.D. card, and the like. The Velcro handle allows for it to be attached to stroller etc., which means less weight on your shoulders.

The Portable Easy Seat means no more packing up the highchair -- or hoping one is available at the restaurant. Simply unfold the Portable Easy Seat from it's matching carrying bag, and convert any chair with a back into a safe place for baby to sit. The 5 point safety harness and adjustable back keeps baby secure.

 

Cozy Cover products are also available at Amazon -- which is especially great for Prime members!

(If you are not a member of Amazon Prime, get a free trial here.)

A Superhero In Underpants

A number years ago, while I was up late writing, I smelled smoke. I anxiously left the computer and began walking around the house, using my nose to lead me to the source. Before I could get all the way to the kitchen, the smoke detector went off upstairs. I ran to the stairs and looked up to the top to see my husband, sleepy-face and in his underpants, tossing water from a small bathroom Dixie cup onto a smoking wall by our bedroom.

When I got to the top of the stairs, hubby explained that the space heater we used to heat the upstairs had overloaded the outlet and started a fire. He held the now unplugged and melted plug up as evidence. The white wall was charred, but there was no more smoke. The wall no longer felt warm, but we were concerned that there might be fire inside the wall that we could not detect, so we called the fire department to be on the safe side.

All the noise woke Destiny (then all of 8 or so). She opened her bedroom door and zombie-walked out to see her dad in his boxers, the small cup still in his hand. We briefly explained the situation and that the firemen were on their way, just to be sure the fire was out. Her large blue eyes got even wider, but she didn't say a word and just went back to bed. Apparently, seeing dad on the job was all the reassurance she needed.

To this day, we discuss hubby's superhero costume as consisting of his underpants and a Dixie cup.

My superhero costume is very different; but that's another story for another day.