Safest / best heater for toddler's small bedroom?

Hi,


I've been reading that lots of people like to put layers of clothing on their kiddies when they sleep in winter. I find we also need to still heat up the room.


Can anyone recommend a heater they used that they thought was effective / quiet / safe to touch?


Are the ceramic ones okay and do not dry out the air too much?


The oil heaters would be better for not drying out the air - but are too hot to touch and take up a lot of space??


Thanks!

I would not get a ceramic one. They dry the air terribly and get very hot.


Get an oil filled radiator. There are some quite small ones. Yes, they do get hot but they don't give instant burns like a ceramic one. If you put the radiator behind some furniture that's normally enough. Also, no need to run the radiator at full tilt.


I would also recommend not heating too much. The room gets stuffy. Heat enough to get rid of the "rawness". Kids sleep much better in cold rooms. In my native Sweden we put babies outside in a pram for their afternoon nap, even in the middle of winter.

Poor Swedish babies. ;-) As soon as it gets below 20 degrees, I get cold!


Or I'm now wondering if an electric blanket for her to sleep on top of would be sufficient?


Just to add... the best heater I've ever had was a micathermic heater. It's broken now and I can't find a replacement, except for one at Fortress and Wing On which is really large. Anyone seen these flat panel heaters anywhere?

I would agree, Oil radiator probably the best, no elements or open flame for little fingers to explore, as long as this radiator is not placed near babies cot or bed , within touching distance,it should be safer, a small bowl of water could be put on top of the radiator to humidiy the air. Also oil heaters are heavy-but on wheels. so less likely for a small child to be able to tip it over, most other heaters tend to be lighter in weight.

Thanks Susie... just edited my post to ask anyone about micathermic heaters. I bought one years ago and it's been fantastic but it's broken now and if I could find a medium sized replacement, that would be my first choice.

The absolutely best heating is floor heating. In colder climates we are big proponents of underfloor electric or hot water heating. Very gentle, even heat that gives a nice warm floor and no stifling air. Physics dictates that "heat goes upwards" so if you heat the entire floor the room will be nice.


I have heard that there are Japanese rugs that work on the same principle so you might look for that.


"Poor Swedish babies. ;-) As soon as it gets below 20 degrees, I get cold! "


Haha! They're not cold. Nicely bundled up. It's cold in the air but you're warm. We used to sleep with the window open in Stockholm, even in winter. Would be 11-12 degrees in the bedroom when we woke up. Lovely with a nice mattress well off the floor and a thick down comforter. You learned to walk quickly to the bathroom of course. ;)


And yes, of course you're cold under 20. So am I if I don't dress right. But you wouldn't be with a nice thick comforter. Best sleep ever.


"small bowl of water could be put on top of the radiator to humidiy the air"


This is a myth and doesn't work. The heater isn't warm enough to do more than give you warm water. If you want to humidify, you need a humidifier.

I'd recommend the Leo de Piero Natural Stone Heaters that are now available in Hong Kong.


They don't dry out the air at all (so no need of the 'small bowl of water'), and are very effective. These are cool trendy stone panels that get fixed on the walls, and they heat the room by radiation heat (just like the long wave radiation of sun-rays - so the humidity remains intact), and not by churning out hot air. So the rooms doesn't get hot and stuffy - in fact the air remains cool but the room feels very comfortable as the walls, floor, furniture and even the bed linen gets warm. Kids absolutely love it.


These Natural Stone Heaters don't take up precious space as they can be fixed on the walls or even the ceiling (you can leave them there through the summer when you don't need them- when they double up as lovely Home Décor!). You can control the heat through remote control Room Thermostats. They even have automatic versions of the controls.


There are no open heating elements, or flames or hot metallic parts so kids can be safe. Yes, they are safe to touch too. The stones do get quite hot at their peak settings, but don't cause an instant burn, as the stone radiates the heat very gently (actually when mid-way there - they are lovely to touch - to warm up your hands). They feel just like the tile ovens in Europe (I'm sure the Swedish guy has seen some of those in parts of Sweden) and the room remains warmer for much longer.


Since they can be fixed neatly on the walls or ceiling, there is no danger of kids tipping them over (like what happens with oil radiators), or any one else tripping over the wiring (like with those gadgets kept in the middle of the room).


Overall, they are the most effective heating solution I have come across. And the Physics of it is so sound. I read somewhere that even the Romans used the same technique.

One other thing - I found that with everything in the room getting nicely warmed up with these Stone Heaters, mould and mildew are kept to the minimum. Another plus is the 5 year warranty!


Check them out!!

Where can we buy these and how much do they cost?

Look them up on the net - they go by the name of Leo de Piero. They are located somewhere near Central. The stone heaters come in different sizes, types so its best to check the details with them.

Thanks a lot - these Leo de Piero heaters are fantastic! Tried them this winter and the feel was amazing. They are having an End of Season Sale, with up to 30% off till the end of the month. That's a good bargain for these somewhat pricey Natural Stone Heaters. Not bad for stocking up for the winters, while they double up as great wall décor during the summer (most of my friends can't believe the lovely stones on the walls are heaters!!). They are also exhibiting at the Weekend Harvest Bazaar at Cyberport this weekend.