Saving on Energy Costs: Tips?

[lady_bug87]

We all have collections that vary in size and heating/ lighting requirements, and since this forum has members from all over the world with different climates in some cases I was wondering how people manage energy costs.

For example as I have recently moved into a new home all my herps are in one room which I have a high efficiency heater which ensures my temps don't dip below 70 which eliminates my need for multiple CHEs

[infernalis]

We all have collections that vary in size and heating/ lighting requirements, and since this forum has members from all over the world with different climates in some cases I was wondering how people manage energy costs.

For example as I have recently moved into a new home all my herps are in one room which I have a high efficiency heater which ensures my temps don't dip below 70 which eliminates my need for multiple CHEs

That's exactly what I do.

My reptile room is heated independently from the rest of the house.

Only my African species have any supplimental heat.

[Loucifer]

We keep a small heater/humidifier near our BP's enclosure, in our bedroom. Doesn't help the outdoor temps have been around 0 degrees this week... I've noticed a small bump in our utility bill. Only one uth/tstat and one IR lamp on a dimmer, as we only have one snake. Relatively cheap.

[Lankyrob]

I stack all my vivs together - keep the "hot" side the same for each viv and i have found that the top of the stack's CHE is barely on at all :)

[Strutter769]

I too have my heeps in one room with a heater. 80° during the day, 70° nighttime.

Question: Some have written that with the higher temps, eliminates need for CHE? I'm guessing you Can probably throw Flexwatt into that category as well? If you have no CHE or heat tape, how do the animals thermoregulate? Aren't all the enclosures one base temp then, with no warm or cool end?

[mykee]

I keep everything in one room also, and block off that room (both intake and outtake) from the rest of the house. My heat tape alone keeps my temps up around 78-80 degrees all year long.
Mind you, I probably have over 300 feet of heat tape running, as well as a dehumidifier 24 hours a day to keep the rooms relative humidity below 50%.
I calculated the costs for me to run that room for one full month and it costs between $17-$22 dollars (depending on whether or not I have my incubators running).

[infernalis]

I too have my heeps in one room with a heater. 80° during the day, 70° nighttime.

Question: Some have written that with the higher temps, eliminates need for CHE? I'm guessing you Can probably throw Flexwatt into that category as well? If you have no CHE or heat tape, how do the animals thermoregulate? Aren't all the enclosures one base temp then, with no warm or cool end?

not sure how this would apply with some other species, but for my colubrids, the basking spot is all they need for a quick warm up. And with the whole room warm, they don't need to thermo regulate as much.

[Terranaut]

This is my first with my new reptile room that was my garage. My house is a side split with bedrooms over the garage. I insulated, sealed put in a floating floor and have learned it takes quit a bit to heat it. I am using a large 1200 watt radient heater on a thermostat. Anything below -10ºC and it runs alk the time to keep the room at 76ºF. I also hav a hot tub so my hydo bill is like a grow house. Ok well no hat bad but its quite a bit.
Next year the snakes are coming inside for Dec-Mar. Or I need to get a gas heater in the garage. But we shall see. I will post what the winter cost me after it's over.