Thanks for all the replies to my original question. I have a 6000 btu Cat. heater. It's about as warmth providing as the little electrical heater I have. I have actually been using the electrical heater to take the chill off, then the Cat. to warm the living room when watching tv at night or reading and finally the forced air furnace to heat the whole place before bed time. But recently, as the temps have dropped here on the Washington coast, I find myself with a drippy nose and swaddled in blankets from head to toe. When I go to bed I have been turning off everything but the forced air, which I set on a low setting, ie 50 degrees or less. It is really nice to reach up in the morning while still in my beddy by and jog up the heat for a half hour or so before rising. It just isn't worth keeping the Cat. heater on with the windows open in 30 degree at night and besides, it scares me silly. In the lower weather temps the electric heater draws too much current to make it economical and the Cat heater runs constantly. Even on it's highest setting I am fareeeezing when anywhere away from directly in front of it and then if I get too close, I feel like a weenie on a stick. The electric heater I have cuts off after a short while. I can only guess why, but I am speculating that because it has an heavy case the case heats up to the temp and that signals the heater to cut off. That's nice in a way, but it turns the little guy into a toe warmer only. The Furnace doesn't seem to come on very often. I can tell, because I'm just getting used to it and it wakes me every time. YOW, my fight or flight still leaps into action with every new sound as I grow accustomed to the face of this new abode.
I have been wondering if it is possible and economical to have insulation blown into the space betweens the skins of the AS. Has anyone who uses their As in a really cold climate tried this? How do the folks who make the Alaskan and the Artic Fox rigs insulate them? I am also really interested in hearing about this fireplace idea. That would be spectacular. I am assuming this will be a gas powered fireplace. I have this great idea for making a loop for the tape player that plays the sound of a crackling fire. :0) Where do you intend to put it? JLD
PS. One last thing. I have mounted a small fan on the rail above the slider to the bedroom and wired it to the power to the light for one of the beds (I have a '78 Sovereign with twins in the back. Each bed has it's own reading light) The fan has it's own toggle switch and is about 5" by 5". It fits snugly between the cieling and the rail. Because it is up near the ceiling it grabs any heat that is there and propels it into the bedroom. It also helps with the air Conditioning in the summer. Plan to put in a small temp guage in the backand do some "scientific", tee hee, measurments of temps to see just what the difference it makes. Right now I am so looking for a little warmth back there that I may be fantasizing warmth.
