According to a study done by the United States Department of Energy, almost half of the energy used in American homes goes towards regulating heating and cooling. Depending on where Americans live, much of that energy usage shifts towards heating expenses. In fact, a study found that Bostonians generally spent the most on heating bills, shelling out about $1,635 to keep their homes warm. A new option may offer a natural heating method that can be more cost-effective and eco-friendly in the long run.
Egloo was created as an alternative to combat environmental and financial concerns regarding wasted electricity used for warming homes. While this little heating system only weighs about 2 pounds, it has special features that allow it to be powerful while simple and compact. Art is Therapy wanted to create a heater that blends design and innovation. The base creates the foundation of the Egloo and holds the two-part steel plate connected by magnets. This plate holds the candles and water. To be on the safe side, the base has four felt disks below it for support. On top of the base is a metal grill that supports the domes and creates space for air circulation for the candles.
Finally, two domes are placed on top of the base. The domes and base are made by Italian artisans using natural high-heat terracotta. The team chose terracotta as the main material because it can slowly release the captured heat which is stored inside. Not into the natural terracotta style? The dome finishes come in a range of colored and enameled looks for all types of home aesthetics.
While it may sound like a complicated little heater, it’s actually pretty easy to use. Just light the candles, stack the grill and dome, then sit back and get ready to be toasty. There are two ways to go about what candles to use. Egloo offers a special wax and wooden wicks which can bring the temperatures to 600° degrees. Refills cost less than 10 cents and last 5 hours. Alternatively, people can use tea-lights.
So, how does the heating process actually work? Egloo produces natural heat with the candles which travels through the dome’s layers. The thinner dome inside stores most of the heat while the thicker dome on the outside gradually releases the trapped heat and raises the surrounding temperature.
Once lit, the Egloo takes about 5 minutes to warm up to the proper temperature. The inside chamber will heat up between 140° to 180° degrees while the outside dome gets to 30° and 50° degrees. This even distribution of warmth can add a few degrees to a room in roughly 15 mins.
As an added bonus, the team worked in a water cooling system. This feature allows the heat to humidify the room while it’s adding warm from the candles. This system doubles as a safety features since it helps regulate the temperature of the wax. Essential oils can also be added to the water to spread fragrances throughout a room. All in all, this little dome a convenient mix of heat, scent, and ambient light.
This Eco-Friendly Device Can Heat Your Room In Just 15 Minutes [Green Matters]