GLAD YOU ASKED: Will those portable electric Amish heaters I see advertised really reduce my heating bill?

By Mike Moore
Journal Times

Thursday, November 6, 2008 11:20 AM CST

“Amish” and “electric” have as much in common as “Cubs” and “World Series.” So, first off, let’s clarify that the heaters themselves aren’t made by Amish workers.

If you do deeper research on the Heat Surge fireplace, you find the part that’s hand-crafted by the Amish is the wooden mantle that houses it. Most of the fireplace packages include it.

I couldn’t find any consumer organizations that rated the model against others, but We Energies spokesman Brian Manthey said people should keep in mind they’re using less gas but more electricity. Any heater of that wattage would typically cost $120 a month to run if kept on full blast all day, he said.

The 1,500-watt heater is meant to be used in one closed room. To save money overall, he said “you would have to turn down your thermostat considerably through the rest of the house.” Experts say electricity costs about 2 1/2 times what natural gas does.

If leaving other rooms several degrees chillier is doable at your pad, a portable electric heater of some kind could be worth the investment. Whether that’s the not-so-Amish one or another is up to your tastes and wallet size.

Who is selling the gold “C” books around the Racine area?

Sounds like something a prospector would’ve sold to finance a mining expedition in the 1840s, but apparently it’s a popular fundraiser. These are the cheaper version of the “entertainment books” that offer savings at a variety of restaurants and other hot spots.

The gold C books typically offer buy-one, get-one-free or half-off coupons. One organization that’s selling them is Holy Communion Lutheran Church. A women’s group there raises money for world relief or other charity efforts, Barbara Staton said.

To order one of the books, call Sue Cooper at 886-6130. Holy Communion volunteers will also be at Educators Credit Union, 1400 N. Newman Road in Mount Pleasant, during banking hours Nov. 28-29.

If other organizations are still selling them, let me know and I’ll share the scoop.

Are there any plans to extend 21st Street to the newly opened section of Oakes Road?

It’s on the radar, but nothing immediate is planned, Mount Pleasant Village Administrator Mike Andreasen said.

A school bus is headed west on Highway 11. If I’m headed the opposite direction on a two-lane stretch of the highway, am I required to stop when that bus does?

The number of lanes aren’t important. According to the Wisconsin Motorists’ Handbook, it depends whether the road has a median.

If it has one, you wouldn’t need to stop in that case, unless a sign tells you differently. If there’s no median, you’ve got to stop at least 20 feet away when the bus stops (and flashes those funky red lights).

It goes without saying to watch the kids either way. They’re even less predictable than the cruise control on my old Ford LTD.

Which day care operators offer drop-off services, where they will take a child for just a few hours once in a while?

I’m slowly getting acclimated to this parenting thing, but I’m clueless on day care. Mobile moms and dads must know a few good ones. Please forward them; no appointment needed.

Mike Moore compiles the Glad You Asked column, which seeks answers to questions of local interest. Call us at (262) 631-1758 or e-mail: ask@journaltimes.com

Special Offer: Get 5 Weeks of the Journal Times for $7!