subject: Knowing The Different Space Heaters [print this page] When used as supplemental heat sources, space heaters can reduce the home's overall heating bill. This doesn't mean that the electrical bill won't increase slightly, because it will, but the tradeoff most generally always results in a savings overall.
Space heaters come in three different types: convection, radiant, and combination furnaces. These furnaces range in price from $35 to around $110.
Before you rush out and purchase a radiator, you should take a minute to consider where you will use the device and which type is the best for the cold spots in your home. Radiant furnaces are best if you want to heat an area very quickly.
On the other hand, if you want to warm an entire room of your house, a convection radiator is the better choice. Still, if you're looking for a furnace that is able to stand up to everyday use and abuse, combination convectors are tough to beat.
Another thing to consider before purchasing a space heater is the amount of heat you want it to put out. Most boilers use between 600 and 1,500 watts of power.
The larger the wattage, the more heat it produces and more power it uses. Most people are concerned with how this translates into utility bill charges if you use one of these furnaces, and the cost of running it just a few hours a day per month.
Well to put it in perspective, if you used a space heater for 6 hours a day, seven days a week for a month, it would cost somewhere around $16.00 to power the furnace. Not bad when you consider how much gas or electricity that you saved by not heating the whole house during that time.
Convection heaters have a unique design and are used to warm the air in a room, not people. They produce hot air that rises to the ceiling and this causes the cooler air to fall to the floor, causing a circulation of the air in the room.
These radiators are either baseboard convectors or water- or oil-filled convectors. The water- and oil-filled convectors are the most efficient by far and are generally warm to the touch.
Radiant furnaces are used to heat people and objects in a room, not the air specifically. These radiators provide warmth to someone sitting in front of it and do it in a timely manner.
If you want heat very quickly, this is the right choice for a heater. However, be aware that there are certain dangers associated with radiant furnaces.
They can burn people and animals and are always a fire threat when put too closely to flammable or combustible materials. Combination heaters provide the best of both of these boilers.
They use a fan to help distribute heat throughout the home, but are not as efficient as the other boilers. They are a good choice for most anywhere in your home.
Electric space heaters produce 1 unit of heat for every 1 unit of electricity. To help you understand the efficiency of those figures, that means the convectors are 100% energy efficient.
Geothermal heat pumps offer 3 units of heat for 1 unit of electricity. That translates into a 300% efficiency.
Space heaters are a low-cost and reasonably effective way to take the chill off of the garage or your home during the winter. But, if your building or room does not have proper insulation, all of the heat can escape and allow cold air enter.
To prevent this, make sure you have good insulation in the walls and ceilings, and if not, consider hiring a professional to fix that problem. This will dramatically save you on your heating and cooling bills year-round.
You should also add weather stripping to the bottoms of all your outside doors. This will ensure that no hot air escapes through the cracks.
You can also install insulated doors to your home. Replace old, leaking windows and entry doors with newer, more energy efficient models.
