Looking for an efficient way to heat your bedrooms in your house? Going the Space Heater route is the best way of heating the rooms of your house in an energy-efficient way.
Buyers Guide
If money is tight or an issue for you, Space heaters are a lot more affordable way to go for heating your house and are cheaper than central heating systems. A benefit of space heaters is that they do come with features like digital thermometers and timers etc.
If someone asked you what was more energy-efficient between a fireplace and a space heater. Most people would probably go with a fireplace but the truth is that space heaters have a higher energy efficiency rating than fireplaces – surprising right?
Like any items that you purchase for your household, it is best to ensure and make sure that you have done your research so that you can be comfortable in the item you have paid money for.
What Types of Heaters are Available?
Like most products, the number of different varieties of heaters that are available for purchase is endless.
If you see a flat heater with a wide surface, these tend to be one of either a Hydronic or Oil-Filled heater. A positive about these heaters is that once they have been on for a while and then turned off, they still retain the heat in the room. The downside though Is that they do take a while to heat the room, so if you are looking for a quick warm-fix or have a big space to heat up they may not be ideal for you.
Needing a heater that you can use inside or outside? A Propane heater is perfect for this usage. More often than not propane heaters are for outside, so if you are going to use it for indoor purposes then make sure that you read the instructions or the box and that it is safe.
Wanting to heat your room and house quickly, then a kerosene heater may be right for you. However, you need to ensure due to the smell of the kerosene, that where you are using the heater has plenty of ventilation and that you follow correctly the safety procedures provided with these heaters.
Just as there are many kinds of heaters, there are also lots of different types of space heaters that you can pick from and each has its pros and cons, so you need to look at your house and what you are ideally wanting to heat and how much and when?
How to Choose a Space Heater
Going electric though less efficient than petrol-fuelled models are safer and more versatile. If you have a large enclosed space to heat up then a convection heater is more energy-efficient. If you are wanting a quick-fix instant heat blast then a radiant or infrared heater is the best, the downside though is that the air gets cold almost instantly after they are turned off.
If you have small children, then a ceramic heater is a good way to go as it not only circulates the air but also focuses where the heat needs to go and it remains cool to touch so that children will not burn themselves if they accidentally touch it. Another option that combines both radiant and convection technology together is panel heaters that distribute the warm air evenly and heat up quickly.
How Do Space Heaters Work?
Using a space heater is nice and simple and a straightforward task as they are meant to be used to heat a single room at a time and can be plugged into your nearest plug socket as of course they are electric.
Available are also gas space heaters, however, in some jurisdictions, especially the state of California these are illegal as they have been known to cause some damage. So before looking or considering a gas space heater, make sure that you check to see if you are allowed one where you live.
Electric Space Heaters Safety
Like most safety precautions, it is common sense but if you do purchase an electric space heater for you home, it is advised that you plug it into the socket directly into a plug strip. However, if you cannot spare a single plug socket and need to use a plug strip, then make sure you have it in a visible spot that you can keep an eye on and check it regularly as overpowering a plug strip is when accidents can occur like fires, etc.
Overall, now with this handy guide of information – you should be well-versed and comfortable purchasing the perfect space heater for your household to keep warm this winter.