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Electric Room Heaters, Options and Applications

Jan 24 '09 (Updated Feb 18 '09) Write an essay on this topic.

The Bottom Line First look at your central heating system for defects in distribution and or design.  Carefully consider what you need the supplementary product to do. Read and follow all safety precautions.

There are a lot of people out there shopping for portable electric heaters. Some are looking for something inexpensive, something easy to install and something that will bring warmth to an area of their home... that they feel is not quite up to their comfort expectations. All too often, they are looking for a quick and inexpensive solution that does not exist.

Let me start by stating that, I have often found the problem is easily resolved by simply adjusting various dampers in the ducts system to balance the flow of heat and return air throughout the central heating system. This is a problem that is sadly overlooked, too frequently. Always remember that all homes have had to have their central heating systems inspected by municipal engineers and they had to meet codes before the house could be built. Unless there have been additions to the home or the duct system is not balanced, it should provide an even and adequate amount of heat to every room.

Supplementary electric heaters can be a blessing to a small room that is being let down by the central heating system and they can be a pain in the butt, to those who expect too much from them.

Make sure whatever room you want to add a supplementary heater to has proper electrical outlets, that are not already overloaded.   You can't correct a "cold" room by simply adding 1500 watt heaters without regard for overloading the circuits serving that area.

Understanding The Differences

Prices can range from $15.00 to over $100.00 and designs range from tiny "micro furnace" types to large thin infra-red screen types, with or without fans, and with or without the ability to meet your comfort expectations.

One of the most important things to understand when buying an electric heater, is that the simple 120 volt types are limited to a maximum of 1500 watts, which will produce about 5100 Btu's per hour. In terms of your typical "northern North American" household furnace, this is about 1/15th of the heat requirements of the average older style 2500 square foot home. So, yes, it can add a supplementary amount of heat to a room and no, it can not heat a typical bedroom by itself. There are no 1500 watt heaters on the market that can heat a large unfinished basement by themselves. That is a common request, and it often has to be qualified by questions about the location, the insulation values and the existing heating system.

There are many different types of room heaters and some deserve to be highlighted for what they can and can not do. The oil-filled radiator type with an adjustable 750/1500 watt heater is ideal for a room that is a little cool in the winter. The beauty of the little oil filled radiator type heater is that it is silent and it is consistent. Most are equipped to work at only 750 watts or up to 1500 watts with an integral thermostat, turning it on and off throughout the night to maintain a comfortable temperature.   This type of unit is efficient, quiet and economical to buy. In my opinion, it is the ideal heater to supplement a room with heat. (Especially a bedroom where a fan can be a distraction.)

Infra-red heaters have a reputation for heating up people in the room fast and efficiently. Although they will heat people in the area quickly, they are not an efficient means of heating large areas. I find they have an equal tendancy to turn down fast and leave heavenly bodies feeling cool. Whereas the oil filled heaters may turn off when the need or setting is met, there is an after glow that continues to permeate into the room, long after the power is off. Efficiencies aside, as both are 100 percent, I simply feel the oil filled, electric radiator types are more consisently comfortable and quiet.

Differentiating One From The Other

There is room in the industry for all of these types of heaters. Who wouldn't want the thin sceen type infra-red eletric heater basking you and your loved ones on the couch as you watch a movie in the basement, then cooling down quickly after you've gone to bed?

Who can't see the value of an electric oil filled radiator type heater that heats up a bedroom without any noise? Maintains a set temperature and turns itself on and off as required?

For those of us who use cool workshops and need to have a bit of extra heat as we work in isolation, the micro furnace with ceramic tiles is not a bad choice. It's fast, it's cheap and it's small.   We can also move it to where we want it to be effective.

There really are no more cost effective choices, since 100% of the electricity you use is turned into useable heat. The only efficiency question is whether or not you purchased a heater that meets your real needs. Understanding that a 1500 watt heater is roughly equal to five (5) standing gas pilots on a gas furnace or a water heater. Typically that little pilot flame on your furnace or water heater produces about 1,000 Btu's per hour. I offer this information as an aid to consumers to visualize 5100 Btu's and how limited that much space it can reasonably heat.

No Such Thing As An Inexpensive Garage Heater

Lately, I have more and more people asking me for quick heat solutions for their garages. Typically, it is for people who either work out in the garage or have to go out there to smoke and have friends who want to smoke out there too.   As a former smoker, I sympathize with people who need to feel comfortable, while they enjoy themselves. As a trained heating and air conditioning designer, I will not try to sell them on a portable electric heater, that will not solve their problems.   These plug in heaters will barely scratch the surface of the heating needs in a  garage environment, especially one with high open ceilings. While the open flame type propane construction heaters are downright dangerous in a garage.

The propane and fuel oil type heaters on the open market today are not healthy options for people in an enclosed environment.   People may think they will only use it for a few hours per day, but these heaters are designed for use in open air. They are not designed to give a smoker, fifteen minutes of warmth while they indulge their habits. If you need to heat your garage for either workshop tasks or for the quick retreat for a smoke, it should be done properly with a vented garage/wall furnace type heater, that is fully vented and the flame is not an open one, exposed to flammable vapors in the garage.

Outside The Garage

One of the best values that smokers have seen over the past few months is gas powered patio heaters, with heating capacities of up to 10 square feet. Although these products are not approved for inside garages, but they do give some shelter to beleagured smokers who are fast finding themselves out of places to go.   THESE ARE NOT RECOMMENDED FOR USE IN A GARAGE!!!    I know this sounds like a stupid warning, but I have had people ask me if they could use them in their garage.   The answer is NO.

Beware of Old Heaters

Take care and use supplementary heaters with caution. Learn about your heater, get the manual and read it to understand the dangers. If it's a heater you inherited from your grandmother, you may want to dispose of it. Chances are, it no longer meets national safety codes. It is likely made of a sturdy metal with a big old electric fan motor and that is why it has lasted all these years. Made in the good old USA. Nothing wrong with that thinking, except, years ago they didn't put in things like tip over switches, smother switches and sometimes even high temperature limit controls to shut it down safely, if they fall over or if a curtain is accidently draped over the face of it.

Seeing the new plastic electric heaters on the market today, has been disturbing to me, since I was born in the days when you simply did not mix heaters and plastic together. However, even the cheaper electric heaters today need to meet national safety standards, and plastics are required to be flame retardant, temperature switches are designed to fail safe, should the fan fail, long before the appliance overheats to a dangerous level. Tip over switches and smother switches are incorporated.

It still seems to me that a little common sense goes a long way and no portable heater should be left running unattended around children.   Grandpa's old heater may carry sentimental value, but it often has little sensible value.

Too many people either die or are taken to the emergency centers each year, because of a poor or lack of understanding of the safe use and maintenance of all heaters (gas, oil, wood and electrical.) The U.S. CPSC advises us that each year more than 10,000 accidental fires are started at this time of year, by people misusing portable heaters, of all types. With a bit of care and understanding safety precautions thoroughly, you don't have to be one of them.

Be Safe,

Regards,
The Gasman

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