I’ve been living in New York for all my life, and let me tell you, the winters here are harsh, and if you don’t have a heater, it is difficult to survive. If you live in a crazy and cold city like me, then having a heater is a must-have, and you need it to survive those harsh winters. Space heaters are known to be practical and affordable, but you still need to know how to choose the right one. Here are the criteria to take into account to find the one that best suits your needs.
Which energy source?
The first thing you need to know is the availability of the energy source you can use. A space heater can run on oil, gas, or electricity. You’ll have to do a little research to find out how much these fuels are sold for near you. Because it is not worth buying a heater that works with oil very cheap and then you have to go to the next area to refuel. Note that it is electricity that consumes the most for energy consumption, but it allows to raise the temperature very quickly. As for gas and oil, they are less expensive but take longer to heat up. However, the heat they provide stays in the room much longer. Alternatively, if you have access to wood as fuel, then you can use a wood stove. It is especially appreciated for its decorative form, so it is most often installed in the living room to enhance the decor of this room.
What heating technologies?
It is essential to know the heating technology of a space heater to understand its use better. There are fan heaters, which are the least expensive in the range of electric heaters. There are also electric oil bath heaters that diffuse a pleasant heat. On the other hand, there are convectors that differ from radiators by the way they heat the room. In fact, instead of diffusing heat like radiators, they suck in cold air to warm it up. This process has the advantage of distributing the heat evenly throughout the room. The electric fireplace closes the list in this range. The latter is especially appreciated for its aesthetics. As for gas, the choice in terms of supplementary heating is between the infrared and infrared catalytic stove. They have the same functionality, but people prefer the infrared one for its shape.
How much power does it need to work?
It’s essential to know how much power you need to run a space heater. This is what will tell you if the heater is suitable for your electrical system. It will also help you establish a budget for your electricity consumption. To know it then, it is necessary to be based on the surface of the room to be heated, knowing that it takes 100 W to heat 1 m². This may seem like a lot to you, but you can improve the efficiency of the heating by insulating your house to minimize heat loss.
Advantages and disadvantages of space heaters
To better understand these heaters, you should know that electric space heaters are more affordable in terms of price. They are also easy to maintain and operate, and heat up quickly. The disadvantages are that they consume a lot of energy and have no thermal inertia. As for gas-fired space heaters, they are easy to install and have good thermal inertia. They are more efficient for heating a large room. On the other hand, they sometimes give off an unpleasant odor that you have to get used to. They are not the most aesthetic of heaters either.
Sound off in the comments section below and tell us what you want to read next!