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Space heaters are best when you’re trying to heat one room. If you use more than one, you can use more energy and spend more money than if you had just used your gas furnace to heat your entire home.
While portable space heaters are less efficient at heating your whole home compared to a central heating system, they do save energy when heating individual rooms and specific spaces. Portable space heaters are a good option if central heating isn't available, or if you live in an apartment. They're also useful if central heating needs to be supplemented in specific rooms.
Most space heaters run on electricity, propane, natural gas, or kerosene. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, most space heaters use between 10,000 Btu to 40,000 Btu per hour. Electric models use about 540 kWh annually, if operated for three hours per day for 120 days a year. Space heaters operate either by convection, circulating warm air throughout the room, or by radiating heat.
Convection heaters use either electricity or gas. Electrical models use ceramic or nichrome heating elements. Gas heaters produce heat by burning fuel, which can pose a carbon monoxide danger if the room isn't properly ventilated. Convection heat isn't as intense, and can be used to provide diffuse heat for longer periods of time. Most space heaters use convection.
Radiative heaters directly heat surfaces and people via infrared radiation. To remain efficient, you must stay directly in front of the heating element and its metal reflector. These are better suited for small, less insulated spaces to be heated for only a few hours. Radiative heaters will heat a small area quicker, while not wasting energy on heating the rest of the room.
Extra precautions should be followed when operating portable space heaters over central heating. Follow these guidelines outlined by the U.S. Department of Energy:
When using a gas powered heater, make sure the room is properly ventilated to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning.
For electric powered heaters, make sure the model you choose has a tip-over safety switch.
Operate the heater on a level surface and be sure to keep family members at a safe distance to prevent burns and from knocking the heater over. Space heaters cause over 25,000 residential fires annually. Take precautions to avoid contributing to this statistic!
Use models with built-in thermostats to save energy by not overheating the room.
When purchasing a new model, make sure it has been inspected by Underwriter’s Laboratory (UL logo on packaging) and has all the most current safety features. Buy the correct size model for the space you plan to use it in.
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