Portable Heaters and Heating One Room

HOME · GLOBAL

Portable Heaters and Heating One Room

How the types differ, running cost, safety and heating efficiently

Every electric heater converts electricity to heat at essentially 100 percent efficiency, which means the differences between them are about how the heat is delivered rather than how much you get.

The types

Fan heaters heat a small space instantly and are noisy. Oil-filled radiators warm slowly and hold heat, which suits a room occupied for hours. Convector heaters sit between the two.

Infrared and halogen heaters warm objects and people directly rather than the air, which makes them effective in draughty spaces and outdoors.

Running cost

Multiply the kilowatts by your electricity unit rate for the hourly cost. A 2kW heater run for five hours a day is a substantial addition to a bill.

Electricity typically costs considerably more per unit than gas, so heating a whole house with portable heaters is expensive. Heating one occupied room while turning the central heating down can be cheaper overall.

Safety

Plug directly into a wall socket, never an extension lead or a multi-way adapter, since heaters draw high current. Never cover a heater or use it to dry clothes.

Keep a metre clear of furniture, curtains and bedding, use one with a tip-over cut-out and overheat protection, and switch it off when leaving the room or sleeping.

Never use a heater in a bathroom unless it is specifically designed and installed for it.

Paraffin and gas heaters

These burn fuel indoors and produce carbon monoxide and a great deal of moisture. If you use one, ventilate properly and fit a carbon monoxide alarm.

Electric blankets

Check for the correct safety marking, replace anything over about ten years old, and never use one with a hot water bottle. Store flat or rolled rather than folded, which damages the wiring.

Many fire services offer free electric blanket testing.

Heating water and cooking

Boiling only the water you need, using a lid on pans and matching the pan to the ring all reduce electricity use noticeably over a year.

A small appliance heating a small quantity frequently uses far less than an oven, which is a genuine argument for an air fryer or a microwave.

Insulation first

Draught-proofing, loft insulation and thermal curtains pay back faster than any appliance choice, and they work whether the heating is on or not.

Buying electrical goods

Check for the correct safety marking for your country and a properly fused plug, and be cautious of imported appliances supplied with a travel adapter, since an adapter does not make an appliance compliant.

Register products with the manufacturer, which is how you hear about a recall.

Cheaper first

Draught-proofing, closing internal doors, thermal curtains and a thermostat set a degree lower all save more than any heater choice.

Around eighteen to twenty-one degrees suits most living rooms.

WHERE TO BUY

Ready to shop Electrical World? Use the link below to visit the official store.

→ Shop Electrical World — official site

Visit this site