Cold weather will soon be here and the worry about higher heating cost has many of us looking for ways to reduce our heating bill. One way to slash heating bills and stay warm is to use an electric space heater. With soaring natural gas, propane and heating oil prices, electric heaters seem the natural choice as electricity costs are not predicted to increase as much as other fuels.
Another advantage is that heating a chilly room is less expensive than turning up the thermostat. For every degree you turn down your thermostat, you can save 3 percent to 5 percent on heating costs.
There are two main types of electric heaters: radiant and convection.
Radiant Heaters. As far as I'm concerned, using a radiant heater in the home is a waste of electricity. They only heat objects as opposed to heating the surrounding air. A radiant space heater would be a good choice to use in an office where everyone is warm but one person or maybe to use as a foot warmer while sitting at a desk.
Convection Heaters. This type of electric heater warms the air in the room and uses either the natural air currents in a room or a fan to circulate warm air. The most popular space heaters are oil-filled and look like radiators. They are heavy but you don't have to worry about them falling over. The oil contained in this type of heater is permanently sealed within the heater and never needs to be refilled. The oil is heated when the unit is turned on. Although they can be slow to heat up, the oil inside stays warm for a long time once it reaches the temperature setting.
Be aware of extravagant claims and recalls. Consumer Reports magazine has the best review of electric space heaters. You can also check with Good Housekeeping magazine and Popular Mechanics magazine for reviews and buyer information.
There are at least two extravagant claims that I'm aware of. One manufacturer has a full page ad designed to resemble a news report about a miracle fireplace the uses 'fireless flame' technology and gives you the peaceful flicker of a real fire but without any flames, fumes, ashes or mess and all you have to do is plug it in. The heater rolls from room to room and uses the same energy as a coffee maker. They also claim it produces an amazing 5,119 BTUs.
The only thing special about their electric heater is the descriptive exaggerations. Most electric heaters provide up to 1500 watts or 5120 BTUs of heat. This is the maximum amount of wattage that can be used safely in a standard household electrical outlet.
The manufacturer of quartz infrared heater, another manufacturer that heavily advertises exaggerated claims, states that its space heater can "cut your heating bill up to 50% while keeping you toasty warm." Not so, according to reviews at Amazon.com and InfomercialRatings.com who say that the infrared heater either failed within a few weeks or did not heat a very large area. It would take several years to recoup the high purchase price of the space heater not in a matter of weeks as they claim.
What to look for in a space heater.
o Look for a UL (Underwriters Laboratories) mark. This mark on a product indicates that UL technicians tested the model for possible safety problems.
o A thermostat is a must have. With a thermostat you can control the temperature of a room and keep it constant. Most modern portable heaters have this feature.
o Automatic shutoff. The better space heaters come with an automatic shutoff feature, in case the unit is turned over or overheats.
o Other safety features. Helpful features include indicator lights to let you know when the unit is on. Also, grilles that cover the blades of the fan and the heating element protect against contact with people and pets.
Where to look for product reviews.
o Amazon.com has customer reviews of many space heaters on the market.
o ConsumerReports.org has expert unbiased product ratings and reviews. Content is available only to subscribers.
o Google whatever you're interested in buying. For instance, cell phone reviews, Honda Fit reviews, or computer reviews.
Play it safe, get product reviews before buying.
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