How to Select Electric Heaters
Electric heaters have a wide range of advantages, including a lower initial cost, low maintenance for homeowners, and an efficient way to warm your home. They are also more convenient to utilize than heating systems that require venting.
You can save money on heating costs when you have an electricity provider who provides Economy 7.
Temperature Settings
Ideal is that your electric heater permits you to set and maintain the temperature you desire without having to turn it on or off. This will help save energy and prevent you from entering or leaving the room that is too cold. Find a thermostat with an alarm clock, if it's possible.
When choosing an electric heater, be sure that it's designed for the space you're using it in. If the heater isn't big enough for your space will need to run for longer than it needs to reach the desired temperature, which is a waste of energy and makes the room overheat. Use our calculator to determine the optimal heater size in watts per square foot for your space.
Also, ensure that electric log stove fires are easy to access and adjust. You may have to take off screws or peel back insulation to reach the knobs if they are set in a recess. This can be a problem. It is also essential to verify the recommended temperature range to ensure safety and efficiency. Temperatures that are lower than 120 degrees could trigger bacteria growth and increase the chance of scalding while temperatures that exceed 140 degrees can pose dangerous for fire.
The Everhot is an elegant, compact heater designed for use in conservatories, or as the company puts it: "annexes, holiday cottages, narrow boats, shepherds' huts and camping pods." It can reach up to 200C and is a good choice for heating and cooking. It has a timer and an ECO setting that optimizes heating and power settings to be more efficient.
It's also extremely quiet. There's no fan noise or the sound of whirring when you change the settings. This makes it a great choice for bedrooms or living rooms. It also comes with a few other useful features, such as a built-in nightlight that glows blue when the heater is on and a built-in humidifier that can be turned on to an intermittent mist setting to create a subtle effect. It's also safe and sturdy with a tip-over shutoff switch and overheating protection that shuts down the unit if it gets too hot. It's also UL-listed for safety.
Safety
When using electric heaters, it's important to take the proper safety precautions. Children, the elderly and people with chronic illnesses or immune system issues are at greater risk of getting poisoned from carbon monoxide and fire hazards caused by heaters. Pets and children can knock the heater off and cause injury or even death.
ESFI recommends checking the heater's plug and cord regularly. Look for indications of damage, such as damaged plugs, loose cord, or if the plug is cracked or loose. If the outlet or cord is hot, take it off and call a licensed electrician to replace it. Do not connect multiple electrical devices at the same time as a space heater. This could cause overload to the outlet and cause it to overheat.
It's recommended to only use heaters that have been registered or labeled by a nationally recognized testing laboratory, like UL. These heaters are more likely to meet the voluntary safety standards. Also, don't put a heater in fire-prone surfaces like carpets and fabrics. Keep a minimum of three feet between the heater and the combustible material. Additionally, do not put heaters in bathrooms or kitchen, and don't be near it if you're soaking wet.
Be sure to always plug the heater directly into a wall outlet and not an extension cord or power strip. If you have to use an extension cord, choose the most compact one made with 14-gauge wire. Examine any outlets that are sagging as this could indicate an overloaded circuit.
If you're using an electric space heater in an open space make sure to keep it at least six inches from anything that could ignite. Place the heater on an unburnable, flat surface instead of on furniture, cabinets or tables that could overheat. Lastly, be sure to turn off the heater and disconnect it when you leave the room or go to sleep; leaving it on increases the chance of fire.
Electric heaters are a fantastic option to reduce energy usage and prevent injuries. As temperatures drop, facilities managers often turn to electric heaters to provide extra warmth in offices and common areas. Preferred Climate Solutions can install and service indoor or outdoor electric heaters to help ensure that your workplace is as comfortable as it can be during these cold winter months. Contact us today to find out more about our heating solutions.
Energy Efficiency
Take into consideration the energy efficiency of a portable heater when making your choice. This refers to the amount of energy required to generate the desired output. Heaters that use less electricity are deemed to be more efficient and can help to reduce the overall cost of heating your home or business.
Most electrical heaters convert electrical energy into heat by using a heating element. It is made up of a coil, ribbon, flexible heater element, or tubular element that emits heat when an electric current passes through it. The amount of heat generated depends on the type and method of heating element (convection radiation).
If you're concerned about the impact on the environment, select an option that uses eco-friendly energy sources. This could be a renewable energy source or a substitute to fossil fuels like solar or wind.
Electric heaters' energy efficiency is also affected by the location and how electricity is generated. Electricity generated from a solar or wind power plant will be more efficient than electricity that is derived from burning fossil fuels at a power station.
You should not only choose the heater that has an environmentally friendly energy source, but one that comes with various energy-saving features. They could include automatic shut-off mechanisms in case of excessive heat or if the unit is accidentally tilted over.
These safety measures can be helpful to protect your family or employees and they can also aid in reducing your energy bills by assisting you in avoiding excess usage. Many portable electric heaters are designed to operate quietly too making them suitable for bedrooms, offices and other spaces that require a quiet environment.
Electric heaters can also save you money by reducing your maintenance calls. Gas heaters can be more costly to fix than an electric model and the expense of maintenance could add up over time. Electric models are generally cheaper to maintain, and they often come with more advanced features that help you to conserve energy.
Installation
Electric heaters operate on the principle of Joule energy, which converts electrical energy into radiant heat that warms the room. Electric heaters are also more efficient and economical than other heating methods, especially gas. However, they're not suitable for every household and can put pressure on the existing electrical system. For this reason, it's best to have an electrician professional check if the current system can handle the extra load of an electric wall heater before installing one.
There are several aspects to take into consideration when selecting an electric heater, which includes the type of heater and the room where you want to put it. The kind of heater you select will determine the cost to run it. Electric baseboard heaters can be more expensive to operate than space heaters or portable heaters, but they offer a more even heat and do not require chimneys or vents.
portable electric burners have a blower which circulates hot air in the room. This kind of electric heater is the cheapest, but can be noisy and takes longer to heat up rooms.
Find a space heater with built-in thermostat. This feature lets you to set a temperature target and the heater will shut off automatically when it attains the desired temperature. This feature can reduce your energy consumption and save you from having to keep turning the heater on and off.
Before you attempt to install an electric heater, ensure that the power is off on the breaker panel. You can also verify that the circuit is shut off with a tester. Mark the spot on the wall where you want to mount the heater and then cut a hole in the drywall. Use a drywall cutting tool to cut off the needed section. Be careful not to cut any electrical wires or pipes.
Connect a 14/2 cable of the same gauge and length as the existing wires, from the breaker box up to the wall opening. Strip approximately 1 inch of insulation off the ends of each conductor wire and connect them to an available screw in the outlet box. Label or mark the wire with red tape to identify it as the "line". Connect it to the wire leads inside the thermostat box marked "load".