Winters will be knocking your doors anytime soon and you need to stay prepared for it. In addition to warm clothes, you will want your surrounding to be warm and cozy. This calls for an efficient and effective room heater. Whether it is your office, clinic or home, room heaters are one of the best ways to fight the freezing temperature. So, which room heater is the best for you, this winter? To get an answer to it, you need to learn more about room heaters below.
Features a room heater must have
- There should be a heat setting option to change temperature according to the outside and room temperature. A single heating setting will require you to switch the heater on and off quite frequently.
- It should have good a star rating. Remember a larger heater is ought to consume more watts.
- For a much colder area, the heater should have more heating elements. It even heats the room faster.
- It should be an energy efficient product that automatically cuts power once it reaches the desired temperature.
- Room heater should be portable so that it can be moved to the required part/corner of the room.
- To protect people, children, and pets from getting burnt, the heater should have a safety grill.
Things to consider when buying a room heater
Size of the room: Measure the size of the room/area to determine what power of room heater to purchase for effective heating.
Energy efficiency: In addition to star ratings, look for features such as adjustable thermostats, auto-off energy saving modes.
Portability: Portable heaters can be moved anywhere in the room. This also adds to the safety factor as it can be kept out of children’s reach.
Technology: There are radiant and convection room heaters. The earlier one offers quick spot heating whereas later heats the full space and is generally fan based.
Types of room heater
There are majorly three types of heaters based on the heating method.
Fan heater
Also known as heat convector, it is generally used to heat a closed room. It is generally small sized. A fan/blower works continuously to produce and regulate heat in the room.
Advantages
- Warms the room instantly
- Very inexpensive
- Preferred for residential rooms
Disadvantages
- Consumes a lot of energy
- Creates noise
- Alters oxygen level and humidity
Radiant heater
Also known as infrared, halogen or Quartz heater, it is a low priced product. It is used for heating a small room. You can use it to heat your office or clinic cabin. The heating element generates strong heat directed to a point, so advised to keep at a good distance from children and anybody/material.
Advantages
- Provides heat to a specific/focused area
- Instant heating
- Quite economical
- No or minimal operating noise
- Energy efficient heater
Disadvantages
- Not suitable for large space
- Safety issues, especially for children
- No air filtering
Oil-filled heater
Also known as the oil heater, this is one of the most preferred heaters, nowadays. It has oil filled in the fins and columns that heats up to provide warmth to a room. Being silicone oil, it does not evaporate on heating. It is used to heat a room of any size. It is the best heating option for hospitals, clinics, and infants.
Advantages
- Constant heating
- Maintains humidity and oxygen
- Portable heater with a wheelbase
- Environment-friendly
- No/minimal noise
- Does not heat much to cause an accident
Disadvantages
- No instant heating
- Heavy heater to lift
- Costly heater
- Safety/precaution
Precautions or safety measure to take when using a room heater
- Do not leave your room heater running overnight, unattended. It can dry out your nasal passage and skin.
- Do not place a heater near a door, any inflammable substance, water or on a walking path
- Don’t use it for drying clothes
- Inspect the heater regularly to avoid any electric shock or mishappening.
- Do not overload the socket where a room heater is plugged to avoid any spark or so.
- Replace an older one with a newer and safer room heater
Always select a room heater keeping in mind its placement, hours of usage, people in the room and so on. Also, this convenient appliance can be dangerous if used inappropriately, so take required precautions and enjoy warmth this winters.