Space heaters are a great way to keep the house warm in the winter, but they can also be expensive. This post will help you decide which type of heater is best for your home so that you can save money and stay comfortable. Here are 6 types of space heaters: ceramic, fan, infrared, oil filled, propane, and panel.
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6 Types of Space Heaters
Different types of space heaters are suited to different needs. Here is a quick overview, and some suggestions for the best type of heater which can be used your home:
Ceramic Space Heaters
Ceramic space heaters are an economical choice. They are less expensive to operate than other types of space heaters, but they do not provide as much warmth for the price.
Ceramic space heaters are fitted with ceramic panels attached to many metal coils. They work by using electricity. The power keeps going through the coils and this makes the plates hot. The plates keep taking in heat and then that heat gets released into its area’s air.
A ceramic heater is best if you want low cost and versatility. It’s great for smaller rooms or areas where there isn’t a lot of furniture blocking the air flow from getting around your body easily because it doesn’t really warm anything directly with its own exhaust fumes – such as living spaces like bedrooms, small offices, studio apartments, or even large dining rooms.
Fan Space Heaters
Fan space heaters can be a good option if you have more open floor space. They work similar to ceramic heaters. They provide warmth to people directly in front of them by blowing hot air into the room and are best for larger spaces like living rooms, offices, or sunrooms where there is enough ventilation to let all that warm air dissipate quickly.
This type can be used as an supplemental heat source when other heating systems aren’t able to keep up with demand (i.e., keeping your home from feeling too cold while waiting for it to warm up). They are cooler than forced air models, often resulting in lower energy consumption over time .
A fan heater can help compensate for certain areas of your house that might otherwise feel colder due to drafts coming through windows, doorways, or other areas of your home.
Infrared Space Heaters
Infrared space heaters operate in a different manner than a traditional ceramic or fan space heater. However, heating the space with this heater requires an electric power.
Heat is produced by an electric coil that’s surrounded by a quartz tube. The heated air moves through the tube and then out into your room, producing both heat and light.
A radiant heater creates radiant energy (it doesn’t blow hot air), so it can be used in small rooms without worrying about drafts. It also provides some ambient lighting, which makes them perfect for bedrooms or other parts of your house where you may want to work late at night while still being able to see what you’re doing.
Oil Filled Space Heaters
This type of heater can be called a “traditional radiator” because it looks similar to an old-fashioned, metal radiator you might remember from your grandmother’s house.
Oil filled space heaters run on electricity and they are portable to move around. Diathermic oil is the energy source which stays inside the heater’s body. This oil gets heated up and goes through the columns.
Panel Space Heaters
Panel space heaters function similarly to oil filled radiators by using hot air as a mechanism for warmth and comfort. The main difference is that this type of heater does not use oil. They use electrical currents to create heated air.
They’re typically installed in the ceiling or above a doorway and are sometimes called recessed panel space heaters, which is what you’ll see used in most homes these days.
Panel heaters can be mounted horizontally or vertically depending on your needs – horizontal for larger spaces, vertical for small ones like bathrooms or cabinets with doors.
A downside of this type of heater is that the heating patterns can’t reach into all areas of the room unless there are more than one mounted.
Propane Space Heaters
Propane space heaters are also called “portable gas heaters” and run on a propane tank. They produce around 12,000 BTUs of heated air for every hour that they’re operated, which is much more than you get from an electric space heater
They can be used indoors or outdoors as long as there’s no risk of the propane leaking out. Propane tanks must be installed by a professional in order to avoid leaks or accidents when filling them up. Outdoor use requires additional safety precautions such as installation near an electrical outlet so it can remain plugged in at all times if needed.
