Does space heaters use a lot of electricity in 2022 – BestHeaterGuide

What is the importance of saving electricity? How important is it to use a space heater with low electricity usage? In our everyday life, electricity plays a very important role. It is the thing that is used for lighting our houses, providing warmth, preserving different substances, and many more. So as we talk about heating or providing warmth, we mostly think of space heaters.

The purpose of a space heater is to provide warmth to a small area. They are incapable of heating a spacious area but can be very effective for a couple of rooms. It uses significantly less energy than an HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning) running at the same temperature, which ultimately will be cost-effective for you. These are safer and a lot easier to use. Moreover, they are also portable.

Space heaters are fueled by electricity or the burning of fuel that is flammable. It is burnt through combustion, and the following types of fuel are used: natural gas, kerosene, propane, or wood. So, it should be your perfect partner when going to someone’s house on a cozy night.

Space Heaters Working &  Consumption

Electric space heaters can be categorized into three main types: Each consumes a different range of watts. So, without further ado. Let’s explore!

• In Convection heaters electricity  passes with the help of a heating slate  The slates can be any metal or so-called ceramic, and hence the method is called joule burning. Heat is passed on to the air in the room through convection. These heaters consist of a fan to increase air passing, but in the oil-filled space heaters, there are no fans to do so. Moreover, while in operation, this type of heater consumes a maximum of 1500 watts per second or can consume the least to 550 watts per second. Hence, these heaters are expensive and mostly absorb a great amount of electricity.

• Infrared heaters also let electricity go through a highly conductive wire, warming it. Usually, or in most cases, the heat is radiant burning rather than convection. The hot wire releases some infrared rays, which pass heat to a solid area rather than the air in the environment. Furthermore, these infrared heaters consume around 7 watts on every square foot, which is 0.1 m*2. At the same time, the others consume approximately 10 watts for each foot. Hence, it can be deduced that these infrared heaters consume more petite than other heaters. According to the recent census, the heaters mainly acquire 30-40% less electricity than other heaters. Thus, they don’t take up much electricity and work so efficiently.
• While other types of heaters like convective and infrared heaters use electricity to produce heat, heat pumps shift the position of heat. Heat pumps pass heat from outside a room to inside. Many of these processes can be reversed the other way round and give off the heat by pumping the heat out. Furthermore, the electricity utilization of heat pumps is so high. It is regarded as the most expensive way.

How Much Electricity Does It Consume?

But, whenever you think about an electrical appliance, an essential question arises in your mind. How much electricity does it consume? So, let’s talk about that. Despite being small-sized and labeled as an ideally efficient device, a space heater can empty your pockets through electricity bills. So, from here, you might be thinking about how much it can cost you? After all, you want to get cost-effective and pretty efficient. 

Therefore, let’s do a quick calculation. Usually, space heaters consume about 1,500 Watts of electricity and can cost you about 15 cents in an hour to function correctly. This, to be honest, doesn’t seem too much, but it can sum up to 30-40 dollars more to your electric bill if used for 8 hours a day for an entire month. While, if you compare this to a fan heater, it requires 0.3 cents to run for an hour with around the same number of watts of electricity which equates to less than a dollar a month, which I believe is relatively cheap. 

Safety Measures

 The risk of fire and burns can increase by improper usage. Safe operation includes:

• Putting the heater’s plug directly into an outlet of a wall can be dangerous, and do not put an extension cable other than the heavy-duty extension cables (a bigger wire of 14 gauge or so). Or the power tap whose location can vary as to if they overheat can cause a fire.
• Ensure there are no cracks or any particular damage in the cords or wires, and if there is any, it is bound to be replaced.
• Keep burnable materials, such as curtains, furniture, paper, plastics, and bedding, around three to four feet from the heater.
• You must turn off the heater when you exit the room or just get away from it to avoid any kid or any pet animal from the heater.
• Heaters must not be placed on a rough or flammable surface.

Conclusion

In conclusion, it is not like space heaters are not worth it if you’re looking to save money. They might be a bit expensive to run but consider its features; it is the best device you can get for heating a small area. And if properly maintained and taken care of, it can be cost-effective. For example, if you make sure that it is not turned on when you are not present, it can lead to a certain level of the price drop you would have to pay.