What Heaters are Best for your Home? With the variety of heaters available on the market these days, anything from gas to electric to halogen heaters to diesel heaters, how do you know what is the best for your heating needs?  One thing that you can be sure of is that no matter what your need, nor how specific is it, there is a heater designed that will suit your exact purpose and budget.
Since time began, warmth has been one of man’s basic needs.  Heating was very primitive in centuries past.  The method for heating homes, until very recently, was through setting a large fire in a fireplace and cooking  and heating water with wood heaters or stoves.  Earlier than that, before the advent of the wood stove or wood heater, man depended solely on warm clothing and fires to keep himself warm.

Those times have passed. Today, you will find that heating your home has never been simpler.  No matter what type of heaters you are considering you will find a huge variety and a large price range amongst those available to purchase.  No longer does man need to depend solely on the heat generated from fires.  With the variety of heaters on the market, deciding on what heaters best suit your situation is now something that has been made increasingly more complex.

Whether you’re a new homeowner just starting out, or if you’ve just decided that it’s time to reconsider how to heat your home, or perhaps you’re concerned to cut back on heating costs; whatever your current needs you should be able to find just the right heater for your home and budget.

Some of the More Common Heaters We Will Look At

• Electric Heaters: Naturally, electric heaters seem more suited to certain parts of the home over others. If you’re looking for a simple heater, that is quick to turn on and heat up a room then you may find this heater is perfect for you.  With the rising costs of electricity, however, you may not want to have all heating for your home electric.
• The Wood Heater: Increasing more popular in some parts of the country, wood heaters are a good option for those who have plenty of access to this type of fuel.
• Propane Heaters: These can be a very cost effective way to heat larger expanses of space and are often used in camping lodges, such as Alaska fishing lodges, or lodges in other sometimes inaccessible locations.
• Natural Gas Heater: Also a very cheap way to heat your home. If you have access to some sort of natural gas supply you really can’t go wrong with this type of heater.
• Diesel Heaters: Useful when it comes to heating up large expanses of air, as these come with very high heating capabilities depending on the type of heater you use.
• Oil Filled Heater: Popular room oil filled radiator heaters that simply heat the room warmly without a lot of care needed.
• Garage Heater:  Unheated garages are little used during the cold winter months.  Heating your garage can convert into much more usable floor space for your household.

When purchasing heaters, it is also important to get the right heater for each area of the house. Some heaters are more suited to the kitchen or bathroom, while others best suit living rooms or bedrooms.   Even if you aren’t sure exactly what you’re looking for, spending some time looking around  here may help you decide on important topics such as whether you need to get gas wall heaters or electric wall heaters.  Do you know what is the best bathroom heater?  If not, keep reading.

Once you have an idea of what type of heaters you are considering purchasing, I’d suggest you go down to your local appliance store and actually check out the specs and the heaters themselves.  While it is possible to make a decision based on information only, I always say that the best final step before making a purchase of anything is to physically go over the item.  Talking to salespeople one-on-one is also worth doing, as they can answer any questions you have.  While I know you can very easily purchase heaters online these days, I am of the old school in a way.  When it comes to household appliances, or anything you invest in that adds to your home décor–whether it’s blinds, or heaters or other accessories–I recommend you link up with someone who can come to your aid if you need additional help or advice on installation or running your heaters.

Having said that, of course it is entirely up to you how you purchase your heaters!  If you are certain, from your research and from checking out other people’s heaters, that you know what you want to get and the installation is simple and easy, it certainly is a time saver to order heaters online and there are ample online stores selling all kinds of heaters.

Usually when people mention ventless gas heaters they are talking about either natural gas heaters or propane gas heaters. A ventless heater does not need much installation as there are no vents or pipes attached to the heater that need to be installed outside the home. Often these are portable heaters that can be easily moved from room to room. Alternatively, you may find larger heaters set inside a defunct fireplace that is meant to be used to heat up the living room. While they are very functional heaters, there are some real concerns regarding their use, some of which I will address below.

The Benefits Of Using Ventless Gas Heaters

Photo By: Marty McGuire

First of all, let’s talk about the benefits of using this type of heating. As mentioned above, they do not require any expensive installation unless you are installing them into an existing fireplace. Most can simply be turned on and ready to use immediately after purchasing them. Ventless gas heaters are also generally considered to be very energy efficient. However, it is wise to note that this would apply to a brand new ventless heater. Energy efficiency levels should be listed on the heater itself. You should look for one that states it is near or higher than 95% energy efficient for best heating and financial saving results. You may well find that your ventless gas heater costs far less to run than a similarly sized electric heater, especially if electricity rates are high in your area.

Safety Concerns

As these heaters are not vented you will want to take a couple of precautions when it comes to using them safely. First of all, you should always install carbon monoxide sensors in the rooms you will be using the heater in. Without adequate ventilation, gases such as carbon monoxide may be released into the room and unless this gas has an outlet levels could get dangerously high. Many of the newer model heaters you can buy these days have an automatic sensor built into the unit that is programmed to read oxygen levels and turn the heater off should it detect that the carbon monoxide levels are becoming too high and the oxygen levels too low. If you buy a heater that does not have this sensor, be sure to purchase additional carbon monoxide sensors. You will also want to make sure that the room is well ventilated. This can be very simply done by leaving a door leading into another part of your home partially opened, or by leaving the window opened a crack while you are using the heater.

Other Commonly Reported Problems

The main other reported problems when using ventless gas or propane heaters revolve around an increase in humidity, an unpleasant odor in the room, and a build up of soot on furniture, walls and ceiling. These problems are all solved or prevented by instituting a regular maintenance plan. Your heater should be serviced at least once a year, before using it during winter. A properly maintained and serviced heater will not cause problems such as those listed above.

Depending on when you schedule the servicing, you should always make sure to dust off the heater, including logs or the parts that actually heat up, before you turn it on again after summer is over. If you keep your heater not only dust free but also free from small spiders, spider webs and other assorted things that do tend to creep over appliances that are left idle and unused for some time you will find it will work better once you start it up again.

Odors: You should not be able to smell any unusual odors even when the pilot light is being lighted with a properly functioning heater. There are some times when you may be able to smell something though. For example, when the heater is new or if using vent-free logs they often need to finish curing after installation. Usually the manual that comes along with the heater will give you a recommendation which could range from allowing the logs to burn anywhere from four to ten hours. In my experience this is usually not necessary. Simply open your damper (if you have one) or open up the doors or windows and burn the logs on high—if you do this it should only take around two to two and a half hours for the odor to decrease and the logs to properly finish curing.

Soot: Aside from this, your heater should not produce soot and you should not be able to smell any kind of odor. If you can, then there is probably something not functioning as it should with your heater and you should have it looked at. If your eyes or throat begin to burn or if you find you are experiencing headaches when you use the heater it may not be working properly. Sometimes it can be as simple as needing to change the regulators on the propane tanks or adjusting the pressure.

Believe it or not, a lot of the odors that are attributed to ventless gas heaters are caused by other objects around the home. Some of the common offenders include partly burned candles, putting vent-free logs in a fireplace without cleaning out the fireplace well beforehand, also old creosote that gets damp creates a terribly musty smell if it gets damp—make sure your fireplace and chimney is cleaned out if you want to avoid a musty smell! Look for other items that could be causing the smell—plug in air fresheners are notorious as are anything where incomplete combustion has occurred.

To Sum Things Up

In summary, ventless gas heaters may not be for everybody. However, many people have used them to heat their entire house, with multiple units in use, for many years. They can be very cost efficient. They are easy to install and use and will heat up the room fairly quickly which is nice during the coldest part of winter. Just remember to ensure your room is adequately ventilated and use in conjunction with an oxygen depletion sensor or a carbon monoxide sensor if one does not come with your heater. Service your heater regularly and clean and dust well before use. If you are having problems with soot, odor or are feeling physical symtoms such as dry eyes, burning throat or headaches turn your heater off. It must not be working properly if these things are happening—you will need to have it repaired or serviced.

If you are constantly having problems with your water heater, or if you are looking for ways to cut back on your utility costs you may want to look into purchasing a Rheem heat pump water heater. It is amazing how much money can be saved over the course of a year by installing an energy efficient water heater; money that you oftentimes do not even realize you are spending until it is time to pay your bills.

The new Rheem HP-50 heat pump water heater has an energy efficiency rating of EF 2.0, which is more than twice that of which a regular electric water heater. This also qualifies it for getting federal tax credit as well, and possibly other utility rebates. So, not only will you save on running costs but you will benefit at tax time also.

This particular unit is made specifically for residential use and it is relatively easy to replace your older unit with this though you will most likely need to have it installed by a licensed plumber or technician. You will also need to ensure that it complies with any local laws or requirements of course.

Generally, people have been a little leery of this type of water heater, however as they are really very economical, environmentally friendly and they have also improved much over the years when it comes to performance, they are actually a very popular choice amongst home owners.

Specifications

The unit itself is very compact and looks good. As the name implies, it has a capacity of 50 gallons or more and depending on the settings, it will provide sufficient hot water for a multi person household.

It is twenty one inches in diameter and it stands a little over 75 inches tall. This is quite small, compared to many other typical water heaters which gives the added bonus of it being very easy to install even when space is quite limited. It also ensures that you should be able to easily replace your existing setup without having to make any structural modifications.

Aside from that, it is sold with non-CFC foam insulation, a brass drain valve, pressure relief valve and all the drain connectors needed to use and installation.

How Heat Pumps Work

Rather than heating up stored water with an electric element or a gas burner, this heater simply takes heat from the surrounding air, heats it up even more and then passes that heat into the water. Because of its much more efficient usage of the heat naturally present in the air, it ends up being a very practical, and money saving heater. It should not cost more than around $280 a year to use it. One point to note though is that it is made to work best in areas where temperatures do not drop below 40 degrees F. at any time of the year. If it does, there is also a backup electric element in the unit that can be activated to heat up the water in the more traditional manner.

Modes of Operation

There are three main settings you can use, each one activated by settings located on an easy to use LED touch pad.

The energy saving mode is the heat pump only setting. As mentioned above, this will cause the heater to extract heat from the air around it and using that to heat the water.

The normal mode uses a combination of both heat pump and the electrical elements. This setting may need to be used if you have a high demand for hot water during winter, in a multi-member household. Even while in this mode the EF is 1.5.

Finally, if you need to resort to using electricity only, perhaps because temperatures drop below what is needed to extract the heat from the air, you can switch it to electric heating only. This is a temporary setting which will switch back to whatever previous setting was used after two weeks.

Installation Suggestions

This particular heater needs around 1,000 cubic feet of air space, such as would be found in a 10 x 10 foot room for example. This means that you can probably install it in your garage or your attic, providing the area of the room is sufficient.

If you live in an area where you are subjected to cold temperatures during winter, you may want to install it in a basement room, such as a boiler room or furnace room. The advantages of doing this are that the air will remain considerably warmer than in a garage or attic, thus you will be able to operate it on energy saver or normal mode for longer periods of time during the year. In fact, if your basement is unusually damp you may even find that it is a help in acting as somewhat of a dehumidifier at the same time–thus cutting back on problems with mold in those locations.

Where to Buy

You will probably find that most stores that sell water heaters will either also carry the Rheem HP-50 or will be able to locate one for you. The advantage of purchasing directly from a local store is that they will probably install it for you.

You may find that you can save more money, however, by purchasing one online and then simply paying someone to install it for you.

You can buy one from Amazon for a little over $1,600 (plus shipping, which will be around $160).  If you are interested in buying from Amazon, you can find the RHEEM 50G Heat Pump Water Heater HP50RH here.

The 50 Gal. 12 Year Hybrid Electric Water Heater with Heat Pump Technology is also sold online by Homedepot.com, for a cheaper price of only $1,500 with a shipping cost of $50. Click on the image below to learn more about this product.

As you can see, you will save more buying online from Homedepot.com than from Amazon,

Summary

If you are looking for a replacement for a Rheem electric water heaters and you have a suitable location for installing a Rheem heat pump water heater you may well want to check this particular model out. Rheem water heaters are known for generally being very reliable and easy to use; and this particular model is no exception. With a ten year tank and parts warranty, you really have nothing to lose.

Quartz infrared heaters have been growing in popularity since the first splash made when they entered the market during the 1980′s.  There are many claims that these heaters are extremely affordable, very cheap to operate and are easy to install. There may be some truth to that point that states that they are cheap to operate however most portable heaters are to install as there’s really no installation required, so that last claim does seem to be more sales hype than anything else!

Quartz infrared heaters use Quartz bulbs to provide the heat needed. There is usually a reflector panel at the back of the heater which helps project the heat out into the room. Most modern infrared heaters are very nicely designed, many do not resemble standard portable heaters at all. For this reason they usually fit in very well with any rooms décor and are pleasant to look at.

Infrared Heating

First, let’s take a look at infrared heating. Infrared heating comes about as a result of infrared radiation. This electromagnetic radiation is usually generated by heat, for example by a Quartz bulb or Quartz tubes. The resultant heat or energy is generally directed towards a person or an object. In other words need the heat or energy it is absorbed by air. This is important to understand as any infrared heating or radiant heating will not heat the air in a room but rather the objects that it comes in direct contact with. There are advantages to this type of heating. Perhaps the most obvious advantage is that in many cases you can actually use less heat to achieve a comfortable warmth which in turn can lower energy costs.

These types of heaters heat up very quickly and they’re very useful when you’re stepping in from the cold and you need to get warm right away. They’re also very good to use if you are stationary such as sitting on a couch as they will apply direct heat towards you providing the heater is facing in your direction.

There are some disadvantages to these types of heaters. Radiant heat only travels in a direct line therefore it will only heat up people or objects that are pretty much directly in front of it. Again, this is fine if you’re in a stationary position but if you walk behind the heater you will suddenly feel the loss of the heat source. Also if there is more than one person in the room only those directly sitting or standing in front of the heater will benefit from the heat produced. Of course eventually the objects and the people that are being heated by this radiant heat will in turn heat up the air around them, thus over time they may end up heating an entire room.

Radiant heaters that work on a thermostat will not necessarily provide a constant source of heat. In other words you feel heat when the heater is turned on however as soon as the radiant heat or the quartz infrared heater in this case, is turned off you will immediately notice a drop in temperature.

There are many different types of infrared heaters, including quartz heaters, and electric infrared heaters.

So, What Are The Advantages Of A Quartz Infrared Heater?

Quartz infrared heaters are a little more expensive to buy than many portable heaters. Most of the models for sale however do come with a fairly decent warranty and they also seem to run for longer without breaking down or without needing to have parts replaced. This in itself can warrant the use of spending extra money to buy an infrared quartz heater.

Generally, infrared heaters have quite good safety controls built in. Most of them will turn on if the heater is accidentally tipped over. Most of the quartz infrared heaters are also enclosed in the casing that does not get hot to the touch making them ideal for use in homes with children and pets.

Most of the newer model infrared Quartz heaters also look very attractive. They are deliberately designed that way in order to increase their appeal to potential buyers. If you do want to install additional heating in your home, especially something you want to use in living areas you will naturally want it to look good and fit with surrounding decor.

Infrared heaters in general are also very good for outdoor use such as using an infrared patio heater as the heater will directly heat those sitting around it yet will not waste energy in trying to heat up the surrounding area. Halogen heaters also work in a similar fashion when it comes to outdoor heating.

As far as the claims that it is very cheap to run, this is true for many infrared space heaters and in fact, any portable heaters especially when compared to central heating costs. While you may not be able to save thousands of dollars on heating, judicious use of these types of heaters can definitely lower your electricity bills and save you some money.

In summary, if you are looking for a very attractive portable radiant heater to help cut back on central heating costs on to heat additional rooms in your home you definitely should take a look at the quartz infrared heaters that are available. While they may be a little more expensive to buy, they generally last well and as such are a good investment for your money.

If you are looking for ways to add heating to your home, without it necessarily costing you a lot either to install or run, you may want to check into the possibility of installing electric radiators.  There are many different types of electric heaters, ranging from small fan heaters to radiant heaters and panel heaters. All have their uses, and there are times when one type may be better suited to use than others. One of the most popular electric heaters for home, used to provide additional background heating is the electric radiator.

An electric radiator heater is a convection heater, meaning that they warm the air near the heater and that warm air naturally spreads out around the room gradually bringing the temperature up in an even level all around. Some have built in fans, which help to circulate the warm air even more quickly–but not all do. There are two main types of electric radiators that function as portable electric heaters. The most popular and probably most well known is the oil filled column heater also known as the oil filled electric radiator heater. Oil filled electric radiators stand upright on two small supports and are also often on wheels so that they can be moved around the room or house easily. The other type has a heating element in the bottom section of the heater and a grill at the top of the heater. The warm air is released through the grill at the top, to slowly circulate and warm the air–these types will often also have a fan installed to propel the warm air around faster, making the electric radiator fan also a popular choice.

Most electric radiators have thermostats, allowing you to easily control the temperature. Some also have the thermostats on a timer so that you can regulate the temperature at specific times during the day, even letting you program it so that the heater can turn on and off at a specific time. This is particularly helpful if, for example, you want the heater to turn on before you arrive home from work so that the room is warmed in advance, or alternatively so the heater can turn off at night once you are in bed.

These types of heaters are usually very safe to operate. They are often automatically programmed to turn off if the heater is tipped over. They are usually not that hot to the touch either, unlike small radiant heaters which can become quite warm around the outside of the heater. Even though they are not very warm to the touch you are still advised not to hang anything over the heater unless it is an electric heated towel rail, for example in which case it is designed to allow towels or bathrobes to warm. The newer models are also built in such a way that they will automatically switch off if they begin to overheat, however be warned that many older models–such as those you can pick up from second hand stores for example–may not have these features.

As far as electricity consumption, when it comes to energy efficient electric heaters you will find that electric radiators are usually also quite energy saving, especially the newer model ones. They should be plugged directly into a wall socket and not run off an extension cord.

Normally electric radiators are used in rooms that need overall warming such as family rooms, bedrooms and other living areas. The larger the room, the more heating will be required to warm it sufficiently. This is why many people choose central heating for larger living rooms  however you will also find that a couple of larger oil filled heaters will also be sufficient in most cases. Normally one heater is all that is needed for a bedroom, small living room or dining room. They are not really that suitable for rooms with poor insulation such as garages or closed in patios and for kitchens or rooms where there is a lot of traffic coming in and out of the room you may find radiant heaters with a fan may be more suitable as they will provide more direct  heat.  A room heated by a convection heater, such as a panel heaters or an electric radiator will quickly lose its heat if the door is constantly being open and closed as all the warm air will escape out of the room.

When it comes to buying heaters, you can usually find them online at Amazon for fairly reasonable prices. Other stores such as Home Depot or Target carry a fairly complete line of heaters as well. Popular brands are Honeywell, Charmglow, Dayton, Kenwood and the Delonghi electric radiator; although of course there are many other brands available. When deciding on what type or brand of heater to buy, it is usually recommended that you stick with the more popular lines. You will also need to calculate in advance how large the heater before buying and then base your choice on price, availability, features needed, electric radiator safety and size.

You may also want to look into how quiet the heater runs and how quickly it heats up a room. Generally these types of heaters take a while to actually heat the room, so if you’re looking for something that provides instant heat they may not be what you want. However,  once the room is heated they do quite a good job of keeping it at a specific temperature without making the room feel overheated or become stuffy. Another point to keep in mind is wattage. If you are already running quite a few appliances in a room you do not want to overload your circuitry by purchasing one that with high wattage. But remember, if you buy a smaller wattage heater it may take longer to heat up the room and there may be some limitations on how hot a room will get.

There are different types of electric radiator types, including:

• Wall mounted electric radiators
• Designer electric radiators
• Electric baseboard radiator
• Electric wall radiator that is inset into a wall
• Portable electric radiators

Here are a few of the top heaters available, with a small electric radiator review included for each of them:

The Dayton 1VNX3 Electric Oil Filled Space Heater With Analog Thermostat is a fairly cheap and quite popular heater, readily available on Amazon and in other stores. One real plus with it is that it only draws 400 watts, which is quite a bit less than many bigger heaters. For this reason, it is great for office use, or to use in areas where there are a lot of other appliances.

You would not necessarily want to use it in a large room, as it may not be powerful enough to really heat it well. However at a little over $40 it should work fairly well for a small bedroom or sitting room that is closed off from other rooms.

Delonghi TRD0715T Safe Heat Oil-Filled Radiator: With different wattage settings you can choose how much electricity you want it to consume and how hot you want the room. It has all the built in safety devices new heaters have, and it also has quite a nifty temperature control feature.  Most people who buy this type of heater seem fairly satisfied with it, though again it is not really strong enough to heat up a large living areas; though it is perfect for a bedroom for example.

One thing to note is that this is packed in Styrofoam when shipped, which sometimes manages to get down inside the heater. Naturally, when it is turned on this does release some nasty smelling fumes, so be sure to inspect inside before starting it for the first time to make sure  there’s no packaging lodged inside.  This costs around $70, and seems to be a fairly sturdy heater for moderate size room use.

DeLonghi TRV0715T Vento Hi-Speed Convection Oil-Filled Radiator Heater with Programmable Timer:  Another good heater from DeLonghi, this one is slightly more expensive, costing a little over $80.  It has a neat timer which allows you to program the heater in 15 minute segments. The heat from this heater actually rises from the top, thus if you are looking for something to warm your feet it is not the best heater!  However, if you want to warm up a smaller to medium sized bedroom or family room that is contained, then it should work well. Not really suitable for larger family rooms however, but great for warming a bedroom at night. The programmable features allow you to have it set to turn on and warm up the room before you go to bed, or before you arrive home.

Kenwood Oil Filled Electric Radiator Room Heater 6708EP: Basically identical to the Delonghi’s 6707E, it has received mixed reviews from those who have bought it. It has a thermostat control, though the digital display is quite difficult to read.  It also seems that it does still smell when on the higher settings, even after it has been used for some time.  While it is on wheels, so can be wheeled about, there does not seem to be anywhere to grab hold of it–no handles to pull it along with, and it can be quite hot to the touch if you want to move it.  It will warm up a moderately sized room, similar to the other heaters featured, but overall it does not seem to be the best buy for your money.

Many people consider halogen heaters to be both safer and more energy efficient, when it comes to portable heaters, than many other types of heaters including electric models. Whereas most electric heaters use electric coils to heat, a halogen heater uses halogen elements to provide heat, and they provide radiant heat rather than heat by convection. For this reason they are often used in outdoor settings as well as indoors, and as such halogen patio heaters are also widely used. An oscillating halogen heater will turn in much the same way as a floor standing fan will turn, thus distributing heat evenly around the room. Not all halogen heaters oscillate however, many resemble regular electric space heaters that stand on the floor in a stationary location.

There are different concerns regarding halogen heater safety.  Most modern halogen electric heaters are perfectly safe to use; oftentimes even safer than regular space heaters.  They are made with built in safety devices. As with many heaters these days, they are made to automatically shut down in the event that they are tipped over.  Thus there is virtually no chance that they will fall over and cause something to catch on fire.  Many also have a casing that is cool when touched. This means that if anyone happens to touch the outside of the heater while it is on they will not get burned. Clothing or other items that come in contact with the casing are also not in any danger of catching alight.

Another safety concern that has been brought up from time to time is in regards to the fact that halogens are supposedly toxic. While it is true that they are toxic, the amount of toxicity is very little. The halogen used in heater elements is usually iodine or bromine. While both of these chemicals are toxic if exposed to the skin or the eyes there is little chance of that ever happening. In fact, some sources state that there is more danger from an exploding or broken fluorescent tube than from broken halogen heater bulbs; however if a tube does break you should probably be careful around it just as you would around a broken fluorescent tube. In reality there is little to no need to worry about this as the amount of halogen in any tubes is very minimal in any case.

When it comes to halogen heater efficiency, there could hardly be a more efficient space heater. Many people wonder, “Are halogen heaters cheap to run.”  Yes, they are. The halogen heaters instant heat is great for quickly warming up a room or surrounding area. They also use considerably less electricity to run and to warm the air than a regular electric space or convection heater. So, while you may pay a little more initially to buy the heater than you would a similar sized portable electric heater, you will soon pay back any extra spent on utility savings and find that halogen heaters efficiency levels are high.

Halogen heater prices depend on the size and type of heater you buy. Naturally the larger models will cost more than the smaller heaters, which is the case no matter what type of heating you buy. Common sizes are 400W, 800W and 1200W heaters. You can also buy later 1600W units though these are not as common as the more typical smaller sizes. If you are looking for cheap halogen heaters you should probably search online and compare prices till you find one that seems as though it will be suitable for your needs. Remember to read any reviews that are written about any heaters using halogen that you are interested in buying as you can learn a lot from other people’s experiences with specific brands and heaters; this is especially important if you are planning on finding the cheapest you can. You will want to make sure that even though cheap, it still is effective.

The heaters are usually quite lightweight yet still do a great job of heating a room up well. While this short review has mainly covered indoor halogen heaters, there is also a very good selection of outdoor halogen heaters such as the halogen patio heater available. In general most halogen heaters do not have a lot of features. For example, they rarely include a thermostat though they often come with a built in timer. You can find a selection of halogen heaters remote controlled which is a plus if you want to set the heater in your bedroom and then turn it off at night before going to sleep, without having to get out of bed.

Perhaps the main complaint or con that you hear most often in a halogen heaters review is that they are very bright, and light up the surroundings quite a lot. For that reason, they may not be the best choice of a heater if you want something to stay on all night in your room while you sleep, particularly if you are a light sleeper and you may want to look for something along the lines of infrared heaters. However, if the fact that they provide light as well as heat does not bother you, then you may find that a halogen heater is a great choice for indoor use especially if you are looking for additional heating yet want to save as much money as you can on operational costs.

Plinth heaters are also known as kickboard heaters or baseboard heaters, depending on where you come from!  In simple terms they are heaters that are installed in baseboards, below cupboards or other equipment. While not terribly common, a kick space heater is actually a very under-rated form of heating that can really make a difference when it comes to heating up a room.

Most are fan operated, meaning that the heater is installed in a baseboard or below a cupboard where it can then blow out hot air. As everyone knows, hot air rises, thus heat originating at floor (or baseboard) level will quickly rise to heat up a room. Some central heating systems have them built in, but you are able to buy individual plinth heaters and install them separately from your other central heating. If you have central heating plinth heater systems can also be added for additional warmth in rooms not heated by your central system.

There are obvious advantages to this type of plinth heating; it is definitely extremely space saving. While they may take a while to heat up a room, once the room is heated they do a very effective job of keeping the temperature warm and even. They are also usually very cost effective as well and cheap to initially install as they do not require ductwork or insulation, and the maintenance is usually very minimal. They are also perfect for installing in one room. You can regulate the temperature and install additional heating if the current heating in that room is not efficient.

There are other pros to using a plinth raidator such as the fact that they are an extremely safe way to heat a room. There are no portable heaters that can be bumped into or knocked over.  They do not require very much maintenance at all. You do have to clean them from time to time to make sure the vents are free.

While they may appear to some to be somewhat of an eyesore, these days most electric plinth heaters are actually well designed so that they fit into almost any room without being obvious. Most are covered with a grate which can be painted the same color as either the baseboard or the walls of your room so that they blend in and are not noticeable at all.  They are also usually small in size, making them even more unobtrusive to the casual observer.

Finally, one of the main pros with this type of heating is that it is very safe. It cannot be knocked over or bumped into. They do not dry out the air like many other types of heaters do and as such they will not dry out your skin or cause problems with chapped and dry lips.

Common Uses for Plinth Heaters

These type of heaters are often installed in rooms that are not hooked into a central heating system, such as added on rooms. They are also a great style of heating for a kitchen as they are low, out of the way and can be inserted underneath kitchen cabinets for example without taking up any extra room. With a plinth heater kitchen installation means more floor and bench space. Businesses also use them quite a bit, where they can be installed underneath reception desks or other shop fittings.

They normally should not be installed in bathrooms or anywhere that they could conceivably come in contact with water as that could be damaging to the heater and also dangerous if they were electrically powered; which most are.

Where to Buy Plinth Heating

If you are looking for a plinth heater B&Q carry them, as do most home supply shops. Shops dealing mainly with heating also usually have them in stock.  Plinth heater prices vary depending on the type of heater you buy and the plinth heater capacity.  It also depends on what the heater is made from. A stainless steel plinth heater, such as a small Creda plinth heater or Honeywell HZ-817 Low Profile 2-in-1 Baseboard Heater with Quick Heat™ and Convection Heating is usually fairly inexpensive. Larger units, or those that are more decorative may cost more.

Looking to buy one? You can see a selection of baseboard heaters for sale here.  Check out the specs and reviews on these:

Honeywell HZ-817 Low Profile 2-in-1 Baseboard Heater with Quick Heat™ and Convection Heating	Great to use in rooms where the central air conditioning doesn’t quite reach. Has a quick heat fan mode that is a bit noisy, but overall a very serviceable heater.
Honeywell HZ-617 Low Profile Silent Comfort Heater	Fine little heater. Runs well, very quiet. However, it is not suited to a large room. Best to heat something around 8′ x 9′. Bedroom heater.

This is a question that I am asked a lot. I am always happy to hear people asking this because it shows me that people are concerned about safety issues, and that is important.  While heaters do not, “cause more deaths than anything else in the United States”, they can be a very real danger risk.  Many people underestimate the damage that an improperly attended heater, or a damaged heater can do. This question addresses a very important question, one which I am more than happy to discuss.

Many people wonder if it is safe to leave a heater on all the time or just when in the room. It all depends on the heater.  I would not leave a small portable electric space heater on in the room if I was going to be gone for any length of time. Modern space heaters will turn off if they are tipped over, for example. But they do not have the necessary safety measures built in, which would help should a heater over-heat.  I don’t know if there are any space heater safe to leave on when you are gone.  Definitely, the small bar heaters or other electric heaters should be turned off if you are not going to be in the house.  They should also be turned off at night, when you are sleeping.

I have been asked often, “How fast can electric heaters catch fire?” It all depends on the heater, and what is around it. Normally an electric radiator heater will not just ‘catch fire’.  Reasons that electric heaters catch fire are usually because of improper and inadequate wiring.  Or, they are positioned too close to curtains or other flammable materials that catch fire, and then cause the heater to catch on fire.

If you want a heater that you can leave on, even when sleeping, and you do not have central heating, I would recommend the oil filled radiator. If you are wondering, “Is it ok to use electric heater when sleeping?” I would have to say that it depends on the heater.  Small portable space heaters–no.  Electric oil filled radiators?–Yes!  Generally, oil filled radiators are safe heaters to leave on when no-one is there.  Using that type of heater is one occasion when it is fine to be sleeping with an electric heater on.   You can even leave oil filled radiators on all day without causing any danger.

Normally I would suggest that you unplug unattended electric heaters.  If you are wondering, ‘can I leave an oil filled radiator on all the time?’  The same would apply. If your oil filled radiator will be unattended for long periods of time, while you are at work for example, then you should turn it off.  One great thing about oil filled radiators is that they often come with not only a thermostat that will regulate temperature within a room, but they also have a timer.  So, you can turn your radiator off in the morning when you leave for work but program it so that it will turn on an hour or so before you arrive back home from work.  This way you will have the security of knowing that your home is protected during the day and you do not have electric heaters running, but you will also know that your home will be warm when you step through the door as the timer will have turned your heater on in enough time to warm up your living quarters.

An oil filled radiator is one electric heater that is safe for children and pets.  Last winter my cat rubbed up too close to a portable electric heater, the bar kind, and she ended up singeing her fur. While I did feel sorry for her, I also had to laugh as it was not a bad burn by any means but it must have given her a bit of a shock and she had a patch of fur that was slightly brownish rather than gray for quite a few weeks!  She has since learned to respect heaters!

Some of the main oil filled radiator tips are to plug your heater directly into the wall socket, and not an extension cord. Do not lay towels or other clothes over the heater when it is turned on. Set the heater on a timer if you are going to be out of the house for any length of time.  Aside from those few considerations, I think that oil filled radiators are some of the safest heaters to use in your home.

It seems that this winter there has been a lot more interest in using the propane heater, both for outdoor heating and indoor and garage heating as well. This is understandable, as propane or LPG heating is actually very cost effective and propane heaters these days are much safer to operate than they have ever been.  I have been a bit surprised though at the interest generated in propane heaters, but nicely surprised as I have always been quite fond of using propane heaters as they are just so handy to use especially the smaller ones with the attached propane gas tanks or gas cylinders.

I have also received quite a few questions regarding propane heating in general, and this has prompted me to write another post which will hopefully try to answer or at least give some input on the different (and varied) questions people have posed these past couple of months.

Propane Heaters

While propane heaters have been used for a good while now to heat up patios and outdoor areas as well as garages, and of course they are great to use when camping as well, they are now becoming more popular to use indoors as well.

The gas fires up quickly and propane heaters are able to generate a nice lot of heat fairly quickly if you use the right type of heater. This is why they are perfect to use in garages or other work areas where you need fairly instant heat in the middle of winter. Propane space heaters are the choice of heater for heating up a smaller work space quickly. These small portable propane heaters turn on right away, begin generating heat as soon as they are on and can very effectively heat up a smaller space. If you are heating up a larger area, a living room for example, you may need to make sure the propane heater you buy has a fan on it to propel the warm air around the room.

The main pro with propane heaters is that they can be used in areas where there is no electricity. They can also be used when the electricity goes off, which is great for those moments when something like that does happen. I have always had a small propane heater around for times just like that and it has come in very handy. Incidentally, living in an area that uses predominantly electricity for all energy sources, we have also always had a little barbecue that runs off propane as well. They are great to heat up water for a cup of tea or coffee when the electricity is out, and you can even cook a simple meal on it too.  Of course, electricity does not go out nearly as much as it used to, but there have been times in recent years when we have had to resort to a barbecued dinner.

It goes without saying that whenever you use propane gas for heating or for cooking, you need to make sure that the room has sufficient ventilation. Propane gas, when burned, gives off dangerous carbon dioxide fumes which can lead to death if they build up too high in a room.  Every year you still hear of propane heater deaths even though people have  been warned about this. Modern propane heaters, at least the more expensive ones, come with an automatic shutdown feature that will shut off the heater if it senses that carbon dioxide levels are getting too high in a room. That is a very good feature to have if you plan on using a portable propane heater in inside enclosed spaces without proper venting.

Best Propane Heaters for Indoors

Of course it all depends on the size of the area you are wanting to heat. If you are planning on  heating a living room or a larger area, or even a spare bedroom, you should look at the forced air versions which have a fan that will propel the warm air out into the room. There is a large range of these, with sizes varying greatly to the point that there are some that could quite comfortably heat up a large sized living room or kitchen. You are also able to easily vary the heat on propane heaters as most of the better sized one come with a thermostat and temperature controls.

If you just want to heat up your campervan a small radiant heater should work quite nicely and it would be a good deal less expensive to buy and operate.

A good tip when buying heaters is to always estimate a little on the high side. It is much easier to turn down a heater or to lower the thermostat than to cope with a heater that just is not big enough to do the job.

Best Propane Garage Heater

There is a lot of differing of opinion when it comes to deciding what are good propane garage heaters. Personally I like the bigger, vented units that sit up high on the wall and look a bit like a window unit airconditioner.  They are great space savers, and you do not have to worry about moving them around or tripping over them as they are up out of the way.  Of course, I use my garage a lot as a work area, I am constantly in there and I do need good heating so that I can work with my hands free of gloves.

One model that is very popular, that can be wall mounted is the Dayton G73 model. It is big enough to heat up a double sized garage and can cover up to 500 square feet. The thermostat is accurate and there is also an automatic safety shut off feature that will turn the heater off if it starts to overheat.  It is touted by many as being the perfect garage heater. A unit will set  you back over $250, but that is really very little when you consider how good a heater it is and how long it will last you.

If you are installing a garage heater you need to be aware of garage propane heater ventilation. Usually, with garages, ventilation is not such a big deal as most of the garages I have been in are drafty at best. However, a lot of people are now insulating their garages in order to keep the cold out better. If you have insulated your garage and you end up installing a propane gas garage heater make sure that it is either vented or that you have good ventilation whenever you are working in there.

Propane Golf Cart Heater

Well, I suppose golf must go on, even in the dead of winter. I do not play myself, but I have received quite a few questions about the best propane golf cart heaters. It makes a lot of sense to me to use propane heaters in a golf cart as you are out on the course, away from all other sources of energy.

You will be pleased to note, if you are a winter time golfer, that there are quite a few good propane golf heaters on the market, designed specifically to be used in the golf cart. Coleman make a range of very good golf cart heaters.  The Coleman 5036-850 GolfCat Catalytic Propane Heater seems to have received the best reviews, although there are several other models sold by Coleman that looked to me like they would work quite nicely.  Overall this did seem to be the best brand when it comes to golf cart heaters.

If you are trying to determine what size electric heater to install in your room for greatest electric heater efficiency there are some simple guidelines to follow in figuring this out. First of all, you need to figure out how big your room is, and then based on the square feet size of your room you should be able to determine what wattage heater to buy, as well as other HVAC load calculations.

There are, however, a few different things to take into consideration that may affect the outcome of your electric heater calculations and your heat gain calculation.

The first thing to figure out is how energy efficient the room is. For example, a modern building that is fully insulated will require about 10 watts of heat per square foot.  If, however you have little insulation and your home was not built to be energy efficient, chances are that you may need to up that amount to 12 watts per square foot.  For an older home that has no insulation, where the windows are quite drafty and not  well placed you may need to count on 15 watts per square foot.

Another thing to take into consideration is the height of your rooms too.  Regular ceiling height is around eight feet.  If your ceiling is higher, however, for example in a conservatory or in an older styled home you need to increase the wattage of the heater by 25 percent for every two feet of height over the regular height of 8 feet.

Likewise in rooms with a lot of glass windows, again the conservatory comes to mind, or even a living room with big wall to wall windows, or sliding glass doors that lead to an outside patio, you also need to increase the wattage of the heater by 25 percent or more, depending on the amount of glass in your room.

If you find that your heating needs are over 2000 watts, it might be best and more efficient to buy two heaters, rather than just getting one big one. This will distribute the heat more evenly around the room, thus saving you money in the long run because the heaters will be better regulated and will operate at a lower temperature. Just using one heater to heat up a big room may not be that effective. You may find the end of the room away from the heater will be quite cool still and the heater will be forced to run all the time as the thermostat will never turn off.

Some examples:

1. Heating a 12 x 10 foot room, in a modern day, energy efficient room:  You would need to get a heater that is at least 1200 watts.
2. Heating a 12 x 10 foot room, with 10 feet high ceilings:  You would need 1200 + 25% or a 1500 watt heater.
3. Heating a 12 x 10 foot room in an older house that is not insulated:  You would need 1800 watt heater.
4. Heating a 22 x 15 foot room in a house that has large glass windows all along one side:  The room is 330 square feet so you would need a heater that is 3300 plus an additional 25% because of the glass windows, giving a total of 4,125 watts. In this instance you would probably want to invest in two heaters, installing them at opposite ends of the room.

There are many online sites that will provide you with an electric heater calculator that will quickly and easily provide you with a way to determine your heating needs. You will need to know the size of your room and be able to answer simple questions relating to ceiling height, insulation and other basic structural formations. You will also need some idea of the optimum temperature you would like to sustain while the heater is on. Some may find it easier to use these sites, than to try to figure out all of the details. You will

When buying your electric radiator heater, it is likely that you often won’t be able to find one that is the exact wattage you need. If that is the case, you should just buy the next size up. Of course ,you should also consult with a local electrician before installing your electric wall heater as they often need to be on their own breaker.  In some areas, you also need to have a registered electrician install them, so be sure to find out if that is the case in your area before going ahead with a self-installation.