Halogen Heaters
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.
Is the electrical cost of running a holgen heater less than the cost of running a portable gas heater?
Its hard to say Steven. You would have to compare the area you want heated and the size of the heater to get a true comparison. It will also depend on the cost of natural gas in your area as well. Chances are that you may find the halogen heater is less expensive, though you may want to just try it out with one heater at first to see.
Hey Bobhander, do you know if it is safe to use this type of heater at close proximity to my body? Is there a risk that radiation or something that could be exposed to me? I do want to have kids one day..
Thanks
These heaters do not produce any rays that would be at all dangerous to your body–no radiation or anything of that nature. You can use them safely without worrying about risk to your body!
Hello. I read a lot on the subject and it seems that this kind of heaters do produce UV radiations.
Could you please let us know some more details related to their effect on human skin?
Ioana, it seems that the UV radiations from a normal home halogen heater are fairly minimal and not really enough to cause any harm unless you are using your heater 24/7 all year round and have it very close to you. Perhaps of greater concern is the use of fluorescent lighting or the new ‘energy saving’ light bulbs in a home or CRT computer monitors, as the lights for example are used all year around and have been shown to emit quite high levels of UV in some instances.
As far as their effect on human skin, they can potentially have the same effect as any other type of UV radiation though because the radiation is very much on the low scale it is doubtful if you would get a tan from sitting in front of one for example. Distance between yourself and the lamp also lessens any UV skin damage. If you were very sensitive to UV radiation, such as people with lupus or other photo sensitivities it may not be the best choice of heater. Hope this answers some of your questions, Ioana.
Hi, i am very i have been ill and fallen asleep with the halogen heater near me for the past three months, will it cause premature ageing or skin damage? i am so worried the fact that is could damage my skin and never even crossed my mind ,i have been too unwell to think about it. i even avoid the sun to avoid skin damage.