Electric heaters: tips for buying, benefits and safety

A great way to heat up a garage or basement work space or to add a little extra comfort to a drafty room on your home or business is to use and electric heater. A variety of styles and designs are available at varying costs. This article will give you a basic overview of basic tips on buying, benefits, drawbacks, and safety tips for electric heaters.

When looking for an extra heating source for another space in your home or business, the size and power of model you will be looking for will be based on the space or spaces it will primarily be used in. If you are planning to heat a two car garage, you will be looking for a more powerful unit than you would use to add heat to a bedroom inside a home. A 4,000 to 5,000 watt heater will be adequate for a 500 square foot space or a little larger. You would be looking for something substantially smaller if trying to add heat to a room inside your home that already has a little heat running through it. A larger unit to heat a garage or other large space can retail from 120 to 350 dollars depending on features that come with it. Units that will heat smaller rooms retail for about 50 to 100 dollars.

The benefits of buying a separate electric heater are that it is economical, easy to set up and less time consuming. The cost to install a dedicated separate heating unit in a garage or barn can cost 4000 to 5000 dollars. A smaller electric heater will do the job for a fraction of that cost. They usually just plug into a wall and can be moved anywhere relatively easily. All you have to do is get one, take it out of the packaging, read the instructions and in less than 45 minutes you have heat flowing through a room.

Some drawbacks to electric heaters are that they can be dangerous. Companies have been coming out with new designs for years that are safer than previous models however even advanced heaters today are susceptible to being knocked over and catching something on fire. Their portable nature makes them close to the floor and accessible to children. They can also cost a lot of energy to run if left on all the time.

One exception to the danger factor are the innovative halogen electric heaters. Because they work by radiance rather than convection, the safety of these units is exceptional. Consider this design for areas where children and pets may be present.

For safety, many electric heaters should always be kept out of the reach of children. If this is not possible, a unit should be unplugged and the wall outlet secured so a child cannot plug it in. Always turn your heater off when you are not awake to observe it functioning. Sleeping with an electric heater on is very dangerous. Keep all liquids flammable or otherwise away from the machine to avoid inadvertent spills into the machine.