Electric Heaters

Electric heaters are one of the more popular choices for heating a room, office, home or building. Due to their ease of use, quiet operation, and high efficiency, electric heaters are used in many different situations where other types of heaters would be less than ideal. In this article, we'll take a look at many different types of electric heaters and see what you need to know about buying, owning and operating an electric heater.

The category of electric heaters is rather broad as there are several different types of heaters that run on electricity. Convection heaters, fan heaters, radiant heaters, and infrared heaters can all be run on electrical power, and while they may share many characteristics, the fundamental methods they use to heat a room or or building can be quite different.

Convection heaters use the principles of thermodynamics and the properties of air to heat up a room. When the electrical current is introduced into the heater, the heating element - usually a metal plate or bar - becomes warm and starts to give off heat into the surrounding air. As the air becomes hot, it rises to the top of the room or space that it is in, and cooler air flows down to take its place near the heater. As that air becomes warm, it rises, more cold air flows in, and the cycle repeats itself.

Convection heaters operate silently and are quite efficient at turning electricity into heat, but they usually need some time to get going before you'll start to notice the heat they are producing. This is not because of any inefficiency in their design or operation, but simply because the heat they produce flows naturally to the high parts of the room they are in. Once all of the higher parts of the room have been heated, then the heat will begin to flow into the middle and lower parts of the room.

The advantage to convection heaters is that, since they heat the air in the room, the heat they produce will continue to persist for some time even after the heater is turned off. This allows convection heaters, through the use of a thermostat, to turn themselves off to save power, and turn back on when the heat begins to drop.

Fan, or forced convection, heaters operate in much the same way as regular convection heaters, but they use a small motor to power a fan to speed up the convection process. This can vastly speed up the time it takes the heater to warm an area, but does cause a slight increase in the amount of power used, and also produces a constant whirring noise that some might find irritating.

Radiant heaters are quite different from convection and fan heaters, and use fundamentally different scientific principles to heat a room. Radiant heaters work by transferring heat via electromagnetic waves (also known as infrared waves) which are converted into heat when they are absorbed by contact with a physical object. What this means in practical terms is that the heat emitted by the heater is not absorbed by the air, but rather passes through the air until it reaches a person, a chair, or some other object in the room. (To be perfectly correct, a small amount of the heat generated is absorbed by particles in the air, but this is a neglible amount.)

Since radiant heaters do not warm the air and their heat is not affected by air currents, you will notice the heat coming from them much quickly and the room will feel warmer sooner than it would with a convection heater. The disadvantage to radiant heaters is that, as so little of their heat is absorbed by the air, the heat they give off dissipates very quickly when the heater is turned off. This means that the heater must run pretty much non-stop to adequately heat a room.

Radiant heaters usually work by the use of a long, glass-encased tube with a filament inside - very much like a large light bulb. The filament is heated by the electrical power and radiates the heat out. These heaters also often have reflective mirrors on one side that allow you to direct the flow of heat to a particular spot or area where it's needed.

There is very little practical difference between radiant and infrared heaters. Both use a radiant heat source to emit heat via infrared or electromagnetic waves. The main difference between the two seems to be simply a marketing decision. Most radiant heaters that are powered by electricity and meant for home use are sold under the radiant heater name. Most heaters sold under the infrared heater name are powered by gas or propane and are meant for industrial or business use.

One other difference between infrared and radiant heaters is that many infrared heaters use a ceramic burner or wire mesh to emit heat, instead of using a glass tube. But although this seems to hold true across many different models of heaters and different manufacturers, there is very little practical difference to the consumer.

When it comes time to choose an electric heater for your house or office building, there are a couple of things to keep in mind. The primary consideration that will help you choose between a radiant heater and a convection or fan heater is the length of time you will need the space to be heated. If you only need the space to be heated for a few minutes or an hour at a time, then a radiant heater, with its faster heating times, would be more suitable. On the other hand, if you need a room heated all day long, then a convection heater would allow you to heat it comfortably and not have to run the heater all day long.

Another thing to keep in mind is whether a propane heater might be better for the job. Since electric heaters are reliant on electricity, if there's the possibility of a storm knocking out the power and taking your only heat source with it, propane heaters might be a better option.

Other points to consider are safety issues - are there children or pets nearby that could burn themselves on a radiant heater? - aesthetics, and availability in your area. Consider these points before you go to buy an electric heater and you'll be glad you did when you purchase just the right one for the job.

For information on more home and garden topics,  check out the links to my other Hubs below.

• Choosing the right exterior shutters
• Buying and giving baby blankets
• Using hurricane shutters for looks and protection
  
• Decorating your home with wooden venetian blinds