When the cold weather hits, you may want to consider getting a space heater for your home. Space heaters are great to have on hand, especially if you live in the Midwest or somewhere else that gets chilly in the wintertime.
Space heaters can quickly heat a room. They are also portable, so you can easily move them from one room to another.
Space heaters can also help save you money on your energy bill. Rather than having to raise the temperature of your entire home, you can use a space heater to warm up just the room you’re currently using.
There are many different types of space heaters to choose from. To find one that’s right for you, consider these important factors from Blain’s Farm & Fleet.
Each type of space heater works differently to produce heat. While there are space heaters that run on different types of fuels, we highly recommend that you only use an electric space heater in your home.
You can use heaters that run on things like propane and natural gas in well-ventilated areas, such as your garage. If you’re searching for one of these, check out our Garage Heater Buying Guide.
When it comes to electric heaters, the first thing to consider is what style you want.
Unlike many of the heaters you’re probably used to, radiant heaters don’t use any air. Instead, they give off heat through thermal waves.
So they don’t heat the air in a room like one with a fan would. Instead, they heat whatever object is in front of them.
Because they don’t blow hot air, radiant heaters are best for smaller rooms that won’t take long to heat up.
Some people also like radiant heaters because they’re very quiet.
Heaters with a fan work just like a regular fan, only they blow hot air instead of cold. They have a heating element, which creates the warm air that gets blown into the room.
Fan heaters are great for heating larger rooms quickly. They are also one of the most affordable options.
Infrared heaters work similarly to radiant heaters. Rather than warming the air itself, they’re ideal for heating people or objects near them.
Ceramic heaters create heat through ceramic plates that get heated by metal coils. You can find ceramic heaters both with and without fans built in.
This type heats up fast and works well in larger rooms.
Oil-filled heaters work by heating oil. They come with the oil, which you never have to replace.
They’re great for placing near windows and doors. Many people also like them because they don’t dry out the air like heaters with built-in fans might.
Space heaters come in a variety of different sizes. The size you get will depend on how many people will be using it at a time, as well as how big of a room you want it to heat.
A smaller space heater is ideal for keeping one or two people warm. It should be able to keep a small space heated.
A larger space heater is better for keeping more than two people warm. If you want to heat a larger room, such as your living room, a larger heater is the best option.
When looking at space heaters, the packaging should specify what size room they work well for (coverage area).
There are also many different features not specific to the heater style that you should keep in mind when shopping for a space heater.
When looking for the best space heater, we recommend getting one that comes with safety features. Many space heaters have an automatic shut-off switch, which can help prevent fires.
The shut-off switch will turn the heater off to prevent it from overheating. They also shut it down if it gets knocked over.
No matter what kind of space heater you get, it’s very important that you take safety precautions by reading the owner’s manual before using it.
If you plan on regularly moving your heater from room to room, we suggest getting a portable space heater. There are some that come with handles and/or wheels, which will make it much easier to move around.
Some space heaters today even come with thermostats. This allows you to set the heater to your preferred temperature. This will keep your room perfectly heated, so you won’t have to keep adjusting the temperature.
Another feature to look for is a timer. This allows you choose how long you want your heater to run for.
Some space heaters come with remotes. These are convenient, as they allow you to adjust the heat and other settings without having to walk over to the heater.
Some space heaters have a fan-only setting, which will allow you to use them in the warmer months to cool down your space, too.
Before buying a space heater, determine which outlet you’ll plug it into. If there’s an outlet nearby, this isn’t much of an issue.
But if the nearest outlet is on the other end of the room, look for a heater with a longer power cord. This will allow you to get it closer to yourself.
Some heaters, like ones with fans, are louder than others. Decide if noise is an important factor to you. If it is, go for a quieter model.
Like many fans, some heaters can also oscillate. Oscillating styles can effectively distribute the warm air around an entire room.
For more buying guides like this one, visit our Heating & Cooling Blog.
