Early spring and late autumn are times when we often fill a bit chilly. Therefore, before the beginning or after the end of the heating season, an additional heat source for your home or company can be a good idea. Read our article and find out which electric heater to choose in order to stay warm without spending a fortune on energy bills.
Early spring and late autumn are times when we often fill a bit chilly. Therefore, before the beginning or after the end of the heating season, an additional heat source for your home or company can be a good idea. Read our article and find out which electric heater to choose in order to stay warm without spending a fortune on energy bills.
How do heaters work?
Thermal comfort and the speed of heating up rooms are closely related to the way your radiator gives out heat, and this includes electric models. Heat transfer is also an important factor influencing your heating costs. Below we present the main division of electric heaters.
Which heaters are best? Types of heaters
With regard to heat transfer, electric heaters can be divided into:
- convector heaters,
- radiant heaters,
- infrared heaters.
The first type use convection currents to heat and circulate air. Circulation causes the heated air to spread throughout the room. They are not recommended for allergy sufferers, because dust or pollen can be found in the circulating air. They may also be insufficient if you value a high level of thermal comfort. In general, such heaters are the cheapest and therefore the most popular compared to the other types.
If you are worried that microbes in the air could be harmful for you due to an allergy or respiratory disease, an ozone generator would be worth considering, as it greatly improves the air quality.
Radiant heaters emit heat waves (comparable to those of sunlight). In the case of such heaters, warm air does not spread around the room, because the radiation spreads in a straight line. The difference between the air temperature near the floor and under the ceiling is therefore minimal, making radiant heaters a great solution for rooms with high ceilings. Bear in mind, however, that radiant heaters are more expensive than convector heaters.
If you are still not sure which type will be better in your case, you still have one more type to consider. Infrared heaters combines features of the above two types, i.e. the advantages of radiant and convection heaters. They are more efficient, due to the fact that the whole surface is used, and they react to changes in room temperature. Due to their high level of thermal comfort, they are often compared to central heating. Infrared heaters are the least common type, mainly due to their high price.
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Ozone Generator – 500 – 10,000 mg/hr – 95 W 109.00 GBP
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Ozone Generator – 15,000 mg/h – 150 W – water connection 99.00 GBP
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Industrial Air Purifier- 7,000 mg/h – 100 W 85.00 GBP
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Industrial Air Purifier- 5,000 mg/h – 65 W
59.00 GBP55.00 GBP
Which convector heater should you choose?
As mentioned earlier on, convector heaters are the most popular type. There are many different models on the market, so it good to know exactly what you are looking for. Whatever your needs, it is best to choose a more powerful model, especially if it will be used as the only heat source in your house, as it will ensure optimal heating performance. If you’re not sure how much power you need, a model with an adjustable power range may be a good solution.
Bathroom heaters are slightly different from the rest. If you decide to use such a heater in your bathroom, whether as a basic or additional heat source, you should make sure it is resistant to corrosion. Information about whether a given model is suitable for use in humid conditions should be provided by the manufacturer.
Which radiant heater will be best?
Radiant heaters are a more expensive solution than convector heaters, but their use in the long run may be more economical. They do not generate any heat loss, and work well as an additional source of heat, reaching their maximum temperature very quickly after being switched on.
Radiant heaters come in a variety of shapes and sizes. Before you choose a specific model, check the area of the space in which you intend to use it.
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Infrared Patio Heater – 1500 W
85.00 GBP69.00 GBP -
Hanging Outdoor Heater – 1,500 W 109.00 GBP
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Infrared Patio Heater – 2,000 W – remote control
95.00 GBP75.00 GBP -
Patio infrared heater
109.00 GBP89.00 GBP
Features of electric heaters
When looking for information in order to decide which electric heater will best suit your needs, you will probably come across many different models. They will differ in their parameters, methods of giving out heat and construction. This is because there are many different models of electric heaters, and their most common feature being that they are electric.
Which electric heater should you choose for different needs?
A common division of heaters is based on various technical aspects, e.g. the way they give out heat as described earlier in this article, the material they are made from, how they are connected, where they are used, etc. A division according to intended use will not be so strict, as heaters can be used wherever you need them. However, a general division can be made into heaters that are used:
- as a main heat source,
- as an additional heat source.
The main source of heating should be planned at the design stage of the building. Additional heat sources, on the other hand, are more flexible and can be purchased or replaced at any moment. However, you should still carefully consider your decision before buying one.
Which electric heater will be good for an office?
Choosing a heater for both home and professional use depends on your needs. First of all, consider whether the heater will be used only temporarily or regularly. Just like at home, the heaters at your office should be suitable for the size of the space they will be used in, because large open space office and small separate offices will have completely different needs. Once you know more or less what you are after, you can start looking for a specific model. If you dream of starting your own business, read our next article on how to set up a cleaning company.
Which heaters will be suitable for restaurants?
Restaurants have rather specific needs, because in addition to heating closed spaces, external heating is also often needed. This is an especially popular solution in beer gardens and restaurants with patios, especially on colder days, when they provide a warm, cosy atmosphere. Radiant heaters are most often used in this case. Thanks to their shape and mobile nature, they can be mounted in various places, for example under garden umbrellas.
Which heater should you choose for a food truck?
A food truck, just like any other similarly-sized space, will require additional heating, especially in cold weather. Camper van enthusiasts often recommend heating the interior of vehicles of this size with oil heaters or electric heating lamps. Such devices are easily available and reasonably priced. So if you get cold in your food truck while serving customers, remember that traditional fan heaters are not the only solution.
What about for an office?
Office interiors are not significantly different in terms of heating compared to homes or small shops. Also in this case, convector and oil heaters are often used as an additional source of heat, and are popular due to their easy and quick use. If you often have guests or clients visiting, it is worth considering a decorative model matching the design of your interior.
Which electric heater will work well in a car repair shop?
Garages, workshops and other similar places usually do not have a permanent heating source, so in order not to freeze during the winter, an additional heat source is a good idea. So which heater should you choose for a car garage? There are several options.
The first is an electric oil heater. It is safe to use and gives off heat for a long time even after being turned off. It works especially well if you work in the same space for a long time. The second solution is a gas stove. Connected to propane-butane cylinders, it is a more mobile solution and does not require connection to the power supply. The last option is a traditional fan heater. This is a good solution if you will be working in the garage or car repair shop only for a short time. Such heaters need to be connected to the power supply, and are not a very economical solution if used regularly.
A car repair shop will usually require more advanced heating equipment. Read our next article and find out which compressor to choose.
Which electric heater should you choose? – summary
In our article we presented the most popular methods of electric heating. Some of them work well as a permanent source of heat, others as an additional source. Regardless of the method you choose, bear in mind that the building is the primary factor determining the amount of heat you will need during the heating season. There is no solution that would be cheap, environmentally friendly and convenient at the same time. For this reason you should carefully consider the heating method of your home or office.
The range of models for home use is very wide, covering both the most necessary and useful features. If you are looking for small household appliances, read our next article and find out which clothes steamer to choose.
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