Electric heaters can be efficient and cosy ways of heating your living or work space. For many people the phrase ‘electric heater’ conjures up the image of an old fashioned, two bar heater, connected to a socket by a dangerously frayed cord sizzling hazardously in the corner of a dim and dismal room. The truth is that modern electric heaters are nothing like this stereotype.
Nowadays, electric heaters come in all shapes and sizes and can be used to help create the home or workspace that you want. These heaters – once seen as energy wasting – can be some of the most energy efficient heating units you can instal. That is definitely a bonus in these days of rocketing fuel and utility prices.
The important consideration when choosing an electric heater is to find the type of heater that best suits your needs and the area in which you mean to instal it. Given the wide variety of electric heaters on the market this is not going to be a difficult task. However, before you can make your decision, it is wise to become familiar with the basic types of heaters available in order to help you make an informed choice.
There are six main categories of electric heaters and a basic understanding of these categories can help you to make your choice. These categories are defined by the method used to convert electricity into heat. Each of these methods is used in hundreds of different types of heaters designed to meet specific needs.
• Radiant heaters are the descendant of the two-bar heater. These heaters are nowadays most commonly encased behind glass and provide a direct, radiant heat useful for direct warming.
• Convection heaters produces hot air through vents to heat up the surrounding area.
• Fan heaters generate heat in much the same way as convection heaters but include a fan which blows out the hot air to heat up the space rapidly.
• Panel heaters/Electric radiators – these heaters are portable or fixed oil or water filled units that are heated with electricity.
• Storage heaters are particularly economical as they take advantage of cheaper night time electricity by storing heat during the night and releasing it during the day.
• Underfloor electric heaters are increasingly popular as this form of heating provides a constant temperature in any room. One of the most economical forms of heating are electric ground source heat pumps which extract residual heat from the earth to heat your home or office.
With a heater to suit every space, every design and every pocket you can be sure you’ll find the electric heater that best suits your needs.