Electric heaters - which are better and why

As the heroes of one series said - "Winter is coming." And you can argue about the scale of global warming endlessly. In any case, not everyone has centralized heating. And air conditioners are too gluttonous and do not always start in the cold.

 

Electric heaters - what are there

 

Immediately we will limit ourselves to a list of tasks that heaters must cope with. We are talking about heating a living space - a house, an apartment, an office. Accordingly, we cut off all equipment in the form of heat curtains or cannons. These are instruments for larger tasks and are not suitable for us.

 

You can buy electric heaters of 5 types:

 

• Oily.
• Ceramic.
• Infrared.
• Air.
• Convectors.

 

Each type of heater has its own operating principle, design features and technical characteristics. Before choosing a device, the buyer must know exactly the answers to 2 questions:

 

• The area of ​​the heated room. Not the rooms where it will be installed, but the rooms to which the heat will spread. It is important. It is under this criterion that the power of the heating device is calculated.
• Expected monthly electricity consumption. The higher the power, the more you pay the bill. And here you need to roughly calculate how much costs are planned to be incurred for heating the living space.

 

Someone will say that it is impossible to find a compromise. And it will be wrong. You can always find a middle ground, as there is one more criterion - the price. Here it is, just, and determines the choice of the buyer. Remember, there is such a concept as “energy efficiency class of household appliances”. So, if the manufacturer did not indicate the letter "A" or "B", then the heater, in any case, will be power hungry. And nothing can be done about it.

 

Fan heaters - simple and convenient heaters

 

The feature of heat fans in a simple design, which guarantees the buyer the lowest price for the equipment. The devices are quickly put into operation - at start-up they immediately supply heat. In addition, fan heaters additionally ensure the circulation of heated air throughout the room.

 

In thermal fans, a metal spiral or a ceramic plate acts as a heating element. We're talking about devices that are relevant for 2021. The price of a fan heater depends on the power, design features and brand. You can buy a conventional heated fan in the budget class or take something more advanced. For example, in the form of a speaker or boombox on wheels.

When choosing heat fans, the basic selection criteria must be taken into account:

 

• Power consumption and dissipation.
• Noise indicator in different modes of operation.
• Availability of demanded functionality. For example, automatic rotation, overheating protection, remote control and so on.

 

By themselves, heat fans are budget class. Serious brands offering climate technology on the world market simply do not have such ineffective devices in their assortment. They have a very low efficiency factor. But for a small room where you need to raise the air temperature extremely quickly, this is a wonderful device.

 

Oil radiators - keepers of the family hearth

 

Probably, oil radiators were invented to counterbalance the fan heaters. They turn on for a very long time, but after turning off they are able to keep the room warm for some time. Heating devices are extremely safe for users, which is what attracts buyers who have small children.

Oil radiators can be conventional and with a built-in fan. The second option dissipates heat more efficiently throughout the room. When choosing, consider the following criteria:

 

• Number of sections. The more, the more efficiently the air is heated. But the more the device itself. A compromise must be reached.
• Convenient management. The heater may not only have an on / off button. It is good when there is a thermostat with heating temperature control. Protection against overturning will not be superfluous - this is when the device turns off automatically when it falls.

 

Ceramic heaters - representatives of the elite

 

They are metal plates that are covered with a thick layer of ceramics on all sides. The ceramic heater quickly turns on and demonstrates high heating efficiency. The nice thing is that the heater does not take up space in the room - it is hung on the wall. Ceramic manufacturers offer excellent design solutions that fit perfectly into the interior of the living space.

To the advantages of ceramic heaters, you can add a high rate of energy savings. The device consumes several times less than an iron or an air conditioner. This statement applies to products from advanced brands. By the way, in order to save money, many manufacturers use granite instead of ceramics. You can save money on the purchase - granite is much cheaper than ceramics. But this monument in a house or apartment does not look very attractive and consumes more energy.

 

Infrared heaters - spot heat radiation

 

In terms of the degree of local heating, infrared heaters are considered the most effective solutions. The device does not heat air, but objects that can absorb infrared radiation. By the way, the darker the surface in color, the better the heating. The price of infrared heaters is low, they consume little energy - a rational decision for the buyer.

But there is one unpleasant moment - objects that are in line of sight of the emitter give in to heating. All other corners, walls, objects, people in the house will receive heat dissipated from heated objects. And this is a fat minus of infrared heaters.

 

Heaters with an infrared heater do not shine with functionality. There is an enable and disable button. Rarely are models with a thermostat that can regulate the radiation intensity. Heating devices are safe for the human body, but the structure itself is very fragile. Therefore, you need to take care of the correct installation or installation of the infrared heater.

 

Convectors - the best solutions for office use

 

Heating devices of this type are considered the most efficient in terms of energy saving. Many users do not even turn off the convectors at night. The device heats the room once, and then just keeps it warm. Convectors do not boast of high heating efficiency. But they can create optimal conditions for people in the room. Hence the popularity of convection heaters in business.

Convectors can be hung on the wall (stationary) or moved on wheels (mobile). They differ from each other in size, area of ​​effective heating, energy saving class. Some manufacturers offer to buy floor convectors or for children. The last option is equipped with a backlight that attracts children and is used as a night light.

 

Electric heater myths and reality

 

It is not clear who was the first to launch this fake, but people took it as a basis and always discuss the problem with sellers. We are talking about the harm of electric heaters to the human body:

 

• An electric heater burns oxygen. Let's think for a second why the match burns in the air. Because there is oxygen in the air, which acts as an ideal medium for the combustion (oxidation) of this match. That is, for an electric heater to burn oxygen, a combustion process is needed. Yes, in the 20th century there were spiral heaters that burned a small fraction (less than 0.01%) of oxygen during operation. But the combustion process itself did not exist, otherwise the spiral would simply burn out. So, for comparison, one hamster or a small kitten in the house consumes more oxygen in 1 day than an electric heater for its entire service life.
• The heater dries the air. Another myth that contradicts the law on the water cycle in nature. If the air is heated, then its humidity remains unchanged. And in the heating season, hygrometers show lower humidity due to a decrease in the percentage of humidity outside. And don't assume that tightly closed windows and doors will block moisture imbalances. Well, maybe a couple of percent. If you want to create comfortable conditions for humidity - buy humidifier.

 

What do we have as a result. With a minimum budget, it is better to choose a fan heater. Need point and instant heating - take an infrared heater. If you want to maintain a minimum coziness on an ongoing basis - definitely a convector. There are children or you need an extremely effective room temperature - an oil or ceramic heater. Among them, the choice is already in the context of attractiveness.