Different people have different opinions about space heaters. Some people express its advantages, while some complaint about its disadvantages. These various opinions can often confuse you and make it hard for you to decide if you want a space heater or not. But you can easily clear this confusion if you know all the pros and cons of space heaters and choose if you want it or not.
Like everything, space heaters have both advantages and disadvantages. Knowing these pros and cons will help you decide when, where and how you want to use space heaters.
Table of Contents
What is a Space Heater?
A space heater is a commonly known device that is used to heat a small, confined area. It only heats a single space, not like a central heater which can heat connected areas. There are different types of space heaters. They can run by electricity or fuels like propane or natural gas.
There are also different types of methods in which different space heaters spread heat. They are radiation and convection. The radiation method only heats an object or a person, while the convection method heats the surrounding air. This heat passes throughout the room with natural airflow, some also have fans adjusted to heaters to help the heat pass the whole room.
Pros of Space Heater
A space heater is a popular appliance that is widely used in winter and colder regions. It has many advantages to use. They are mentioned below:
Saves Money
Space heaters are relatively inexpensive comparing with other heating equipment. Other heating devices like central heaters or other devices are expensive to use. Not only they may cost a lot, but they will need more electricity or fuel than space heaters, which use less than others. So, it helps saving money on power.
Energy Savings
Even though space heater consumes energy like electricity and fuels, but it is lower compared with other heating appliance. While the space heater is on, you can turn off your HVAC thermostats to save more energy. You can also unplug it while not using it. This way it can save a lot of energy.
Efficiency
Space heaters are generally efficient since they can heat and are quickly and properly. Normally, it takes time for other heating equipment to heat the place. Specially heaters with connected areas take longer since the area is large and it may not heat evenly. So, a space heater is quite efficient for a specific area to heat.
Portability
Space heaters are usually small and easy to move. The slightly bigger ones also come with wheels, so you can roll them from one room to other. Since space heaters only heat a small area, so you can move it to any room you are in and any place suitable for you and your family to stay warm. You can change its position according to your need like in the kitchen, living room, bedroom, etc.
Comfort
Space heaters are the best comfort for winter days and chilly nights. Placing a space heater next to people sitting will warm their chilled hands and feet and make it a warm and cozy place to relax. It’s really useful, especially in older homes with cold floors and windows. It is also very helpful for older people who always need to stay warm on cold days. People with diabetes or other circulation problems will find it useful to keep them warm in winter.
Easy To Use
Modern space heaters are simple and user-friendly. You don’t have to be an expert technician to use them. The way to use it is very simple, just plug in, turn it on, and set the temperature.
Some space heater even has sensors that sense if the room reaches the desired temperature and automatically turns off the heat. It is even easy to figure out if something is wrong with your space heater since the mechanism is quite simple. And since it is cheap, you can also replace it if it is damaged. So, it is very easy to use.
Cons of Space Heater
Everything has both advantage and disadvantage to it. Space heaters are no exception. Even though there are advantages, there are also few disadvantages as well.
Fire and Burn Risk
Space heaters can quickly heat any space. But it also comes with the risk of overheating and catching fire. There also risks of getting burned by getting too close to the space heater or overheating them. Especially babies, small children, dogs, or other pets and any flammable furniture is at higher risk of getting burn damages.
Limited Range of Heat
Space heaters are designed to only heat a small confined area. So, it’s only has a limited range of heat. It cannot heat all the rooms of your home but a small room, barely a large room. And you cannot expect all family members to stay in one room near it. So, it can be only used one place at a time. So, it’s ideal for very few persons rather than a group of people or big families to use.
Requires Attention
Modern space heaters may be safer than the old ones, as it comes with safety features, but it still requires supervision. If the space heater is an old one, then it is definitely dangerous and needs constant attention. Never leave the heater unattended. The heater needs to be placed where there are no flammable objects like curtains or fabrics, within a 3-meter radius.
And you must be cautious if you have children or pets that might bump into the space heater. And always check your space heater if it is overheating in any area.
Final Thoughts
Space heaters are still a very common and useful appliance for the home, especially in winter. So, if are thinking about buying about space heater and unclear about whether to actually buy it or not, then you can follow the pros and cons of space heaters mentioned to make a choice.
