Saving Money with a Portable Space Heater

Introduction

Are your heating bills too high? Do you want to save by money by turning your thermostat down yet you hate huddling in a blanket to stay warm? If you spend most of your time in one room, a space heater may be the answer. For every one degree you turn your thermostat down for an eight hour period, it can save you save you 1% on your annual heating bill. Experts claim in order for a space heater to cost-effective, the thermostat needs to be turned down to 58° . However, if you are going to be running a space heater in multiple rooms at the same time, you might as well just turn up the thermostat a few degrees to stay warm instead.

Types

There are basically two types of portable space heaters: radiant heaters and convection heaters. Convection heaters blow air across a heating element and warms the surrounding air whereas radiant heaters warm the nearest object. If you want to warm a small room, a convection heater is probably the best. However, if the room is comfortable, and only one person is cold, a radiant heater is probably better.

Cost to run

To calculate how much a space heater costs to run, the formula is Kilowatts x Cost per killowatt x hours. On the highest setting, most space heaters use 1500 kilowatts per hour. Thus, the cost will vary dependent upon how many kilowatts the space heat uses and how many hours you run it.

Features to look for

Space heaters come with several different features. These features are:

• Thermostat - controls heat and can save money
• Automatic shutoff control - automatically shuts off if the unit is turned off
• Kid-safe switches
• Protective grills and guards - protect your family and pets from burns

Safety Tips

Unfortunately, the U.S. Product Safety Commision claims space heaters are responsible for more than 25,000 fires per year. Furthermore, the U.S. Fire Administration claims space heaters are responsible for 30% of heating-related injuries and 40% of heating-related deaths per year. Experts claim most of these deaths are caused from the space heaters being too close to flammable materials. However, Consumer Reports claims that overloaded, undersized, or frayed power cords are a major reason for fires, injuries, and deaths associated with space heather. Regardless of the reasons for the fires, caution is advised when using space heaters. To protect your home and loved one, implement the following safety tips:

• Do not use while you’re sleeping or away from the room.
• Keep heaters at least 3 feet away from drapery, furniture, and other flammable materials.
• Do not run multiple space heaters at the same time, they could overload your wiring.
• Before using your space heater during the heater season, check the cord and make sure the unit works properly.
• Avoid using common household extension cords with the heater. The extension cord may not be able to handle the amperage and eventually melt.
• Only buy heaters with the Underwriter’s label seal of approval.

Conclusion

If you’re willing to turn down your thermostat and you use one room at a time, portable space heaters can save up to 20% of your home heating costs per year. However, with so many space heater related deaths per year, use caution. Most importantly, keep space heaters at least three feet away from flammable materials, and do not use them while sleeping or away from the room.