Otherwise there is a risk from carbon monoxide, while the water vapour gas heaters produce can cause condensation and if not ventilated can lead to damp and mould problems. Portable gas heaters don’t need flues, however you still need to make sure the room is well ventilated. If you are considering purchasing a gas heater you will need to check current safety regulations as some fixed heaters require flues or chimneys, to ventilate combustion gases and moisture out the home. Gas heaters can be run on mains gas, or LPG (liquid petroleum gas) also known as bottled gas. However main gas is around three times cheaper than electricity, meaning that the running cost is often comparable’ Gas heaters are different to electric heaters in their efficiency, as not all the gas is converted into heat output into the room (some is lost as exhaust gases, moisture and the creation of light). It’s better to use night storage heaters that are charged at night. If you are on Economy 7, avoid using heaters for long periods within the peak hours if you can.A thermostat will reduce running costs, though how much it reduces costs by depends on lots of factors, such as room size, insulation levels and making sure the thermostat is not turned up too high.Use a timer if it has one, if not, you can buy a timeswitch for the plug from a hardware shop.In general, if you have to use an electric room heater, use it only when necessary and consider the following: Halogen heaters tend to be the cheapest radiant heaters as they have a low power rating (but also produce less heat), while oil-filled radiators are often the cheapest convector heater because there is a thermostat to control the temperature. Chose a type of heater depending on how you intend to heat the room, because otherwise you may have a high running cost but not feel an increase in comfort from the heat. Heat parade 1 (electric) 1) radiant bar fire, 2) convector heater, 3) oil-filled radiator, 4) fan heater, 5) halogen heater.Įlectric room heaters are all expensive to run and not appropriate as a main heat source. * Running costs assumptions: Single-rate meter, 14.6p/kWh Economy 7 (night), 7.2p/kWh Economy 7 (day), 17.0p/kWh To calculate this yourself times the heat output of your electric heater by your electric kWh unit cost. However, heaters with a thermostat will automatically turn off when the required room temperature is reached, meaning in reality the cost will be lower over several hours. Picture Costs are for heaters used on the highest setting, and which are producing heat for the whole hour. The table below shows typical running costs for a range of electric room heaters. The higher the power rating the more heat will be produced, but also the cost will be proportionally higher. To calculate the running cost you need to look at the power rating of the heater, shown in kilowatts (kW). They rarely have thermostats or timers, which can make their running costs more expensive over long periods.Įlectric heaters are all considered to be 100% efficient, because they turn all the electricity they use into heat, but this does not mean they are cheap to run. Unlike convector heaters, they don’t achieve an even level of heat throughout the room, so often don’t bring the same level of comfort over time. These work quickly and are useful if you want to warm up only part of a room for a short period, as they tend to heat only what is in front of them. They take a little longer to work, but this type of heater can be easily controlled with a timer and thermostat, so you don’t overheat the room and you save money.Ģ) Heating a room for a short period of timeįor a quick blast of warmth, or for more directional heating, you should use radiant heaters. Convector heaters are a good choice if you need a supplementary heating source to warm up a room for a few hours at a time. These work by warming the air immediately next to them which then naturally circulates relatively evenly around the room. When you’re deciding on what room heater to use, consider first what purpose you want it to serve.ġ) Heating a whole room for a few hours or moreįor this, you should use a convector heater.
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