Heaters

Choosing a heater that suits your needs

When winter months come your way, a heater can make all the difference between a pleasant, cosy season, and chilly, uncomfortable one. Make sure you choose an energy efficient, safe and durable heater that you can rely on all season long.

Here are some top tips to help you find a heater that suits your home and your wallet:

Find the right heater for your available space

In smaller rooms, choosing a smaller heater is a better option than a medium to large heater because smaller heaters are less imposing and do not interfere with other furniture or decor in a room. Small, portable heaters can be useful in bedrooms where they can be moved closer to one’s bed on especially cold nights, but can be moved out of sight when they are no longer needed and are taking up too much space. Larger heaters also have a valuable role in the home when homeowners need to warm up larger areas, such as a conjoined kitchen and dining area or a large lounge-space. In these circumstances, a 1500- watt heater is most appropriate and saves more energy than several smaller heaters would.

Finding the safest heater for your home

Suffering an injury, such as a burn or shock, from unsafe heaters in the home can be avoided if one buys heaters that are constructed with the wellbeing of families in mind. Some simple must-haves to look out for when making a safety-conscious purchase is a thermostatically controlled electric heater which has functions that allow homeowners to better control heat levels, or heaters that have automatic ‘shut-down’ features in order to prevent fire outbreaks or dangerous heat levels. When installing a heater in your home, make sure it does not face any flammable materials, such as curtains or clothing, and keep it away from fire-prone objects; like books or papers.

Radiant or convection: which is the heater for you?

There is a big difference between radiant and convection heaters and making the right choice between the two depends on what you want your heater to do for your home. Convection heaters warm up the air in your home and can increase the overall temperature of a larger living space. In contrast, radiant heaters only warm the specific zone the heater is facing and can, therefore, be used to target specific spots, such as a favorite armchair or a bed. As a result, radiant heaters are suited to warming specific areas for shorter periods of time, whereas convection heaters are perfect for adding a few degrees to the overall atmosphere of your home.

Be energy wise

Finally, when settling on a purchase for a heater, always check the energy consumption rates of the machine if you want to save on electricity bills. The right electric heater can be very energy efficient, especially if it is controlled by thermostats that limit wasteful use. Using smaller, portable heaters is also a good way to save on electricity as they can be moved around depending on where you need them most, thereby eliminating the need to buy more machines than necessary.