And while the use of portable space heaters raises a lot of questions about safety and efficiency, these warming devices have been helping offset cold New England temperatures for more than a century.
For the sake of clarity, when we refer to space heaters in this article we are referring to portable space heaters for residential use, not electric baseboards, mounted heaters on walls, floors or ceilings, or wood or pellet-burning stoves, all of which can also be considered space heaters.
Nor are we referring to outdoor natural gas, propane or kerosene-burning high-powered commercial blower heaters such as those you might find on a construction site or a football game sideline. Home space heaters have come a long way since the first gas-fueled devices warmed drafty domiciles in the mid th century. Those first gas heaters were basically portable Bunsen burners that heated the surrounding air with an open flame. The first electric space heater was invented by Albert Leroy Marsh in They have also expanded in terms of type with a huge variety available — electric, infrared, oil-filled, propane, natural gas and kerosene.
There are convection heaters that draw in air, warm it, then circulate it throughout a room; infrared heaters that project a beam of heat directly in front of the unit; and electric heaters that warm an element inside a reservoir of oil and circulate the resulting heat. There is an array of brands — DeLonghi, Holmes, Honeywell and Lasko among those recommended by Consumer Reports -- all offering a range of safety and efficiency features.
Most modern space heaters come with safety features including tip over switch, timers and over-heat shut-off systems. Still, despite all the changes and improvements over time, and the broadening of options, portable space heaters have not escaped their reputation for danger.
Such across-the-board changes, while they may aim to address safety, run the risk of literally leaving many New Englanders out in the cold when, for instance, their home heating system fails and they are temporarily without warming options. There are many questions around space heater use, especially for renters and landlords trying to save money, stay safe and comply with sanitary code regulations and proposed changes. Among the most frequently asked: Are space heaters dangerous?
Do space heaters cause fires? Do space heaters save money? What types of space heaters are best? Electric infrared? Convection or radiant? Which brands? To help sort and clarify some of the encyclopedic information about space heaters, we take a deeper look here at these questions one at a time. This might be the most common space heater concern. Examples of space heaters themselves causing fires, when following safe usage guidelines, are relatively rare. Some space heater models, like the Vornado Air VH vortex electric heater and the Duraflame electric heater, have heated up excessively causing melting and fire in some cases due to faulty manufacturing.
Both of these models were recalled in However, with unsafe usage, portable electric heaters are more dangerous. They are involved in about 1, fires every year, resulting in about 50 deaths and numerous burn-related emergency room visits, according to statistics from the U.
While space heaters accounted for about 44 percent of all home fires involving heating equipment between and including space heaters, furnaces and heating stoves , those fires resulted in a much higher rate of death and injury — 86 percent of civilian deaths and 78 percent of civilian injuries, according to National Fire Protection Association statistics.
In fact, heating equipment is the second leading causal factor in home fires, accounting for 9. Fire Administration. Cooking accidents are by far the leading cause of home fires, accounting for Other common home appliances that contribute to or cause fires include dishwashers, clothes dryers, microwave ovens, refrigerators and toasters.
There are several kinds of space heaters, and some may fit your needs better than others. You might not need one with as much power, you might want one with a fan, or maybe you want something cheaper or more premium than mine.
In any case, here are some other models to check out. This space heater has three quiet settings low, high and fan mode as well as 11 temperature settings. This fan from Dyson is also a heater and air purifier, all in one. The purifier uses a HEPA filter that can remove Catch up on Select's in-depth coverage of personal finance , tech and tools , wellness and more, and follow us on Facebook , Instagram and Twitter to stay up to date. IE 11 is not supported. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser.
Follow Select. Included is a HEPA filter, which can capture Convenient for both outdoor and indoor use, this radiant option has an auto shut-off when tipped and can heat spaces as large as square feet. This oil-fueled convection model has four heating modes, a remote and modern safety features. To help minimize your utility costs, it also has a smart eco mode that cycles between the highest and lowest setting to maintain your room temperature while lowering energy consumption.
For large spaces, Van Tuijl recommends the Lifesmart infrared space heater with a maximum watts high setting. It includes a remote, a hour timer, three different heat modes and even an 'eco setting' that maintains a constant degree temperature using less power for when you want to bring it into a smaller room.
Rather than a traditional fan design used in many of the options above, this Lasko space heater features a bladeless design like that of Dyson models. It's equipped with a slew of safety features, including a safe touch surface and an automatic shut-off switch. With its quiet oscillating mode, the sleek tower can evenly distribute heat in rooms up to square feet.
If speed is the name of the game, TaoTronics has got you covered. This space heater can reach up to 70 degrees Fahrenheit in three seconds and features side to side oscillation for increased heat distribution.
Additionally, it comes with three heating modes and includes overheating protection sensors, as well as an automatic off switch. Space heaters are portable devices designed to heat single rooms rather than entire houses, explained Arie Van Tuijl, a licensed home inspector and founder of Home Inspector Secrets.
In addition to their main function of heating things up, space heaters could prove their value in a variety of other ways. Space heaters work faster. A space heater takes less time to distribute heat and warmth within an area compared to an HVAC system, explained Wiseman. Space heaters are consistent. Space heaters can also maintain the same temperature in a space for as long as you want, allowing you to easily and quickly turn it off and cut off the heat. They come in many options to answer many needs.
From indoor and outdoor space heaters to a range of available sizes and styles available, myriad space heater models can allow you to keep warm in different ways — and at different price points.
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