Electrical Heater Types for Homes

One popular solution to keep your home warm during the cold weather is to use electric heaters. However, with a vast array of options available, choosing the right type of electrical heater can be daunting.

Efficiency, safety, and affordability are key factors when selecting an electric heater to warm your home. Different types of heaters offer distinct benefits and drawbacks. It’s essential to understand how each heater operates to make an informed decision. So, let’s take a closer look at some of the most common electric heaters available in the market.

Electric Baseboard Heating 

Baseboard heaters provide a practical heating solution for individual rooms, with minimal space requirements and no need for ductwork. This makes them an excellent option for both new construction and remodeling projects, as the installation is quick and straightforward.

Another benefit of baseboard heaters is that they offer separate room heating, reducing energy consumption when rooms are unoccupied. They operate quietly, without drafts, and come with individual thermostats for temperature control. Temperature levels are maintained within just one or two degrees of the thermostat setting.

Baseboard heaters provide an added advantage for apartment or retirement home applications, as residents can independently select their preferred room temperature. Overall, baseboard heaters are a practical and cost-effective solution for room-by-room heating needs.

Conventional Heater 

The convector is a highly reliable and increasingly popular electric heater that can be installed in any home area. One of the advantages of using a convector is that it emits heat with greater speed, amplitude, and projection than a baseboard heater. This is due to the unique chimney effect created by the convector’s format.

The chimney effect in convectors is created by a vent at the top of the heater that allows air to flow through the device. As the cool air is drawn into the heater, it is heated by an electric element and rises to the top of the unit. This creates a natural flow of warm air projected into the room, providing efficient and effective heating.

Another bonus Is that Convection heaters are available in various sizes, from small portable models to larger, fixed units. This makes it convenient for Homeowners to pick the right convention for their living space.

Radiant Heaters 

Radiant heaters emit rays that provide direct warmth to people and objects in their path. They’re often installed above glass doors, in walls, or on the ceilings of homes and are a safe option for electric heating.

Like the sun, the closer you are to a radiant heater, the more intense the warmth will feel.

Moreover, they only occupy a little space, making them a great option for smaller rooms or homes.

Space Heaters

Space heaters are portable devices designed to heat small areas or rooms. They’re typically used when the primary heating system is unavailable or insufficient or when central heating is too expensive.

Space heaters use either convection or radiant heating methods, making them an energy-efficient and cost-effective solution for heating a single room or supplementing insufficient heating in one area.

However, it’s crucial to use space heaters cautiously and follow appropriate safety measures since they can pose a fire hazard if used improperly.

Furnaces 

Electric furnaces have become a popular choice for heating buildings, as they use electricity to produce and circulate heat. The heating process involves converting electrical energy into heat energy via a heating element, after which the warmed air is distributed throughout the building’s ductwork.

One of the notable advantages of electric furnaces is their efficiency and user-friendliness, which make them require minimal maintenance compared to other heating systems.

Nevertheless, the operational costs may vary based on the prevailing electricity rates in the locality. Despite this, electric furnaces remain a reliable and efficient heating solution.

Heat Pump

Heat pumps work by transferring thermal heat from one place to another. They can be an alternative to traditional heaters, such as furnaces.

During the heating mode, a heat pump extracts heat from the outdoor air, ground, or water and transfers it into a building’s interior using a refrigerant cycle. The process is reversed in cooling mode, with the heat pump removing heat from the indoor air and releasing it outside.

Heat pumps are generally more efficient than traditional heating and cooling systems because they don’t use fossil fuels to generate heat.

They can also be used year-round, providing one-unit heating, cooling, and dehumidification capabilities.

Heater Fans 

Heater fans are designed to quickly warm a room by combining a heating element with a fan that circulates the warm air. This heating system is hard-wired to the electrical circuit, allowing for faster heat distribution and potentially lower power bills.

One significant benefit of heater fans is their compact size, which frees up valuable floor space that would otherwise be occupied by a bulkier baseboard heater. Additionally, a wide variety of models are available, including units that can be installed at the bottom or high up on a wall, in the kick space of a cabinet, or even on the ceiling of a garage or bathroom.

However, if you want to warm up your room and save money on electric bills, you should insulate your room and keep your heater at a lower temperature. Heater fans are often portable and lightweight, making them easy to move from room to room. Fan heaters often heat small or medium-sized rooms such as your home office or entryways.

Conclusion

Keeping homes warm during winter is made easy with the use of electrical heaters. To ensure you select the best electric heater for your home, it’s essential to consider factors such as efficiency, safety, and convince. With several types of electric heaters available, each with unique features and benefits, it’s important to understand the differences between them. The above information will enable you to choose the electric heater that best fits your requirements.

At CNA Electric Ltd., we provide installation and repair services for all electrical applications. So if you’re looking to add a new electric heater to your home, do not hesitate to contact us today. With our team of experienced technicians, you can trust that you will get the best solution tailored to your space and requirements. We are committed to providing professional advice and excellent customer service while ensuring safety at every step.