Space Heater: How to Use to Effectively Warm Your Home
Small space heaters are a great way to add heat to your home, RV, camp, and other places that need a little extra heat during the cold months. Using a portable heater will help you save on your overall heating costs as they will keep you toasty warm in a designated area.
However, when you go to use your space heater, be sure that you are using it as effectively as possible. To help you achieve that, here are some tips and tricks in order to get the best out of your space heater.
What are some tips and tricks for using space heaters?
Have a look at a few things you can do to effectively and efficiently use your space heater.
- Use your space heater to add heat to a room but not to heat the whole house. The use of a space heater is effective when used for additional heat. If you are trying to heat the whole house with a space heater, you are going to quickly find out it isn’t as effective as you might think.
- Plug your space heater directly into a wall socket for the best use of energy. If you need to use an extension cord, make sure it is a really good one that is fairly short. The closer your heater is to the original socket, the more efficient the use of power will be.
- Anything that can easily burn should have a three-foot radius around your space heater. Keep curtains, bedding, and children’s toys at least three feet away when the space heater is in use. Additionally, don’t use a space heater in your child’s bedroom.
- When you leave a room or head out to get groceries, don’t leave the space heater on. It is best that when you sleep or when you are away from the room that the space heater is turned off. Not only will you save on energy, but you will be practicing safe usage of space heaters. After all, you don’t want to heat a space that has no one to warm up.
- Avoid using your space heater in your bathroom, shower room, or kitchen. Anywhere in your home where there is water or damp air should be avoided. The dampness can cause damage to your space heater, and it can also be a safety hazard.
- When placing your heater in any room, keep it away from the wall. Having a space heater right up against a wall is a fire hazard. Additionally, your heater needs the intake area to stay clear as well as the output area. Therefore, unless your space heater is designed to sit on a wall, keep it a good foot away.
- To maximize the efficiency of your heater, check the size rating and the wattage listing of the model of space heater you have. Manufacturers put in some handy information in the user manual. Read it. Know where, how, and when to use your space heater to maximize its efficiency.
- Another thing to keep in mind, if you have little children or pets, getting a space heater that has an automatic shut off if it tips over is a great idea. There will be a little button on the bottom that when pushed in while the heater is sitting properly allows the heater to work, but if it tips over and the button isn’t being pushed any longer, the heater will automatically turn off.
Conclusion: Getting the Most Out of your space heater
Space heaters are great for rooms that are drafty or don’t heat as well as others when the weather turns cold. Basements and garages are great places for space heaters if you spend a lot of time in those areas. You will love how quickly the localized heat source will provide warmth to spaces. However, use your space heater wisely and efficiently to minimize dangers and to maximize the longevity of your heater.
Resources— Networx, DIYNetwork, Lasko
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