Energy Efficient Space Heaters

While almost all homes built today include central heating systems, for many homeowners in vintage condominiums, lofts, or homes, where heat is provided by radiators, the winter months mean cold floors and drafts through windows.  Likewise, for many homeowners who have undertaken renovation projects such as adding rooms or finishing a basement, connecting a new living space to the existing HVAC infrastructure is prohibitively expensive.  Renters living in spaces that lack a central heating system are also placed in a difficult position, as making the investment mandated by an HVAC system into a property that is not theirs is obviously an unwise decision.

With a central HVAC system out of reach, many people seek alternative means by which to keep warm during the winter.  Whether homeowners or renters, persons finding themselves in the situations outlined above may want to consider purchasing an energy efficient space heater.  The benefits of these space heaters are numerous, they prove to be far more affordable than any indoor climate solution involving a central HVAC system, and one heater can be moved from room to room.  

Paramount amongst the benefits of a space heater is the fact that generally speaking, people in the same house spend time in the same room, meaning that most of the time, only one room needs heating at a given moment.  Given the increasing costs of energy, as well as the growing consciousness of people with regard to global conservation efforts, the use of space heaters often makes more sense than does the use of a central heating system.  They provide homeowners and renters with significant savings on energy bills, and assist in lowering overall energy consumption when the heating of every room in a home is unnecessary.  Additionally, space heaters are portable, meaning that users can set the heater up in the living or dining room during the day, and move the unit to a bedroom at night.  

While in the past, space heaters tended to be inefficient, generating dangerous levels of heat in the immediate vicinity of the device, and needing to be manually adjusted to maintain desired levels of heat, today’s space heaters include a multitude of features that make them efficient, user-friendly appliances.  Chief amongst these features is a thermostat, which allows users to set a desired temperature, rather than simply unplugging the heater when the room reaches the desired climate.  Also of note are the timer functions of modern space heaters, which enable homeowners or renters to set a specific hour at which they want the heater to activate, meaning that a space heater in the kitchen, for example, can be automatically activated 15 minutes prior to breakfast, meaning that family members arrive in a controlled-climate kitchen, rather than having to wait 20 minutes into breakfast to thaw out.  The majority of today’s space heaters are energy efficient, and renters and homeowners can choose from fan forced heaters, radiant heaters, and oil filled heaters, depending on their needs.

What is the most energy efficient space heater?

I live in one of these old buildings with zero insulation and gas on gas heat, which if you have ever had it you know it is almost useless, if your not standing in front of the thing you are never really warm. Every winter we cover the windows and cross our fingers that we will be able to keep the gas bill low enough to pay it, last year I purchased one of the oil filled variety of space heaters and that worked ok but I am trying to pe pro active this winter so I ask for your opinions/hints to keep my apartment warm and my heating bills lowish lol
thank for any help you can give

Yes, the oil filled heater is probably the most efficient, beyond that caulk and seal around windows, use spray foam around plumbing openings and draft sweep strips at bottom of doors. Close off rooms you seldom use. Use interior storm window film of the clear kind that applies with double sided tape and you heat shrink taught with a hair dryer, this stuff also works well for sealing off the opening for an attic fan, which you probably don't have. There is a butterfly type valve that attaches between your clothes dryer and the dryer exhaust hose to vent the warm air into the house rather than blowing it outside and wasting it. Pull up the edges of the carpet a little at a time to see if the floor and walls actually meet tightly. Put foam gaskets or seals behind light switches and electrical outlets on the outside facing walls. If you have a fire place that you do not use put a strip of fiberglass insulation compressed between the flue and the door that closes the flue - leave yourself a note in the fire place to remove this before use. If you take hot baths don't drain the bath water until it has released the warm BTU's back into the house instead of just draining them off. Wear sweaters, wear a cap, use a lap robe, throw an extra cover on the bed, in the winter flannel sheets are wonderful. Acclimate your body to a lower thermostat setting. Purchase a thermostat that lowers temp during the hours you are away or asleep. You will be suprised how much warmer it feels if you run a humidifier and it helps your wood furniture from warping due to the dry heat. These things may seem like a pain but you only have to do them once. Think warm thoughts and good luck.

DeLonghi Safe Heat, Portable Space Heater- Personal finances

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