Why Use a Space Heater?

Winter in Texas can get pretty cold, as it tends to rain more, with chilling Texas winds picking up during the winter time. Many people find themselves turning up their homes’ heating systems, resulting in huge electric bills. If you want to save yourself a small fortune this winter, it may be a good idea to use a space heater instead of turning up the heat.

use a space heater to keep your home warmer this winter!

Image provided by Flickr creative commons user Ivy Dawned

Shopping around for the best electricity rates is one way to save money on your heating, and many people have used http://www.shopelectricityratestexas.com/ to help them find an excellent rate from the right electric company for them. However, using your heater too much will keep your HVAC costs very high, whereas a space heater is more cost effective.

 

When To Use a Space Heater:

Whether you live in Texas or other chilly parts of the country, a space heater is a nifty little device that will provide heat to a limited area, and the portable appliance can be used in any room in your house. If you want to add a bit of heating to a cold house, using a space heater will be the ideal solution. It will be much cheaper than turning up the thermostat for the whole house, and you’ll be just as warm.

You’ll find that you only notice the cold in your home when you sit still for long periods of time, such as when you’re watching TV or working in your home office. When you’re cooking, cleaning, or doing any other activities, you will be moving around and thus staying warm. You only really want to reach for your snuggie after you’ve sat down for awhile.

Rather than automatically turning up the heat in the whole house, turn on the space heater nearby. Sit a few feet away from the heater, and have it pointing directly at you as you sit and watch TV or work on your computer. When you get up to move around, you’ll be warm enough that you won’t notice the cold in the rest of the house. You will keep your energy costs low by not turning up the thermostat, and you can stay toasty warm all winter long.

 

Proper Use:

Using the space heater will only work properly if your home is kept fairly warm, so you will need to keep your thermostat at a reasonable temperature. Make sure that the heater turns on when your home temperature drops too far, as that will help to make the space heater more effective. You can turn down the thermostat a few degrees, and use the space heater to warm you up when you feel cold from being inactive for extended periods of time.

You shouldn’t leave the heater on all day long, though, as that will cause you to use almost as much energy as your heating unit will. The point of keeping the heating at a reasonable level is to ensure that your house will be warm enough for you to enjoy all the active tasks that you do, without feeling the chill from outside. Space heaters are meant to be used as supplemental heating, so only when you sit down and relax should you turn on the heater.

If you keep the heater on all day and night long, it will use a lot more energy than it should. Keep in mind that it is dangerous to leave a space heater on when you go to sleep at night. If, however, you only turn it on when you absolutely need it, you can keep your HVAC costs way down. Your electric bill won’t be too costly, and you’ll save a lot of energy by turning down your central heating unit.

 

Safety:

When choosing a space heater, shop for a new model that has updated safety features, and remember to closely follow the safety guidelines that come with it. Place it on a flat, hard surface like tile and keep it at least 3 feet away from flammable materials like carpet or drapes. Also, be sure to keep children and pets away from the heater. Check it often to make sure that it’s working properly and look out for fraying cords or other issues.

 

Use your space heater safely and responsibly and you’ll keep cozy all winter!

 

Sources:

http://www.cpsc.gov/onsafety/2010/11/space-heater-safety/

2 Comments

  1. James Poole

    The type of infrared heater that only heats if it hits a direct object (one without a copper baffle for instance) would be a good one for sitting near to stay warm.

  2. James Poole

    The type of infrared heater that only heats if it hits a direct object (one without a copper baffle for instance) would be a good one for sitting near to stay warm.

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