Monday, March 24, 2014

Does electric heaters use more electricity ?




Romeo


I have three questions regarding electric heaters.

1 - Is there a difference between electric heater and radiant heater ?

when i think of electric heater, this is what i mean - >
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| http://image.made-in-china.com/2f0j00dMoQBajslkGO/Electric-Heater-OC-2000-SF-.jpg |
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When i think of radiant heater, this is what i mean - >
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| http://www.northerntool.com/images/product/images/177994_lg.jpg |
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2 - Are electric/radiant heaters quieter than fan-heaters ?

3 - Does electric/radiant heaters use more electricity than fan-heaters and air-conditioner ?
(if so, how much more do they use ? Would it be much more expensive or a little bit more expensive ?)

Thank you.



Answer
Short answer: nearly all "room size" plug-in electric heaters here in the US consume 1500 watts @ 110 volts. Built-in electric heat (such as baseboard or in-wall) as well as a electric central heat are 220 volt and more economical to operate (typically rated at 5000, 10000 or more watts).


Tedious detail: "radiant" heaters supposedly radiate their heat to warm objects in the room rather than heating the air . . . . . while a "convection" type heats the air in the room. Most convection types are fan forced (central hot-air heating is convection heat . . . . . central hot-water heating is radiant heat).

Radiant heat can be a steadier heat - while convection heat can be spotty (ie you feel warmer when it is running with a fan on/cooler when off) ........... but fan boosted heat can warm a room faster than a radiator.

A plug-in electric space heater can be either pure radiant heat (you're looking at the heating element which usually has a reflector behind it to "radiate" the heat in the right direction) . . . . .or it can be fan-boosted convection type . . . . . and most often a combination.

Old plug-in heaters of the 30s & 40s were usually 100% radiant and used metal heating coils, like a light bulb or stove burner. Many newer ones use quartz tubes instead of metal coils - that appears to be what is shown in both of your photos. Quartz tubes have an advantage of heating-up quickly - - so quickly that they can actually "pulse" on-and-off producing a uniform heat while using less electricity. The downside is that the quartz tubes burn-out and need replacing from time-to-time. The popular "Edenpure" type heaters are really quartz tube heaters enclosed in a cabinet - the quartz tubes in the Edenpure cycle on-and-off, but radiate their heat to a copper plate which releases it in a uniform flow.

If you have access to Consumer Reports or their Annual Buying Guide: CR periodically tests space heaters. They generally don't think that the "Edenpure" or "Amish Fireplace" style heaters are worth the expense. They eliminated some makes & models from consideration for safety reasons. We bought the "low profile" unit made by Honeywell that they've recommended for a couple years: it uses an electric strip heating element and can be used with-or-without the enclosed fan - the idea is to use the fan to quickly heat a cold room, then use without fan for a quiet, uniform heat. We're very satisfied.


You mentioned an air-conditioner - - - - a "heat pump" is just a reversible air-conditioner. Very convenient source of heat - if you are in a temperate climate, but not very efficient in a cold climate where winter temps stay below about 45 degrees F . . . . in fact, most heat-pump installations have electric resistance heat as a back-up.

Vent-less gas fireplace vs electric vs gel - How to choose?




ambrosia


We are buying a house without a fireplace (this "want" got pushed down the list by other factors). What are the pros/cons of installing a vent-less gas fireplace versus an electric or gel fireplace? If we want to sell down the line, would the vent-less gas fireplace be considered a "fireplace" similar to a vented gas or wood-burning type? The house has no chimney so inserts are not an option. Note: No one in my household have respiratory issues that would make a vent-less fireplace problematic.
@? - Why did you pull it before putting your house on the market?



Answer
Vent less or Flue less gas fires are very good because they are 100% efficient, but there are restrictions on their use because of minimum room area, this is because of ventilation and condensation problems that can be caused by incorrect installations. I would suggest you have the room surveyed by a competent gas engineer before you buy such an appliance.




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