Depending on what you do to work or play, you may find that need a portable space heater. Portable space heaters can be used on a construction site, for camping and RV travel, or to supplement a heating system. There are several types of portable space heaters, which provide heat in different ways and use different fuel sources.
Model Types
The type of portable space heater you select will depend on what you need the heater to do. Do you need a small space heated or an entire room? Will the sound of a fan bother your? There are four types of portable space heaters: radiant heaters, forced-air convection heaters, natural convection heaters, and radiators. Radiant units are best for heating a small space or when you need heat in an immediate area. These units use a flame-heated chamber and release infrared radiation that warms the area directly in front of the heater. Radiant models do not quickly heat a room but are quiet and efficient. Convection heaters use metal or ceramic heating elements to warm the air. In a forced-air convection unit, the air is then blown into the room by a fan. In natural convection unit, the air flows upward out of the heater without a fan. A forced-air convection unit quickly heats a small room, but can be noisy. While a natural convection unit is also useful for heating up a small or medium room and is quieter than a forced-air model, it does not heat a room as quickly. A radiator heats oil in an enclosed reservoir and gradually heats the air surrounding the heater. Although a radiator does not heat a room quickly, it is very quiet.
How Powerful
When selecting a portable space heater, you should also consider how powerful a unit you need. Use this guideline to determine how much heat you require: a well-insulated room with an eight-foot ceiling requires about 10 watts per square foot of space. Therefore, a square foot room that is 200 square feet requires about 2000 watts to it to a comfortable temperature. If do not need to heat entire room, however, you may need only five to seven watts per square foot of space. Gas burning units are measured in BTU rather than watts. The equation to determine BTU is the number of watts multiplied by 3.4. It’s good to remember that a 10,000 BTU heater produces the same amount of heat as a 2900 watt electric heater.
Fuel Types
There are three types of fuel sources for space heaters: electricity, kerosene, and propane. There is not a significant difference in operating cost between electric space units and gas-burning units. An electric unit may strain or overload your circuitry, while a gas-burning unit does not. A kerosene heater produces carbon monoxide, however, and should be used only in well-ventilated areas or with a ventilation system. If you select a gas heater, be sure to install a carbon monoxide detector in your home. Propane heaters also produce carbon monoxide; however, they burn odorless and clean.
Safety Concerns
Regardless of the type of portable space heater you chose, it should be installed at least three feet from anything flammable and the heating element should be enclosed. If you purchase a gas-burning unit, consider one with an automatic shutoff function that turns the unit off if it is overturned. Portable heating units should be out of reach of children and pets and should not be left running without a capable adult in the room. Space heaters should not be used when sleeping either. If these circumstances cannot be avoided, make sure you use a natural convection unit rather than a radiant model. Finally, always closely follow the manufacturer’s instructions regarding installation and use.
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