Bathroom Heaters

The ideal bathroom heater is going to do several things. Even, consistent heating throughout the whole room would be nice, as you don’t want one side of the room to be much warmer or cooler than the other side. An automatic thermostat would also be nice to help keep the bathroom at a comfortable temperature. Also, since there are likely to be clothes and towels strewn around the room, you don’t want a heater that poses any sort of fire hazard (not to mention the potential for burning exposed, um, body parts). And lastly, efficiency and convenience are never a bad thing when it comes to choosing a heater.

These criteria all point towards one particular type of heater that would make the ideal bathroom heater: an electric convection heater. Convection heaters do all of the things listed above: they provide consistent heat throughout all the corners of the room, they almost always come equipped with an automatic thermostat, they are designed to be cool (or at worst, warm) to the touch even when in use, and they are both efficient and convenient to use. The benefits of using electric bathroom heaters is pretty obvious too – you don’t have to worry about getting a gas or propane hookup in your bathroom, and you can just use the plugs that are already in there.

The type of heater that I’ve described here is most likely going to be a small, portable heater, which adds to its usefulness and convenience. You could use it to heat your bedroom at night and then use to heat your bathroom during the day. The only disadvantage to convection heaters is that they can take a while to heat a room, due to the way in which they work. One way to get around this problem is to use a fan heater, which is a type of convection heater that uses a fan to speed up the heating process. An electric bathroom fan heater will most likely solve all of your bathroom heating needs.

Bathroom Wall Heaters

Another option for bathroom heating, if you don’t want to use a portable heater, is to get a wall heater permanently installed in your bathroom. In this situation, since the bathroom wall heater will be in a permanent spot and will be positioned well above the floor, a radiant heater might work just as well as a convection heater. The big advantage to radiant heaters is that they heat a room much more quickly than convection heaters do, so you could turn it on when you step into the shower, and the room would feel nicely warm by the time you got out. The two main disadvantages to radiant heaters are that they don’t heat a room evenly – you’re going to feel much more heat closer to the heater than further away – and the heating elements of radiant heaters are usually exposed to give off more heat. If you were to bump into or accidentally touch a radiant heater, you could get burned.

If you don’t like the sound of all of that, you can get convection bathroom wall heaters as well. These will work in just the same way as portable convection heaters, but will be permanently mounted on your wall.

Also, if you have access to a convenient gas or propane supply, and prefer to use one of them for your heating, you can get either of these wall heaters in that variety. You may need to get a professional to install it, but a gas or propane bathroom heater would work just fine.

Bathroom Heater Light

One question that I’m often asked is some variation of “What’s that heater light I saw in the bathroom of my hotel?” That light is a specific type of electric radiant heater and is very similar to a heat lamp used for keeping food warm. The ceiling is a great place for putting radiant bathroom heaters, as they are in a good position to heat the room, and it’s hard to get close enough to burn yourself. If you want a heater light in your bathroom at home you’ll need to get a professional to install it, but they can be used in home bathrooms just like in a hotel.

Delonghi Heaters

Delonghi, which is based in Italy, was started back in 1902 as a parts manufacturer for small household appliances. They officially formed the Delonghi company in 1950 and have since expanded into making just about every small home appliance – from toasters, coffee makers and juicers to dehumidifiers, air conditioners, and heaters. Delonghi bought the well known British appliance manufacturer Kenwood Limited in 2001, and have since moved their manufacturing plants to Kenwood’s facilities in China.

Oh, and a quick note on the spelling, it is a Delonghi heater, not a Delongi heater.

Delonghi Oil Filled Heaters

Delonghi has a wide selection of oil heaters available. These heaters are convection heaters that use hollow metal “chimneys” filled with oil to emit heat. The oil is heated by a heating element and the thin metal columns allow for quick and efficient heat transfer to the surrounding air. Some oil heaters also come equipped with a fan that speeds up the heating process.

Some popular heaters in this category are the Delonghi TRD0715T oil filled radiator heater, the Delonghi TRH0715 oil filled radiator heater, and the Delonghi TRN0812T oil filled electric radiator heater. All three are excellent choices for home use, or for use in an office or workshop.

Delonghi Ceramic Heaters

Delonghi also has a strong line of ceramic heaters, which are convection heaters that use a ceramic plate as the heating element. Some experts believe that the ceramic plate heats up more quickly than the standard metal bar, and is more efficient in transferring heat. Delonghi’s line of ceramic heaters features several “tower” heaters, whose unique design allow them to be placed in a room without taking up much space. Delonghi also offers a digital ceramic heater, as you can see in the picture, that allows you to set exactly the temperature that you want for the room.

Some popular models among the ceramic heater line are the Delonghi MCH710T multi-position ceramic heater and the Delonghi DCH1030 ceramic heater.

Delonghi Space Heaters

In addition to their oil heaters and ceramic heaters, Delonghi also has a great line of standard convection heaters that work very well as space heaters. Several of these heaters are also fan heaters, which helps speed up the heating process considerably.

More Resources

You can read more about Delonghi products at their website Delonghi.com.

Oil Heaters

Oil heaters actually go by several different names, but all of the them refer to the same heater: oil filled heater, oil radiator, and oil filled radiator. All of these names refer to the same type of heater that is most commonly called an oil heater.

Oil heaters got their name because they are filled with oil, not because they use it to run on. In fact, just about every oil heater you come across is actually going to be an electric oil heater, which means it uses electricity to run. As you can see in the picture, oil heaters have tall, thin metal columns that are hollow. These cavities are filled with oil, and this is the mechanism with which the heater provides heat.

Oil heaters are a type of convection heater, which means that oil heaters use the thermal properties of air to heat a room. Let’s talk some more about how exactly they work.

How Oil Heaters Work

There are two main types of heaters when it comes to how exactly they work: convection heaters and radiant heaters. We’re not too concerned with radiant heaters right now so we won’t talk much about them. Convection heaters come in a a lot of different styles and flavors, but they all work in the same basic manner: electrical current is passed through a heating element, which is usually a metal bar or plate, and the heating element heats up in response to the electricity. The heat given off by the heating element is absorbed by the air surrounding the heater, and as we all know, hot air rises, so this air starts to rise and circulate around the room as it becomes warmer.

As the hot air leaves the vicinity of the heater, cooler air in the room is pulled down to the heater. This cool air begins to absorb some of the heat coming off of the heater and it too begins to circulate as it gets warmer. The cycle continues as long as the heater is producing heat.

Oil heaters work in this same manner. The electric current is run through a heating element, and this heat is then directed into the oil in the metal columns. The oil warms up and begins to radiate off heat which is absorbed by the surrounding air. The thin columns allow for efficient heat transfer and help the heater give off heat more quickly.

The main advantages to using convection heaters, such as oil filled heaters, are that they are excellent at providing an even, constant temperature throughout the whole room, and the heat that they provide does not dissipate quickly when the heater is turned off. This allows the heater to be controlled by the use of a thermostat, and allows it to cycle on and off as needed to maintain the constant temperature desired. This contributes to the high efficiency of convection heaters, as they do not need to run constantly to keep a room warm.

Purchasing an Oil Heater

There are a couple of things to consider when you’re thinking about purchasing and using an oil heater. The first thing to know about them is that they are only going to be effective at heating indoors. If you are looking for something to heat an outdoors area, you’ll want to find something else, like perhaps an outdoor patio heater.

The next thing to consider is the other best option for heating a room indoors is an electric fan heater. Electric fan heaters work in much the same way as oil heaters, but they do not have oil reservoirs and they use a fan to speed up the convection process.

Oil heaters cost a little bit more to run than electric fan heaters, but they are also safer to operate. Fan heaters aren’t dangerous by any means, but they do tend to get a bit hot when they’re operating. If a child or pet were to touch a fan heater in the wrong place, they could get burned. Oil heaters operate at a lower temperature and the exposed parts don’t get as hot. This makes them a bit safer for use around children and pets.

Some features to look for when you’re buying an oil heater are an automatic thermostat, a safety switch that will turn the heater off if it’s tipped over, and a programmable timer can come in very handy. Most oil heaters will run you around $50 to $100, but you can go as low as $30 or as high as $150 if you want the bargain basement version or one with all the bells and whistles. I recommend looking for one that’s around $80 to $100. That will get you a great heater at a decent price.

Waste Oil Heaters

One somewhat related thing to mention is that you don’t want to confuse an oil heater with a waste oil heater. Waste oil heaters are big (generally industrial size) heaters that allow you to burn used oil for heat. If you’re looking to purchase an oil filled heater, don’t make the mistake of accidentally buying a waste oil heater.

Garage Heaters

The number one thing that you want to look for in a garage heater is a heater that can heat your garage quickly. You’re not going to be running the heater when you’re not in the garage, so you don’t want a heater that you have to wait to get warmed up before it really starts working. This means that you’re going to be looking for a specific type of heater called a radiant heater. Allow me to explain what that means and why.

There are two basic types of heaters: convection heaters and radiant heaters. Convection heaters work by using the thermal properties of air to heat a room. To put things simply, they heat the air, the air circulates around the room, and in doing so, moves the heat all around the room. This is effective but slow. Convection heaters take a while to get going because the air takes a while to move around, even if a fan is involved.

Radiant heaters, on the other hand, emit heat via infrared waves that travel through the air until they contact a solid object, such as a human body or a piece of furniture. These waves are not absorbed by the air; they travel through the air and send the heat directly where it is needed. This means that radiant heaters, or as they’re sometimes called, infrared heaters, start working the second they’re turned on, and you can feel the effects almost instantaneously. This is great for heating your garage, because things start to get warm very quickly, and you don’t have to wait for the air currents to move the heat around. This type of heater would also be great for many similar situations. For example, if you were doing a basement remodel and were working long hours in a cold, unheated basement, a good quality radiant heater would go a long way towards making that room more comfortable.

Types of Garage Heaters

The most common type of garage heater is an electric garage heater like the one pictured to the right. The horizontal bars behind the grate will heat up and emit the infrared waves (the bars are a bit hard to spot in the picture, but they’re in there behind the grate and the wire mesh). The bars get very hot so the grate is there to keep you from accidentally burning yourself or setting something on fire.

That actually brings up an important safety point. Radiant heaters get much hotter than convection heaters do. You can pick up a small bathroom heater and touch pretty much any part of it without getting burned. Radiant heaters, on the other hand, get extremely hot in places and you will get burned badly if you touch them when they are on. You need to be aware of this not only for yourself, but for any children or pets that will be around when you’re running your garage heater. They won’t know not to touch the heater and could be badly injured. Another thing to watch for is potential fire hazards, such as oil or gas in your garage, stacks of newspapers, or anything else that’s flammable. Make sure to keep the area around your heater clear.

Other options for these heaters are a propane garage heater or a gas garage heater. These heaters will work much the same way as electric garage heaters but will generally be a little bit bigger. The propane garage heater to the right is a good example of this. Not only is the heater itself bigger, but you have to factor in room for the propane tank as well. A natural gas garage heater will work much like this propane heater.

Buying a Garage Heater

When you get right down to it, just about any small, portable heater would work as a garage heater. They’ll all get your garage warm eventually, even if it takes them a couple hours to get the job done. However, if you want a dedicated garage heater, then I suggest you look for the things I mentioned above. Get a small, powerful radiant heater – I recommend electric just for the convenience, but you can go with whatever is easy and available for you – and you’ll be happy you did the next time the weather is cold.

Price is always going to be a factor in what heater you end up getting. Prices for garage heaters start around $100 and can go as high as $1,000+ for the high end models. If the heater you’re looking at costs more than $750 then you’re really looking at an industrial warehouse heater, and chances are good that you don’t need anything near that powerful. I would recommend going for something in the $200 range for most people. That will get you a great heater without breaking the bank. If your garage is unusually large or small, then you can adjust your price range accordingly.

Wall Heaters

Wall heaters come in a number of different styles, sizes, shapes and colors, but there are a few things that are common to just about all of them. First off, wall heaters are actually installed in the wall, or at least mounted on it. This is great for smaller rooms with out a lot of room to spare, and gives you an effective heat source that doesn’t take up any walking or living room. Wall heaters are also great options for rooms that you don’t want to have a large floor heater taking up space in. If a big heater sitting on the floor would detract from the look or decoration of the room, a wall heater would make a great choice.

Another advantage to wall heaters is that they are a type of zonal heating. Zonal heating, as opposed to central heating, is when you have heaters in different rooms in your house that are not controlled by a central thermostat. This allows you to heat the rooms that you are using, and not heat the rooms that don’t need to be heated. This is great if you have a guest wing in your house, or several rooms that don’t get lived in very often. You don’t need to heat them right now, and zonal heating allows you to only heat the rooms that you are currently using.

Types of Wall Heaters

There are a couple of different types of wall heaters, with electric wall heaters being the most common. Choosing an electric wall heater gives you the convenience of using electricity, and let you install a heater just about anywhere in your house. The only potential drawback to using electric wall heaters is that they won’t be able to operate if your power gets knocked out. If you live in an area that gets a lot of winter storms, then that would be a concern. You definitely don’t want to have both your power and your heating go out in the middle of a blizzard.

If you want an alternative to an electric wall heater, both a gas wall heater and a propane wall heater would fit the bill. Natural gas heaters run on methane, and propane heaters obviously run on propane, which is derived from petroleum. Both of these heaters give you greater reliability than electric heaters, as they will continue to work even if the power goes out, but finding a reliable gas or propane supply is less convenient than simply plugging an electric heater into the wall.

How Wall Heaters Work

Nearly all wall heaters are going to be simple convection heaters. Convection heaters work by using the thermal properties of air to warm a room. The power source is applied to a heating element (either by passing an electrical current through it, or burning gas or propane on it) which then gives off heat into the surrounding air. The air begins to circulate around the room as it becomes heated, and cooler air is pulled down to the heater. That cool air is heated and begins to circulate, and the cycle continues.

Convection heaters are great at thoroughly heating every corner of the room, and in many cases, a thermostat will cycle them on and off automatically to keep the room at a constant temperature.

What To Look For In A Wall Heater

The biggest thing to consider when purchasing a wall heater is whether you want it to run on electricity or gas/propane. The convenience of electricity is a powerful draw for many people, but don’t discount the added reliability of propane and gas heaters that we discussed above. If you live in an area that is prone to winter storms, you should at least have a gas or propane powered backup heating option.

Other things to consider are the looks of the heater, the size, ease of installation, and, of course, the price. You definitely want to get a heater that matches the look of your home; you don’t want a garish, ugly thing staring back at you even if it does keep you warm. As far as ease of installation goes, heaters that actually have to be installed in the wall will more difficult to install than a simple wall mounted heater, which is just attached to the wall with brackets. On the other hand, “in wall” heaters will look better and leave less of the heater hanging out into the room. The heater to the right is an example of a wall mounted propane heater. That whole thing gets hung on the wall with brackets, and does not recess into the wall at all.

Lastly, price is always going to be a consideration. You can buy a decent wall heater for as little as $100, but it’s not going to be incredibly efficient or powerful. Top of the line models can run you as much as $250, but I usually recommend looking in the $150 to $200 range. This will get you a solid heater at a decent price.

Baseboard Heaters

Baseboard heaters are characterized by their long, short and wide shape. They are designed to lay on the floor against the baseboards in a room. They lay along the wall and only protrude into the room by a couple of inches, making them ideal for smaller rooms without much walking space to spare. They can also be used in bigger rooms where a larger heater would spoil the decor. Their small size and shape allows them to appear hidden and barely noticeable, although they actually remain in plain sight.

These heaters are usually run by means of a baseboard heater thermostat which is either installed on the wall in the same room as the heater or attached directly to the heater. Wall thermostats are more accurate and more convenient, but they are troublesome to install, especially if the walls in your home have already been finished. If you are currently building a home and the walls are not up yet, then that is a great time to install a wall thermostat. Otherwise you’ll end up having to cut into the walls themselves to hide the wiring.

A lot of people often want to know if they can install one thermostat to control all of the baseboard heaters in their house. The answer is that, yes, you could, but that would defeat the purpose of having zonal heating. Zonal heating allows you to only heat the rooms and areas of the house that you are currently using, and having one central thermostat for all of your baseboard heaters would mean that they all operate together, even when some of them are not needed.

Types of Baseboard Heaters

In terms of different types of baseboard heaters, electric baseboard heaters are by far the most popular. They’re the easiest to install, are very efficient, and have the convenience of running off of electricity. Another option is a gas baseboard heater, which runs off of natural gas or propane, but these are not as popular these days. However, if you are concerned with being able to keep your home warm when the power goes out due to a storm or inclement weather, then a gas powered baseboard heater would be a good option to look into.

Another type of baseboard heaters are called hot water baseboard heaters, or hydronic baseboard heaters. These heaters have pipes that run hot water through the heater, which has aluminum fins that surround the pipe, as you can see in the picture. The fins help diffuse the heat from the water which is then forced out into the room by means of a fan. This specific type of heater is not as efficient as electric baseboard heaters, and is not often found in newer homes. If you buy or renovate a classic home you might run into them, but otherwise you’ll probably never have to deal with a hydronic baseboard heater.

How Baseboard Heaters Work

Baseboard heaters are simply a unique type of convection heaters. Convection heaters use the thermal properties of the air to deliver heat to all the corners of a room, and baseboard heaters work in just the same manner. An electric current is passed through a heating element, generally a metal bar or plate of some sort, which begins to heat up in response to the electricity. The heat that is given off is absorbed by the air which then begins to circulate around the room as it warms up. As the warm air leaves the vicinity of the heater, cooler air is pulled closer to the heater. The cool air is then warmed, and circulates around the room on its own. This cycle repeats for as long as the heater is turned on.

The advantages of using convection heaters or baseboard heaters as opposed to another type of heater are that convection heaters thoroughly warm the entire room and the heat they give off lingers for some time even after the heater is turned off. This allows the heater to cycle on and off to maintain a constant temperature in the room, thereby increasing the efficiency as the heater does not have to run constantly.

The main disadvantage to using a convection heater is that they can take a long time to make a noticeable difference in the temperature of a room. Since they heat the air, and hot air rises, the heat given off by convection heaters goes to the highest parts of the room first. Only after that does the heat begin to trickle down to the lower parts of the room. This is really only noticeable though when the heater has been turned off for a good length of time. Using a thermostat to control the heater means the temperature will stay constant.

Buying and Installing a Baseboard Heater

The first and most important thing to investigate when you’re going to buy a baseboard heater is to make sure that you’re buying a heater with the right voltage for your house. The heater is going to have one of three voltage options: 120 volt, 208 volt and 240 volt. Getting a heater with the wrong voltage setting for your house can mean that your heater will not deliver the proper amount of heat, or it can mean that the heater will draw too much power through the power line, and potentially cause a short or start an electrical fire.

The next things to decide is how many watts you need your heater to produce in order to heat your room effectively, and exactly where you want them installed. If you have questions about voltage or wattage and are unsure how to proceed, it’s recommended that you talk to a professional. You don’t want to mess around with that sort of thing unless you know what you’re doing.

Installing a baseboard heater is not that difficult if you have a bit of experience with heating. The steps are 1) prepare the baseboard for the heater, 2) mount the heater on the baseboard, and 3) complete the wiring to the heater. However, if you are uncomfortable handling the electrical work, or want to install a wall thermostat on an existing wall, you probably want to get a professional handle it for you.

Ceramic Heaters

Ceramic heaters are simply a type of convection heater. Convection heaters work by running electricity through a heating element, in this case a ceramic plate, which then heats up as a result. The heat is absorbed by the surrounding air, which begins to circulate around the room as it heats. Cooler air is pulled down to the heater as the warm air leaves, and this cool air is heated, begins to circulate, and the cycle continues.

Convection heaters are very good at thoroughly and evenly heating an entire room, and you’ll probably never even notice them working. You don’t have the problem of “hot spots” in a room like you would with a radiant heater, and they are safe to use pretty much in any situation. The plastic casing around them never gets too hot and there is not an open flame, so you don’t have to worry about fire hazards.

The main disadvantage to using convection and ceramic heaters is the amount of time they take to heat a room. Since the warm air they produce rises straight to the ceiling, it can take some time before the heat they are producing can be felt. The flip side to this is that the heat the produce will linger for a good amount of time after the heater is turned off. This allows for greater efficiency as the heater can be switched off and on as needed to keep the temperature constant. In fact, many convection heaters come equipped with a thermostat to do that automatically.

Another type of convection heater is the fan heater. A ceramic fan heater would use a fan to force air around the heating plate, thereby speeding up the heating process. Fan heaters work more quickly then standard convection heaters, but they do have some operating noise, as the fan will give off a slight whirring sound.

Using Ceramic Heaters

A ceramic space heater will excel in heating small, enclosed areas such as bedrooms, bathrooms, and offices. They are safe to use in virtually any situation, and make a fantastic portable heater as well. Their small size makes them ideal for using on a tabletop or desk, and they can also be used on the floor of a cubicle.

Buying a Ceramic Heater

Most ceramic heaters will run from $30 to $60, although it’s possible to spend over $100 if you want a top of the line model. A Holmes ceramic heater will generally go for around $50, as will a Pelonis ceramic heater. Most Delonghi ceramic heaters are a bit more expensive – around $60 to $70 – and Lasko ceramic heaters fall towards the lower end of the spectrum.

Some things to look for in ceramic heaters are different heat settings, a fan to allow it to work more quickly, an automatic thermostat control, and a size that works for your situation.

Things To Consider Before Buying

The primary thing you should think about before you purchase a portable heater is to consider where you’ll be using the heater. Is it indoor or outdoors? Are there electrical plugs available? Is it in some remote and distant location without access to any amenities?

Another thing to consider is how long you’ll need to use the heater for at a time. Are you going to be in the location you need heated for hours or days at a time? Or are you just there for a few minutes intermittently? Another thing to consider is how much money you want to spend. You can probably pick up a cheapo heater at Walmart for 10 bucks, but if you spend a little more you can get a much more powerful and efficient model.

Indoor Portable Heaters

If you’re going to be using your heater indoors, your best bet is to go with a portable electric heater. Electric heaters are great for indoor use as they are powerful and efficient, and electrical plugs are widely available in any home or office building.

There are several types of electric heaters that would work well for your needs here. We’ll cover the basics, but if you want to know more, you can read our electric heater guide.

The first type of electric heater is called a convection heater. Electric convection heaters run the electricity through a resistor of some sort which gives off heat. This heat is absorbed by the surrounding air, which then starts to circulate around the room as it becomes warm. Cooler air is pulled down to the heater and is then warmed, and the cycle repeats. Convection heaters are very efficient and do a great job of warming a room or office, but they take a while to get going. The heat they produce is dispersed around the room so it can take some time before the heat builds up to a noticeable level.

Another type of heater, called a fan heater, uses the same principles to work as convection heaters, but they use a fan to force the air through faster, thereby heating the room more quickly.

The third type of electric heater is called a radiant heater, or infrared heater. Radiant heaters usually look like they have a large light bulb in them. This “light bulb” is actually the heat source and it is designed to be more efficient in giving off heat than in lighting. Radiant heaters work by emitting infrared waves that travel through the air and are converted into heat when they contact a solid object, such as a person or piece of furniture.

The main advantage to using portable radiant heaters is that they can heat a room much more quickly then convection heaters. The reason for this is that the heat given off by radiant heaters is not absorbed by the air, but instead travels through it until it reaches a solid object. This means that the heat given off by a radiant heater is usually felt almost instantaneously. The disadvantage to this is that the heat does not linger after the heater is turned off like it would with a convection heater.

If you are going to be using a portable electric heater indoors, the main thing to consider is how long you’ll be needing the room or space to be heated for at a time. If you’re going to be heating an office all day long, then a convection heater is going to be more efficient, as it can be switched off at times without the temperature in the room falling. Since convection heaters warm the air itself, the heat they produce will linger for some time. In fact, many portable convection heaters come equipped with a thermostat that will automatically turn the heater on and off to keep the temperature constant.

On the other hand, if you don’t need the room or space to be heated for hours at a time, then a radiant heater would probably be a better choice, as it will heat the room much more quickly.

Outdoor Portable Heaters

If you’re primarily going to be using your heater outdoors, then a portable propane heater or portable gas heater is going to be your best bet. Propane and gas heaters are both very efficient and the gas tanks they run on can be taken virtually anywhere. (Again, we’re only covering the basics here, but if you want to know more about these heaters, read our propane heater guide and our gas heater guide.)

The best way to go when choosing a portable outdoor heater is to go with a radiant or infrared heater, like the one pictured. The wind currents outside are unpredictable, and this can disrupt the heat generation of a convection heater. Radiant heaters operate independent of the air currents, and will heat whatever area they are aimed at regardless of how the wind is swirling and blowing.

Another option for outdoor heating is a portable kerosene heater, pictured to the right. These heaters are going to be less efficient than radiant heaters, but can do the job in a pinch. The biggest issue with running them is that kerosene is not as widely available today as it once was. It’s certainly harder to find a reliable source of good kerosene than it is to find a propane or natural gas supplier.

Kerosene heaters are technically convection heaters, and so will also face the issue of having to battle the air currents to provide heat. Some people do like to use these heaters, but a good radiant heater is going to do a much better job of heating outdoors.

One other thing to consider if you’re going to be outdoors for several days is a portable water heater. These heaters run on propane and can provide you with a hot shower pretty much anywhere. I can’t see one of these being used at a job site, but they’d be great on a long camping trip.

Power Source

Infrared heaters can be powered by a couple of sources: you can have electric infrared heaters as well as natural gas and propane infrared heaters. They come in several different styles, but the most common style is a wire mesh that is heated by the power source and gives off the radiative heat. The heat is emitted via electromagnetic energy waves which largely pass right through the air (a negligible amount of heat is actually absorbed by particles in the air, but this is less than 1% of the total heat emitted).

Indoors Use

Infrared heaters are a good choice for indoors heating and can even help you save some money on your heating bill. The best thing about infrared heaters is that they work very quickly – much quicker than a convection heater) since they don’t have to heat the air in a room before you start to feel the heat. You can generally feel the heat from an infrared heater as soon as you turn it on. Many people are turning on to infrared heaters for indoors use and choosing a quartz infrared heater has become very popular lately.

Outdoors Use

In addition to being useful for many indoors heating situations, infrared heaters are also a great choice for outdoors heating. Due to the uncontrolled air currents outdoors, conventional heaters that use convection to heat the area are inefficient and ineffective outside. As the heat given off by infrared heaters is independent of the air currents – and even passes right through them – infrared heaters are both efficient and effective for outdoors heating. This makes them a popular choice for heating outdoor areas, like patios, gardens and waiting areas (such as outside restaurants). Reviews of infrared heaters in these outdoors situations have been very positive.

One attribute of infrared heaters is that the heat they give off dissipates quickly when the heater is turned off, due to the fact that the air itself has not been heated. This is useful for situations where the temperature needs to be strictly controlled, such as food preparation. Turning the heater off effectively ends the heating process, allowing for more responsive and immediate temperature control. This also means that infrared heaters are generally not the best choice for areas that need to be heated indefinitely. If you need to heat a room or building all day for several days at a time, then an electric or propane convection heater would most likely be a better choice.

Overall, infrared heaters are somewhat situational and not suitable for every heating need, but they are also very efficient and quiet, and can prove to be effective heaters in the right spot.

Spelling

Quick note on the spelling: it’s infrared heater, not infared heater.