| Choosing and using the right type of electric | | | | of high heat and letting the heater shut off when |
| heater can keep you both warm and safe. | | | | not needed. It is designed to be safe in a humid |
| Electric heaters can be an excellent and safe way | | | | environment and is equipped with a lint filter for |
| to keep warm, and they can even help you save | | | | minimum maintenance. |
| energy by allowing you to warm up the room | | | | Natural Convection |
| you're in and turn down the heat in the rest of | | | | Baseboard units and electric radiators are |
| the house. Following a few tips will help you | | | | examples of natural convection heaters. These |
| choose the most effective model for your | | | | units take longer to heat up a room than |
| intended use and also use it safely. | | | | fan-forced models, but once the room is warm, it |
| Portable Heaters versus Fixed Heaters | | | | will be uniformly so from wall to wall. Air moves |
| Portable space heaters are a popular addition to | | | | past the warm surfaces of the heater by natural |
| many living spaces during the winter months. | | | | convection, with cool air being drawn in at the |
| They're convenient, inexpensive and some are | | | | bottom of the heater and warmed before it is |
| portable from room to room. They can also be | | | | discharged back into the room. |
| very dangerous if left unattended. The U.S. | | | | Natural convection heaters are the best choice if |
| Consumer Product Safety Commission reports | | | | you plan to use a heater often and want the |
| that more than 25,000 fires are caused each year | | | | safest possible option. Because they use no fan, |
| by space heaters in American homes. | | | | there are no moving parts to fail, and the |
| Fixed heaters are zonal heaters controlled by | | | | possibility of overheating is reduced. With natural |
| thermostats located within each room. As air | | | | convection heaters, users just need to be careful |
| within the heater is warmed, it rises into the | | | | not to block the airflow around the heater, |
| room, and cooler air is drawn into the bottom of | | | | especially above it, which is the primary direction |
| the heater. Some heat is also radiated from the | | | | the heat will move. |
| pipe, fins, and housing. As with any heater, some | | | | While baseboard heaters need to be installed |
| surfaces of our units may become very hot. Lock | | | | under windows to be effective, wall convectors |
| the controls and teach children that a heating unit | | | | such as the Convectair Apero can be installed on |
| is not a toy. Never leave a child unsupervised near | | | | any wall. These very efficient heaters come with |
| any heater that could get too hot. Choose a unit | | | | their own electronic thermostat built-in. This |
| designed for maximum safety. How Heat is | | | | insures comfort-perfect performance and easier |
| Delivered – Choosing the Type of Heat | | | | installation. |
| Fan-forced convection | | | | Radiant Heaters |
| Fan-forced convection electric heaters use a small | | | | Radiant heating is a different principle entirely |
| fan to force air past heating coils and out into the | | | | from fan-forced or natural convection. Radiant |
| room. Heaters of this type can be very compact | | | | heaters warm people and objects in a room. The |
| and inexpensive. The advantage of a fan-forced | | | | air acquires warmth too, but only as it is given off |
| heater is that it can warm an area relatively | | | | by people and objects that have been warmed |
| quickly since air is moved past the heating coils | | | | by the heater. Radiant heat is perfect for a |
| rather than being allowed to move throughout the | | | | workshop or other area that's usually unheated |
| room naturally. Some disadvantages are that | | | | but where some heat is needed when a person is |
| heaters of this type can make a room feel drafty | | | | working there. Radiant heaters will make people |
| due to the moving air, and that the area nearest | | | | near them feel comfortable far sooner than either |
| the heater is likely to be warmer than areas | | | | type of convection heater. |
| farther from it. | | | | As with fan-forced heaters, users need to be |
| Safety-wise, fan-forced convection heaters are | | | | careful of how a radiant model is placed. Since |
| not quite as advantageous as natural convection | | | | objects in the path of the radiant heat can |
| models because a failure of the fan could allow | | | | become very warm, it's crucial to keep a 3 foot |
| the unit to overheat. Also, objects placed near | | | | space in front of the heater free of obstructions. |
| the heater could block the airflow and likewise | | | | A tip-over switch is a very good feature, too, |
| cause the unit to get too hot. Many good quality | | | | since portable radiant heaters without that feature |
| fan-forced models offer overheat sensors and | | | | could pose a fire hazard if knocked over by a pet |
| tip-over switches to counter these disadvantages. | | | | or a child. |
| Also, all-metal construction is a safety advantage | | | | For higher end applications where room decor and |
| since a metal heater that did overheat would not | | | | aesthetics are important, wall-mounted radiant |
| melt down or ignite the way a plastic one could. | | | | heaters offer supplementary heating solution with |
| One excellent application of fan-forced electric | | | | flair; for rooms with little or no available wall |
| heater is the ability to quickly warm up a | | | | space, the Convectair Opera heater installs in a |
| bathroom for a bath or a shower without | | | | corner. Some radiant heaters also use innovative |
| spending money to overheat the entire house. For | | | | materials like glass to provide an elegant yet |
| example, a Convectair Calypso heater is equipped | | | | functional appearance. |
| with a timer allowing you to dial up to 30 minutes | | | | |