Used prudently, portable space heaters can serve as backup in cold rooms or to take the chill off before you start heating the whole house. They can be energy hogs, so it’s important to use the right size heater for a room, calculated at 10 watts per square foot (a 10 x 15 room would require a 1500-watt space heater). They also come in different types: convection models circulate heated air around a room, while radiant heaters emit infrared radiation that warms people and objects that the radiation touches rather than the air. Energy Star does not rate space heaters as products but numerous online product review websites do publish annual recommendations based on energy efficiency, cost, and safety.
Space heaters do pose a fire risk and must be used responsibly. If you are investing in a new heater, look for the Underwriter’s Laboratory (UL) label, which means it meets up-to-date safety standards. With all heaters, be sure to follow basic guidelines:
- Plug electric heaters directly into the wall. No extension cords!
- Place the heater at least three feet from combustible items (curtains, upholstered furniture, clothes. etc.)
- Set heaters on a stable, level surface. Modern heaters have tip-over protection.
- Keep unattended pets and small children away from heaters. Infrared heaters are cooler to the touch and safer to be around.
- As always, do not use unvented combustible space heaters inside the house, as they can cause fatal carbon monoxide build-up. For more details on avoiding CO2 poisoning, see the Iowa State Fire Marshal.
More safety details can be found in a New York Times article here. For deep-divers, here’s an in-depth article on pros and cons of space heaters from Newair, a product review website.
Read the entire Good Energy Newsletter, Autumn 2022