When the winter arrives, you know what you are in for. In the winter, the chill is killing, and while some people enjoy this weather, it can get very annoying. If you like being in a friendly warm, cozy environment, then the room heaters work the best for you.
With room heaters, you can freely walk around your homes and not wear oodles of clothing to cove yourselves and keep yourselves warm at all times. With constant innovation and invention of things, you can easily save yourself from the cold with the help of individual devices and get comfortable in your homes and workplace as well. A room heater is one of the best machines to save you from the harsh winters.
TYPES OF ROOM HEATERS
Room heaters can also be called space heaters, and there is a vast variety of them available in the market today. They come in a variety of shapes, sizes, and many other multiple features. The room heaters can be broadly divided into three categories depending upon the heating technology used and the method they use.
- Infrared Room Heaters
- Fan Heaters
- Oil Filled Room Heaters
- Infrared Room Heaters: These are some of the most budget-friendly and economical heaters available in the market. They work similar to a campfire and give out heat to the surrounding areas only. These heaters are suitable for single people only and can heat small spaces. It doesn’t have any fans and has no sound. Also, it heats up quickly and is energy-efficient. The not-so-good thing about the infrared heaters is that it cannot heat large rooms or more people and is not safe when you have children or pets around. They can also be termed as Halogen, infrared-based room heaters, and Quartz.
- Fan Heaters: These heaters are great for heating a larger space in a shorter period and are affordable. They come with a ceramic coil that heats around the hot air, and the convection heater quickly produces the heat and is relatively safe to touch. The heater comes with a fan that blows out all the hot air and helps keep your living space nice and warm. Like the infrared room heater, the fan heater also consumes lesser energy and is also known as ceramic heaters, convection heaters, or blower room heaters.
- Oil Filled Room Heaters: These heaters are considered one of the best heaters, and anybody can choose them, but they take a little longer to heat. They end up providing warmth for an extended period, even once the heater has been turned off. Moreover, these oil-filled heaters consume lesser amounts of electricity and don’t have any sound. The way it works is that the oil is used as a heat reservoir, and even if you turn it off, the room will still be warm. These oil filled room heaters don’t burn oxygen and do not reduce the room’s humidity as well, making for the perfect choice for newborn babies, especially. They are considered healthy options and do not end up causing any dryness or suffocation, or any skin rashes.
There is no mechanism for burning oil in an oil-based room heater. The power is used to heat the oil, and then the heat is passed on to the metal walls through the convection heater.
FEATURES OF ROOM HEATERS
- Timers: The room heaters’ timers allow the user to set the heater on, turn on, and turn off times. This helps in saving tons of energy and makes it quite convenient as well.
- Noise Levels: Nobody likes to have too much noise around. Noise depends upon the kind of technology that is being used to produce or generate heat. The radiance method of heat generation does not have any sound. Therefore, radiant and oil heaters are noise-free room heaters. The ceramic heaters or the blower heaters make a little bit of noise because of the fan. In case the room heater makes a loud noise, there are various ways that you can work upon that.
- Humidity and oxygen levels: The infrared, radiance, and oil-filled heaters burn the oxygen to make the room warmer. When it comes to fan heaters, the air is pushed out on the hot coil, and then it produces and comes out in the form of hot air. This is similar to the infrared heaters as well. Fan heaters and infrared heaters end up reducing the levels of oxygen and humidity in the environment. Lack of moisture leads to dry eyes and nasal blockage. To get rid of this, it is recommended to place a bowl or bucket of water in one corner of the room. If the problem still exists, it is recommended to purchase a humidifier. The best option in all scenarios is to go with an oil-based room heater. These oil heaters use only the oil, and through radiance, the hot oil temperature is conducted in the air. Therefore, there is no burning of oxygen or reduction of the humidity levels. This is quite important when you are thinking of purchasing a room heater for a newborn baby.
- Room heater for asthmatic patients: This question is one of the most common and frequently asked questions. The answer to this is that all room heaters are okay for asthmatic patients. Other countries worldwide provide gas-based room heaters, and fumes come out of the gas heaters, which is not at all suitable for asthmatic patients. But the infrared heaters, the oil-based heaters, and the fan heaters are all safe to use.
- Aesthetic of room heaters: A room heater is something that adds to your home in terms of the furniture set, and hence, it should always go with your interiors and match with all sorts of furniture as well. There are various beautifully designed room heaters available, and therefore, you can always research a little and choose one that works according to your tastes and specifications. You should also make sure that you have enough space available where you can place the heater comfortably. There are a variety of wall-mounted heaters also available, which make for convenient placement.
- Portability: If you add on some mobility wheels or handles, you can transport the room heaters with ease. Portable home heaters can be moved from one place to the other quite quickly, which makes them quite a convenient option to go for.
- Automatic Oscillation: This is used for even distribution of the air across the room. This is one of the main features of fan heaters, where the oscillation is used for blowing air throughout the room.
- Multiple heat settings: This helps provide added control to the user and adds to the overall functionality as the heater can easily be used in different temperature conditions.
- Safety settings: Overheat protection is something you must consider when going to purchase a heater. It is a must-have feature and helps keep all the internal components at a safe temperature. The heater automatically shuts off once it has reached the predetermined or preset temperature.
- Light Levels: Some heaters emit bright light, which can end up causing a bit of discomfort during night times. Therefore, you must look at the level of sunlight the heater emits.
- Safety Mesh: Most of the heaters in the market come with a safety mesh in the heater’s front. Therefore, you must check whether they are safe enough for children and pets to be around.
- Type of plug: Lastly, you should also check whether the heater uses a standard or power plug. For safe and sound usage, additional wiring might be required along with a power plug.
- Budget: Ceramic or fan heaters are the most economical products to invest in. If you are looking for additional features and timers, then they are priced a little higher. Infrared heaters are also the same price as ceramic heaters, but the costliest ones are the oil heaters.
WHICH ROOM HEATER SUITS YOUR NEEDS?
There are certain things that you need to keep in mind when investing in-room heaters:
- Coverage Area: This is one of the most important factors when you are purchasing a room heater. Before you go ahead and buy a room heater, see how large or small the area is and how quickly it can heat the room. See the wattage of the heater when keeping in mind the size of the room.
- Insulation: The next thing to keep in mind is the comfort factor. The level of insulation is quite essential when it comes to a heating system. The more insulated and airtight the room, the lesser the need for heating. If your room provides regular insulation, then you will require 1000 watts per 10-meter square.
- Safety: This is quite an essential factor, especially when you have kids and pets around in your homes. A heater that considers all the safety measures is one of the best choices to go for in all situations.
- Allergies: Generally, it is better to avoid fan heaters for people who suffer from allergic conditions. The fan-based heaters usually draw the air over the heating element and make it warm, then use a fan to distribute the hot air around the room in an even manner. For such a scenario, radiant and oil-filled heaters are the better bet.
- Placement: Before you go ahead and purchase a heater, figure out which is the best place to keep the unit. For small spaces, you would have to measure the heater’s size so that the heater can be placed without any issues.
SIDE EFFECTS OF ROOM HEATERS
Room heaters are a great way to protect yourself in the cold winter months. But there are certain things that you need to consider in terms of your health and safety.
- Fire Accidents: Room heaters can turn out to be a risk for fire accidents. Lots of accidents occur due to room heaters, and therefore, one must never leave them unattended. Secondly, never cover the room heater outlet. It will end up catching on to fire instantly, and do not put any polyester material clothes in front of the heater as well. Ensure the kids in your homes don’t play around with the heater, and they don’t touch the heater. Choose a room heater with thermostat settings because it can stop the heater as it reaches a certain level of temperature.
- Health Risk: Room heaters end up burning the oxygen and reducing humidity levels in the air. The burning of oxygen leads to the dropping of oxygen levels and ends up leading to suffocation. Therefore, consider keeping the door a little open for this. Apart from these heaters, it ends up drying out your eyes and causing nasal blockages. You can always place a humidifier or a small bowl of water in the room.
- Room heaters make unwanted noise, which can get very annoying and disturbing, leading to disturbed and interrupted sleep.
WHAT TO DO WHEN THE ROOM HEATER IS MAKING A LOT OF NOISE?
It can get quite annoying if you end up suffering from disturbed sleep due to the heater’s noise. There are tons of reasons why a room heater suddenly starts acting up and making unnecessary noise. Either there can be a problem with the bad relay, or there might be a defective transformer. Another reason could be that the blower motor can get damaged, and the heating coil that gets heated might have gotten worn out over time.
The oil-filled room heaters make noise as soon as you switch them because it takes some time to heat the metal and oil. It is like a buzzing or popping sound, and the cracking noises are quite normal as well. Once you move the oil-based room heater, the oil gets displaced. Therefore, it takes a little bit of time to settle down.
If the sound is persistent, make sure to switch the unit off immediately. Check on the warranty that you have for the product and ask for replacement or repair in such a scenario. Also, try getting the repair done as soon as possible from the authorized electrician and professional.
THE BEST ROOM HEATERS FOR 2020
HAVELLS OIL FILLED RADIATOR-
The device comes with cord storage and a rear safety cover. It provided overheat protection and tilted over the switch for added safety. The thermostatic heat control and castor wheels on the heater make for easy mobility and portability. This heater is undoubtedly the best oil filled room heater available in India. It runs on 230V and generates an equal amount of heat that effectively fights off the winter harshness. It provides threesome power settings and gives adequate wattage to all the different power settings. Moreover, it includes a thermostatic heat control for fast and well-regulated heating. The PTC fan on the device helps provide heat to every nook and corner of the rooms, whether big or small.
This oil heater doesn’t only provide adequate warmth, but it does all that quite safely. The overheat safety protection on the heater helps prevent any damage to the people and the appliance. Besides that, it looks good as well. The sleek black color on the oil-based heater adds to your theme décor, no matter what color theme is followed, and it is relatively easy to move it from one room to another without a hassle.
ORPAT OEH-1260 FAN HEATER
This is one of the best spot heaters available in the market and makes for excellent overheat protection features. It comes with a safety cut off and thermal cut off feature and comes with two heat settings of 1000 watts and 2000 watts. It can also be used as a fan and provides a variable thermostat setting as well. This Orpat fan heater comes in a friendly, elegant design and is one of the best choices for spotting heating. The heater can be bought at a competitive price and is relatively small in size, making it super portable. Because it uses the fan to distribute the air across the room, it does make a little bit of noise. But as a fan, it performs quite efficiently.
Moreover, it offers two-fold safety measure as well, wherein one is the safety cut off, and the other is the thermal cut off. There is no problem or risk associated with the overheating problem and scenario. The safety grill on the heater is an added advantage and helps keep you safe, irrespective of touching it by mistake. In addition to this, the product is quite durable and comes with a 2-year warranty as well.
USHA OIL FILLED RADIATOR WITH OVERHEATING PROTECTION
This is an excellent oil heater for spot heated and comes with nine powder-coated fins for added rust protection. It is a world-class oil grade heater making for better performance and comes with an inbuilt tip-over switch. The adjustable thermostat makes it quite convenient to use, and the heater also makes for overheating protection. There is a one-year warranty on the product and a cord winder, making for easy storage. It also comes with an added recess handle and castor wheels to add to the unit’s portability. This heater looks quite impressive and comes with a protective metal coating finish that keeps sitting rust for a long time. It also bears the ISI mark and is made to last.
The radiator of this oil heater has nine fins in which the heat transfer oil flows, and the large surface area of the fin adds the heated air in the room. The fins’ thinness provides greater efficiency for the small amount of heat, providing an element that comes in each of the fins. Moreover, the built-in switch automatically turns off if someone tips over accidentally, making it extremely safe.
BAJAJ MAJESTY HEAT CONVECTOR ROOM HEATER
This unit comes with multiple safety systems and an adjustable or durable thermostat. The fan blower is used to disperse the heat, and it works as a fan and a heater. It comes providing a 2-year warranty and comes with auto thermal shut off features and a thermal fuse to prevent any overheating. This is a convector room heater that comes in a dainty little shape and comes with ample capabilities that would be perfect for large rooms. It is quite a safe product and is efficient and portable at the same time. It provides triple safety assurance such as the thermostat, auto thermal cutout, and the thermal fuse that prevents overheating. You don’t get burnt even if you touch it. The adjustable thermostat maintains the desired temperature levels in the room, and the fan inside it equally distributes the heat across the room. When it comes to the heating options, there are two power settings to regulate the temperature. The heater’s operation is impeccable and clean, and this is a long-lasting product, which is highly efficient.
USHA QUARTZ ROOM HEATER WITH OVERHEATING PROTECTION
This heater is built for spot heating and runs on about 230V. It is ideal for a room of size 230 feet and comes with a tip-over switch for cutting off the heater in case of any tilts or falls. Moreover, it comes with a powder coating to keep from rust and uses low power consumption. It comes holding a 1-year warranty.
The Usha room heater is one of the most popular spot heaters in the country, and it comes at quite an affordable price, giving everybody the option of buying it without an issue. The one-year warranty on the heater is excellent, especially when you look at the product’s price. It is an economically designed product that comes with powder coating to save it from any corrosion, and it comes with hooks in the back for easy mounting. Moreover, it includes a power cord on them for added storage. The heating element is a quartz tube, and it runs on two power settings; 400W and 800W. This product is ideal for small rooms and doesn’t end up using too much energy. It helps in lowering your bills.
XTREME INFRARED ELECTRIC ROOM HEATER WALL OR CEILING MOUNT FOR BEDROOM, HOME, AND OFFICE
This infrared heater is used for both indoor and outdoor spaces. The infrared radiation on this heater produces heat similar to the sun’s rays. This heater does not burn up any oxygen and makes it quite comfortable, especially in closed rooms. It heats all the objects that come in its path and not the air. The heater is designed in a sleek and stylish manner and goes well with all sorts of interiors. It is perfectly suitable for 200 square feet of area and is a ceiling or wall-mounted appliance.
It is a high-end product that is designed to be different from conventional room heaters. It looks quite elegant and also functions differently. The heating panel is covered with a unique Nano painting, and it uses an aero heating element, which boasts high electricity heat efficiency ratio. It ends up generating the heat quite efficiently, and as soon as it heats the infrared panel, it starts emitting infrared rays. The rays do not heat the air and instead directly heat the objects that come in their way. The heat you are taking is similar to the rays of the sun. A significant advantage of this heater is that it doesn’t burn up the oxygen and suffocate you.