Generally, if you are only heating one or two rooms, space heaters are more efficient. However, if you are planning to heat an entire home, it is almost never more energy efficient to run several space heaters when compared to operating a central heating system.
You want to know whether using a space heater will save you money. The answer is yes and no. From a pure energy to dollar ratio, electricity costs more than gas. If you make a habit of checking the unit price on groceries, your furnace will outperform a space heater in “price per unit” any day of the week.
Space heaters cost about 20 cents per hour to operate, give or take, which is a whole lot cheaper than central heat for a home of almost any size. Bigger homes and those in colder climates cost even more to heat, and the net savings you'll see using a space heater is even greater.
A basic tenet is that electric space heaters are less efficient than HVAC systems. In most places, electricity is more expensive than natural gas, so a gas furnace is better for overall efficiency.
Space heaters do use less energy as compared to using central heat. However, they are not as efficient as space heaters. As such, having a space heater in every room in the home and turning them all on at the same will only cost you more, not less. When you purchased your heater is also a factor.
Overheating and Fires
They heat up quickly. As a result, it's not uncommon for space heaters to overheat and catch fire. If you have children, keep them away from the space heater at all times. You can save money by using a space heater instead of increasing the temperature on your thermostat.
Remember that space heaters are inefficient heating sources. (The Department of Energy's EnergyStar program doesn't certify space heaters in the EnergyStar program for this reason.) They should be used temporarily for spot heating and not as a main heating source.
That cost can increase quickly if you're operating the space heater for several hours a day. For example, running a 1,500-watt heater for 8 hours a day can cost an average of $1.92 each day. That means it will cost many users just under $60 to operate the space heater for 8 hours every day for an entire month.
So, is electric or gas heat cheaper? Using off-peak electricity, conventional electric heating may cost about twice as much as gas heating to run. And here's why: electric heaters are essentially 100% efficient. In other words, all the electricity they use is turned into heat.
An electric space heater is small but uses a lot of energy! A 1,500-watt heater running for eight hours each night for a month can add about $43 to your electric bill. Running multiple space heaters can run up your energy costs. Specific, sparing use.
If you use a space heater in your home, please be aware that using a space heater can cause a significant increase in your monthly bill. A 1,000-watt space heater operating 12 hours a day will add about $40 to your monthly bill. If the cost does not deter you, remember how important it is to use space heaters safely.
The best way to prevent a fire is to never leave a space heater running in a room unattended—that way, if anything does go wrong, you can take action quickly. If you have kids or pets that could knock a heater over or drape fabric on it, keep a very close eye on its operation.
As a rule of thumb, you will need 10 watts of heating power for every square foot of floor area in a room. This means that a 1,500-watt heater can be the primary heat source for an area measuring up to 150 square feet.
Space heaters are only meant to provide supplemental heat; don't use them to warm bedding, cook food, dry clothing or thaw pipes. Run it in spurts. Only use your heater for short periods of time; it shouldn't be left on 24/7.
Safest space heater overall
The Vornado MVH Vortex heats your room safely and efficiently. It has a number of safety features, including a cool-touch exterior and automatic shut-off for overheating and tip-overs. The MVH Vortex has three heat settings and a built-in thermostat.
Sealed combustion heaters are much safer to operate than other types of space heaters, and operate more efficiently because they do not draw in the heated air from the room and exhaust it to the outdoors. They are also less likely to backdraft and adversely affect indoor air quality.
Convection heaters, such as oil column or panel heaters, are your best choice for a heater you're going to leave on all night – their gentle convection heating is conducive to an easy night's sleep, and they don't get as hot as other types of heaters so they're safer to touch (they compensate for this with the larger ...
Portable heaters can cause fires if they are placed too close to combustible materials, such as drapes, furniture or bedding, so make sure to place them at least three feet away from these materials.
However, if space heaters are used improperly, are not kept clear from combustible materials, or are not functioning properly, they can cause fire, electric shock or produce carbon monoxide (CO) gas.
Avoid the carbon monoxide poisoning by turning off the heater and unplugging it before leaving the room or going to the bed. Signs of too much carbon monoxide in the rooms include headache, dizziness, abdominal pain, discomfort, vomiting, nausea and weakness.
Combustion heaters are a great option for heating your home without power. Combustion heaters are indoor heaters that don't require electricity, utilizing propane instead of electricity. If you need heat without electricity or gas, kerosene radiant heaters should have everything you need.