If you use a space
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.
On average, you can expect to pay about 20 cents per hour to run an average space heater that is 1,500 watts and can heat a standard room. If you run it for eight hours per day, you'll pay about $1.60 per day. That comes out to just under $50 per month.
According to Lyon Coffey Electric Coop, a single 600-watt space heater could cost you over $60 a month to run, while a 1500 watt heater could rack up more than $150 a month. This is based on running them 24 hours a day, which isn't recommended but people often do.
The short answer is that it depends on how much of your house you're heating. In general, if you only need one or two rooms to be warm, space heaters will use less energy than central heat.
Space heaters use less energy than central heating systems because they only have to heat a single space instead of the whole house. This is especially true of newer models, which are designed to be more energy efficient than older ones.
Alina Kulman: Yes. It's definitely more efficient to heat one room instead of the whole house, even if you're using an antique space heater.
A modern space heater can be very safe to keep on for long unsupervised periods of time, including while sleeping. Be sure your heater is certified by one of the three major testing organizations and has features like automatic shutoff, tip over protection, a shut off timer, and adjustable thermostat.
Only use your heater for short periods of time; it shouldn't be left on 24/7. Turn it off. Don't use space heaters in an unattended room, in a child's room (where kids might knock it over or burn themselves) or while you're sleeping. Unplug it.
Natural gas is likely to prove the cheapest way to heat a home if you have this heating option available to you where you live. Although prices have risen, natural gas is the least costly form of space heating. This is followed by electricity, propane, and heating oil, from the next cheapest to the most expensive.
Government regulations limit space heater output to 1,500 watts, which is not nearly enough to heat an entire home. In general, one square foot of space requires about 10 watts of electricity to heat, which means that a space heater operating at its maximum output can heat a room no larger than 150 square feet.
All portable heaters cost more to run than gas central heating. As Vicky Dunn, energy manager at Smart Energy Greater Lincolnshire, explains: "The cheapest heating is the one you don't use. Make sure heaters are only on when required, and set as low as comfortable. Stop draughts so warm air isn't lost."
Across most types of furnaces and especially when we consider space heaters, they are less efficient than air conditioners and lose energy that often escapes as waste heat.
If you plan to leave your heater on while you sleep, be sure to keep it far away from anything flammable, set the auto-off timer, and keep any pets or children out of the room you are using the heater in.
The safest way to heat your home is to use a central heating system powered by electricity. Electrical heating systems are some of the most precise and safe heating systems you can use because of their power source. Gas-powered appliances have the potential to leak toxic carbon monoxide, which can be fatal over time.
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 ...
Keep the space heater at least 3 feet away from combustible materials, such as furniture, bedding, and curtains. A taller heater may need to be even further away. Don't use a heater in a workshop or garage near paint, gas cans, or matches. Turn it off when you leave the room or go to bed.
The best way to save money: Turn the heat down, instead of off. Turning your thermostat back 8°F for 8 hours while you sleep from its normal setting can help you save money on your heating and cooling bills.
While most modern space heaters can safely run for 10+ hours, you'll still want to check the documentation that came with your space heater. Space heaters feature a variety of safety mechanisms that cause the unit to shut down when it gets too hot or if it tips over.
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. If it's used as a supplemental heating source, however, it covers a much larger area.
Typically, most household space heaters reach a maximum heat range of 95F to 120F degrees. You might be able to get a room up to temperature with a large propane space heater.