How big of a room can a 1500 watt heater heat?

Author: Dr. Corrine Klocko DVM  |  Last update: Saturday, January 24, 2026

In other words, a 1,500-watt heater will be great for a 250-square-foot room with central heat. If that same room had no other source of heat, you'd need a 2,000-watt heater.

How much does it cost to run a 1500 W heater for 24 hours?

Answer. To calculate the cost of running a 1500-watt heater for 24 hours in the US, you need to know the electricity cost per kilowatt-hour (kWh). If the average cost is about 16 cents per kWh (as of early 2023), the heater uses 1.5 kW x 24 hours = 36 kWh. Therefore, the cost would be 36 kWh x 16 cents = 5,76.

How many watts to heat a 12x12 room?

= 1440 watts total (4913 BTU/Hr). A 12' x 12' room with an 8' ceiling would require a 1500 watt fan forced heater. The best place for installing a baseboard heater is on an outside wall under a window.

Do all 1500 watt heaters put out the same amount of heat?

An electric space heater rated at 1,500 watts will put out the same amount of heat regardless what you pay for it. You would be better off to take the money you would spend on a space heater and put it toward weatherization improvements to your home, such as adding insulation and caulking.

What size heater do I need for a 12x12 room?

The first technique is to simply figure the square footage of the space you want to heat. In warmer climates, multiply this number by 10 - 15. In more moderate climates, multiply by 20 - 30. And in cold climates multiply the square foot number by 30 - 40.

Oil filled heaters: 600 watt heaters pretending to be 1500 watts

How much space will a 1500 watt heater warm?

In other words, a 1,500-watt heater will be great for a 250-square-foot room with central heat. If that same room had no other source of heat, you'd need a 2,000-watt heater.

Does a 1500 watt heater use a lot of electricity?

On average, space heaters use 1,500 watts of electricity.

Using a space heater 8 hours per day will use about 84 kilowatt-hours of electricity per week. It costs an average of $51.65 to run a space heater for a month and $258.26 to run for a year.

Which electric heater puts out the most heat?

What type of heater puts out the most heat? The type of heater that puts out the most heat depends on various factors, but generally, infrared heaters (such as the radiant heaters in this article) are known for emitting a significant amount of heat.

Is it safe to run a space heater 24 hours a day?

You Should Not Leave Space Heaters on Unattended

We do not recommend using space heaters at all because of this risk, but you definitely should not use them at night. If your home is too cold at night, you may want to consider adjusting your thermostat to better meet your needs.

How many square feet will a 1500 watt space heater cover?

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.

How to calculate room size for heating?

Take the measurements of your room in feet or metres. The multiply the Length of the room x the Width of the room x the Height of the room. The multiply this figure by a factor of 6 for BTU's or by 0.0606 for kW. The result is now the mimimum heat output required to heat this room.

Is it cheaper to run space heaters or central heat?

But in general, since central heating powered by natural gas is cheaper than heat from electricity, heating a large space will cost less with an HVAC system that runs on gas.

Are 1500 watt heaters safe?

A common rating for electric heaters is 1500 watts, which equates to approximately 12.5 amps. This amperage is well within safe limits for operation in your home; provided the heater, power cord, receptacle, and electrical wiring are all in good working order, and that only one heater is used per electrical circuit.

What is the cheapest space heater to run?

Halogen heaters are among the most cost-effective electric heater options, with a typical power output of 1200W. Their immediate warmth in close proximity saves energy by not needing to be left running for long stretches of time.

What is the safest heater to leave on all night?

What is the safest heater to leave on overnight? While it's not recommended to leave any space heater on if you're not monitoring it, oil-filled, radiant space heaters are considered safer than ceramic convection (hot air) types, according to Roberson. Both of these options are safer than open-coil heaters.

Which is better, a ceramic or quartz heater?

Because quartz heaters directly transmit the energy and do not rely on convection heating, they are better than ceramic heaters at targeting their heat to specific areas. The convection heat produced by ceramic heaters will go wherever the air currents in the process go.

Are oil-filled heaters more efficient than electric heaters?

Oil heaters. They cost around half the amount to run than fan heaters do. Other benefits include better heat retention, safer use, and less dried-out air. When planning on investing in a new heater, whether it's oil or fan, make sure your room has a good level of insulation so it can retain heat better.

How big can a 1500 watt heater heat?

1500 watts will heat spaces up to about 150 square feet and can help you stay warm and toasty in a medium-sized room, office, kitchen, or modest-sized living room.

Do space heaters make your electric bill go up?

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.

What is the difference between a baseboard heater and a space heater?

Baseboard heaters deliver steady, even warmth across the entire room through convection heating the air near the floor. On the other hand, space heaters are portable electric heating devices designed to provide targeted heat to smaller areas.

Is $12,000 BTU too much for a bedroom?

You also don't want to buy a model that's too powerful for a room. Sure, a 12,000-BTU air conditioner will cool a small space (150 square feet or less) quickly. But it might cool it too quickly, preventing it from removing some of the ambient humidity from the room and leaving the room damp.

How long should it take to cool a house from 75 to 70?

The Temperature Outside

Most central air conditioners can cool a moderate-sized (3 to 4 bedroom) home by about 5 degrees every 3 hours. This means while it can take no more than a couple hours to lower the temperature to a comfortable range in the fall or autumn, it can take much longer in the summer.

How many BTU do I need to heat a 12x12 room?

Below is Your Expert's Answer. A 6,000 BTU mini split system will be able to handle a 12 x 12 room. Once you go over a 260 square foot room, you're going to need to go up to a 9,000 BTU mini split system. A 6,000 BTU mini split can usually handle up to 6,500 BTUs.

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