The temptation to use a small electric space heater in your home or office (or both, if you work from home) is hard to resist for many Californians who are dealing with rooms that are cold and drafty. But do these small heaters pose a safety risk, and are they worth it in the end?
This supplemental heating query hits home for most of us here at Hassler Heating and AC, and since we make home heating our daily business, here are the things you need to know about using space heaters in your home in Berkeley, Oakland, Alameda, Contra Costa, or Marin County.
Safety Risks Associated with Space Heaters
According to the National Fire Protection Association, heating equipment is the leading cause of home fires in the U.S. And of those house fires that led to civilian death, 88% were caused by portable space heaters. Not only can portable space heaters cause fires, but they can also cause deadlier fires than other types of heating equipment!
Space heaters pose a multi-faced threat to your home safety. Because they require large electricity loads to heat up a heating element, they can overload circuits and expose faults in electrical wiring. Plus, the portable nature of space heaters means they can be placed in precarious positions, making the heating element more likely to ignite combustible materials in your home.
The Efficiency of Space Heaters
Not only are space heaters dangerous, but they also aren’t very efficient for most uses. If all you need your portable space heater to do is keep a small area a little extra cozy, like your feet, you may be able to use a space heater without wasting a large amount of energy. But relying on a portable space heater to keep a whole room warm in the winter will cause an increase in energy costs. This is especially true when you compare heat pump vs space heater efficiency.
Addressing the Underlying Problem
If you find yourself in need of a space heater to keep one area of your home comfortable, you are going to want to know how to efficiently get heat to a cold room using your whole home heating system. If the room in question already has heating vents in it and is included in your existing central heating system, there may be issues in how your home itself is performing that are causing all that heat to escape. Here are some common underlying problems in a room that won’t stay warm:
Ductwork leaks or design issues
An undersized furnace
Low levels of functioning insulation
Small air leaks in windows and doors
Stay Safe, Stay Warm. Call Hassler!
Using a portable electric space heater for your home or office is not a long-term solution, and using it as such will cost you. If you are looking to solve the problem of heating that one cold room, heat pumps and ductless mini splits offer both versatility and efficiency for permanent home comfort.
