It is obvious that we prefer to have a desirable and healthy environment at our home. Home heaters are mandatory appliances for those living in colder regions. As the winter season approaches, the cold creeps up. So it is essential to choose the best heater to keep ourselves warm. Among the many types of home heaters, people get confuse while choosing between the electric and oil filled space heaters as both of them are generally considered good. Here is some information on both of them that may help you in deciding the best for you.

Choosing right heater for home is very important

Some people may opt for centralized heating. However, those who cannot afford the expensive centralized heating prefer space heaters. A space heater is the best option for heating a particular enclosed area or room in your home. It is essential to consider the effectiveness, cost, power source and consumption while choosing a home heater. As mentioned above, electric and oil filled space heaters are the most preferable space heaters these days. Before selecting one, it is sensible to know about their working, features and efficiency.

Electric heater

Electric heaters are commonly used for residential heating purposes. They work by convection or radiant heat. In convection electric heaters, air blows across the electrically heated coil or wire of the heater. Thus, a warm air is produced that spreads around the room. On the other hand, there are infrared heaters, which are very popular these days. Infrared heaters are radiant type electric heaters that heat the objects instead of air present in the room. So they avoid the time taken to warm up the air. An instant heat can therefore be felt from infrared heaters.

Oil filled heater

Like electric infrared heaters, oil filled space heaters can provide constant heat for a good amount of time. These devices contain dense mineral oil. The oil is heated to high temperature by an internal heating element. The heat then is radiated outside through the body of the heater. Oil filled radiators are stable, reliable, and highly efficient. No noise is associated with these heaters as they do not contain fans. These features make oil filled heaters a popular choice for home heating.

Energy usage

Power consumption is a major consideration that you need to keep in mind while choosing a home heater. Oil filled heaters use less power for heating. However, electric heaters, especially the infrared heaters, are more energy efficient than any other type of heaters. Many of the infrared heating systems contain a thermostat that avoids wastage of energy and overheating of the room (the heater automatically gets switched off after reaching a certain temperature).

Effectiveness

An effective heater provides constant warmth within short span of time. Electric infrared heaters are more effective because they provide warmth within no time. Further, as infrared heaters directly heat the body, you can feel instant heat once you switch on the heater. Electric heaters can also heat up larger areas when compared to the oil filled heaters. Whereas, in an oil filled heater, the oil has to be heated first that takes certain time. So you cannot feel the warmth immediately and need to wait for some time.

Maintenance

It is always better to opt for home heaters that require less maintenance. Electric (infrared) heaters require very little maintenance. The only thing you need to ensure is to provide proper power outlets. In case of oil filled heaters, there may be chances of the oil leakage from the heater. So, proper maintenance is required for oil filled heater to avoid oil leakage.

Cost of ownership

Choosing the best heater for your home is important. While purchasing a home heater, it is necessary to consider the initial investment as well as the maintenance costs. Though electric heaters do not include any maintenance costs, they are more expensive. But it is better to choose electric heaters, in particular infrared heaters, as they are more efficient. Once you invest initially for electric heater, there is no need to look for its maintenance and operation in future. Oil filled heaters are less expensive than the electric ones. However, they include the maintenance costs that are cumbersome to bear.

The main purpose of a home heater is to get warmth that is safe and healthy. With the distinctive features and benefits of electric heaters (infrared) over the oil filled heaters, it is better to choose an electric infrared heater for your home.