space heaters use

Do Space Heaters use a lot of Electricity? (If Yes! How Much?)

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The space heater is often used in cold temperatures in most residential areas. But there are many people who don’t use them thinking that space heaters use a lot of electricity consumption. So this article will guide you about do space heaters use a lot of electricity, how to use them etc.

Do space heaters use a lot of electricity? 

The electricity is calculated in terms of kilowatt hour which shows the amount of power the appliances use in an hour to run a 1-kilowatt appliance. 

The electricity used by a space heater depends on various factors such as size, duration of use, and the electricity rate which vary from state to state, etc. 

  • A typical large size of space heater of 1500 watts uses about 1.5 kilowatts of power and if the average cost of electricity per kilowatt hour is 20 cents then running a large space heater cost about 30 cents per hour. 
  • But if you use to run a space heater 8 hours a day then it can cost around $70.
space heaters use
space heaters use

Power consumption:

If a space heater is used for a long period of time it consumes power between 750 watts to 1000 watts this is equivalent to the power consumed by a coffee maker or oven and there are those appliances that are not used for a long period of time but the space heater is used. So you can estimate that the space heater will consume a lot of electricity. 

space heaters use
space heaters use

You can decide whether to use a space heater Or not by calculating the cost to run it. 

Cost:

To know how much cost is used to run it you have to check the wattage of the space heater from the box or you can find it in the manual then multiply the number of hours you are using the space heater and divide the answer by 1000 to convert it to kilowatt-hour after this again multiply the answer with the cost of electricity rate which will vary according to the location. By this, you will able to find the cost you spent to run a space heater every month. 

For example, Take a typical 1500 watts  of a space heater and suppose the electricity rate is 15.56 cents per kilowatt hour than the cost to run per hour, 8 hours and 24 hours are:

  • The cost to run for an hour is $0.21.
  • The cost to run for 8 hours is $1.66.
  • The cost to run for 24 hours is $4.80.

But there are lots of advantages to running a space heater which are explained below. 

Advantages of running a space heater:

  • If we compare the electricity consumption by baseboard heaters and central heaters then comparatively the space heater provides portable heating which means that you are able to move the heater anywhere in the room and running the heater for time will not use a lot of electricity. 
  • Also if we compare the electric space heater and a kerosene space heater then the space heater doesn’t require venting any gas but on other hand, it will emit carbon dioxide and many other gases which are harmful and nobody will want these gases in living space. 
  • The space heater is also considered 100% efficient because while using a space heater the energy that it emits goes into the room and it will keep the room warm.

If you want that a space heater uses less electricity you should use it properly which is explained below. 

How to use it? 

The following are some tips to use a space heater so that it does not consume a lot of electricity:

  • If you are not in the room you should not leave the heater on as it will not only increase the electricity consumption but it is dangerous also. 
  • Use the thermometer so that you can avoid you use the heater unnecessarily and not overheats the room. 
  • Use the space heater in a small room not in a large space as heating a large room will require more electricity and the heat will dissipate quickly. 
  • You should buy the heater by thinking about what you are going to use it as there is some heater which warms the air and some heater heat the surfaces directly. 
  • If you are using the space heater for the whole night then you should turn down the thermostat of the central heating overnight which will reduce electricity consumption.
space heaters use
space heaters use

Conclusion:

The power consumption by a space heater totally depends on how you are using it. According to me using the space heater in a large room Or for the whole house will use a lot of electricity and it not will be cost-effective. 

FAQ’s

Which is considered a more cost-effective electric blanket or a heater? 

Using an electric blanket is considered more cost-effective. 

How long you should use the space heater? 

Use it for 2 to 3 hours and then turn it off if you are sleeping. 

Rick Costa
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