Electric Heaters: Back Up Sources or Main Heat Supply

After moving your home office out to the garage, you found that you needed to include some electric heaters so that you did not freeze to death. But, you might wonder about what the best options are for these heaters. First things first: choose a heater that will give you the best safety features around. There are always hectic moments in everybody’s life- moments where you run to answer the phone or to do something else and kick over a heater. There are also moments when you might walk away and forget to turn the heater back off. For either, the heater has to have an automatic shut off feature. It should also shut itself off when it reaches a certain temperature so that there is less risk of overheating.

Features - Another feature that can be very valuable is the kick on and off feature. You set the temperature on the dial and the heater turns on until it reaches that level and then kicks off until it drops down a few degrees. Cycling can use less energy than a constant running and is also less dangerous overall. If you are using the heater in the home, there should a guard that protects people from the elements. There are even some models that stay cool to the touch from all sides which are an excellent choice if you have children or pets around where the heater will be used.

Safety First - No matter how safe your heater might be, you have to comply with all of the safety rules and guidelines or you can create a hazard. For instance, don’t use your heater with an extension cord, especially one that is not rated for your heater’s power needs. If you do find that you need to use an extension cord, use one that is rated as heavy duty but use great care with where you are putting it.

Don’t be fooled by a heater’s size. There are some units that can put out extreme amounts of heat even though it is not very big. There are larger heaters that might not work quite as much as you would like. Instead of looking at the size or dimensions, read the heat ratings to get an idea of the model that you need. You can also ask for referrals, especially from those who use heaters for themselves. You might also ask what a big seller is at your local home improvement or hardware store. Remember, the most important thing –always do your research so that you buy the best electric heaters.