9 Fan Heater Advantages

With the rising costs of gas and oil, home owners are on the lookout for ways to cut back on heating and cooling bills without sacrificing comfort. Enter the space heater.

Space heaters are a reliable way to heat the areas of a house, apartment or condo you use the most, without wasting energy trying to heat your entire home. When looking for the right space heater, consider the advantages a fan heater can provide.

A fan heater will probably give you the most bang for your buck, so read on to find out why one could be right for you!

1. Fan Heaters are Affordable

The most affordable type of space heater is a fan heater, which heats by blowing warmed air into a room. Oftentimes fan heaters have a ceramic heating element - ceramic plates and aluminum baffles - which get heated as electricity passes through. A fan blows the generated heat outwards.

The simple design of a fan heater makes it as affordable as it is efficient. A fan heater will heat up quickly and do not need much electricity to run. As a result, the upfront and long term cost of one is minimal.

You can buy a fan heater for as low as $20, with almost all but a few top models costing less than $50. Their versatility makes fan heaters an easy, low-risk investment to make.

2. Fan Heater Safety

Fan Heaters are a safe way to heat your home, with ceramic fan heaters being the top choice for safety. Low temperatures are associated with fan heaters that contain a ceramic heating element, with most ceramic space heater models having built-in mechanisms that reduce the flow of electricity once a heating element reaches 380 degrees F.

While fires used to be a big concern with fan heater users, modern models offer multiple safety features to prevent such accidents. Here are some of our top safety tips:

• Look for a fan heater that will automatically turn off if it gets tipped over or begins to overheat
• A flame-resistant exterior keeps the surface temperature of a fan heater relatively safe around kids
• Follow safety procedures accurately when using a fan heater
• Do not place your heater near combustibles or leave your space heater unattended
• Routinely clean your fan heater to keep it working its best

3. Portability of Fan Heaters

One of the greatest advantages of a fan-forced heater is their portability. You can carry these compact units from room to room to get customized heating anywhere! Many models come with handles for the very purpose of toting one around.

Fan heaters are generally very compact, come in one piece and often fit on a table top. All you need is a standard electrical outlet with no other installation or set-up required. The portability of a fan heater makes it great versatile supplemental heat that's easy to use and store.

Bring a fan heater with you in an RV, to use while camping, or on vacation. If you need it to heat one room at a time, buy a single fan heater for the entire house! The small size of fan heaters makes them ideal for small areas like bathrooms or office cubicles.

4. Fan Heater Noise

While not completely silent, fan heaters can be surprisingly undisruptive. If you don't mind a low hum, a fan heater is a great low-profile heating solution. They never get very loud, so any noise they produce won't outweigh the other benefits of affordability and portability a fan heater provides.

Taking it one step further, a fan heater may in fact have the noise advantage! The white noise of a fan heater can be a soothing way to block out other noises as you're trying to sleep. Voices down the hall or cars zooming by outside can be much less of a distraction when you have on the steady whirling of a fan. If you plan on using a fan heater during bed time, look for one with a programmable timer that will automatically turn off your unit after a certain time; saving you electricity as you sleep.

5. Fan Heaters Warm the Air

A fan heater warms an entire room, making it the most versatile heating choice since chances are you'll be moving around the room and will want the entire space warm. Here's why you may want a fan that heats the air:

• The room will stay warm for a while even after the heater is turned off
• They provide a warm environment, enveloping you in a heated cocoon that's cozy and inviting
• For every 1000 watts of heat, a fan heater will generally heat 100 square feet, provided you have adequate insulation in the space
• All fan heaters operate on a maximum of 1500 watts, so you know how much power you're using
• Most operate on at least two different power settings, offering you more control over your heat preferences
• Some even have an adjustable thermostat that allows you to set a specific temperature that the unit will cycle on and off to maintain

6. Fan + Heater Combo

Many heaters offer a fan-only mode that lets you use the fan setting without the heater on. That means you can have winter heating and summer cooling in one convenient unit! Not all fan heaters have this option, so make sure the unit you want has a fan-only feature if it's something you want.

While a space heater lets you turn down the central thermostat of your home in the winter, a fan also keeps the A/C from overworking in the summer. A fan is a great supplement to your central air conditioner because it helps move cool air around in a room, creating a cool draft instead of stale air.

7. Fan Heaters are Convenient to Use

Fan heaters come with a variety of functions, so think about what features are most important to you before you buy. A fan heater in general is very simple and convenient to use, and most heat around the same power - 1500 watts for your average indoor model.

Here are some other features you can look out for:

• A remote control let you use your heater from anywhere in the room
• Controls come in digital, dial or button styles
• A timer will automatically turn your fan heater off
• Oscillation helps distribute warmth throughout a room faster
• A carrying handle will make transporting your fan heater easy

8. A Fan Heater for Large Areas

Fan heaters are a popular choice for heating large, frequently used living areas for short periods of time since the entire space will become warm. An oscillating heater provides additional heating power.

Be careful to pick a heater that matches your heating needs. Some fan heaters cycle on and off to maintain a constant temperature, and while this normally helps conserve energy, trying to heat a space too large will result in wasted effort. Heaters that are too powerful will consume a lot of energy, and result in a high utility bill. Find a heater with the wattage, BTUs and square feet coverage that best matches the rooms you will be heating.

9. Fan Heater Zonal Heating

Using a fan heater allows you to turn down your central thermostat and heat only the rooms you're using the most, saving you energy at home. By reducing the amount of energy you consume you not only lower your monthly utility bill, you also contribute less greenhouse gasses to the environment.

Fan heaters operate on pennies a day, and the heat you feel from them can be directed to personal spaces and felt more immediately. There's no reason why you shouldn't add a fan heater, or multiple fan heaters, to your home today!