Choose a Heater by Room or Area

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For Living Rooms & Lounge Areas:

Heat pumps may be the best choice for larger rooms, lounges, and family rooms in terms of longevity, but these areas sometimes require additional background warmth and spot heating. In these instances, portable electric heaters, parabolic reflective heaters, and even electric fireplaces can all add supplemental heat.

• Portable electric heaters come in a variety of styles and sizes, and all provide instant heating comfort.

• Parabolic reflective heaters such as the NewAir AH-300 provide both warm and silent comfort. Parabolic technology helps focus and direct the heat, which in turn minimizes the effect of warmth being lost in a room with a lot of airflow. These types of heaters can be placed in a fixed position to concentrate heat, or they can be oscillated in order to spread heat evenly in the room or space.

• Electric fireplaces add decorative warmth. These heaters use the same heating technology as any space heater, and are much safer than regular wood-burning fireplaces.

For Garages and Workshops:

Garages, workshop, and service areas are best heated by electric shop (garage) or radiant heaters because they provide quick, sufficient heat for large spaces. Electric garage heaters are also preferred because electricity is 100 percent efficient (all electricity is converted to heat).  These heaters may be hard-wired and permanently installed or simply plugged.  Hard wired models can be mounted on a wall or ceiling while plug-in models are placed on a flat, sturdy surface. 

• Shop heaters are ideal for garages and work areas because most central heating systems aren't connected to these areas (they aren't nsulated enough to retain heat). Depending on the model, shop or garage heaters can heat areas from 150 square feet to 560 square feet. These heaters oftentimes need to be mounted and pointed towards the general work area.

• Infrared heaters can warm up an industrial space without creating a stuffy environment. These provide safe and odor-free heating, and help warm surrounding people and objects without affecting air quality or temperature.

For Commercial/Industrial Areas:

Garages, shops, and industrial areas usually have insufficient insulation to support central heating systems. When heating industrial areas, electric garage heaters and propane heaters are both suitable, but most customers choose electric shop heaters over fueled heaters when there is less than 500 square feet of area to heat. Electric garage heaters are also safer than fueled models because they're powered by electricity.

• Shop heaters can safely heat areas up to 400 square feet.  They run on 240 volts and provide blasts of warm air onto the body.

• Infrared heaters make excellent choices for commercial and industrial areas because they provide instant heat for large areas.

• Propane heaters and oil-fired heaters are sturdy, safe, and can also rapidly warm up large areas. However, they're geared towards spaces with ample ventilation such as warehouses and factories as well as outdoor areas such as farms.

For Patio & Outdoor Areas

Outdoor space heating can extend the party season for a home patio or even keep the profits coming from outdoor commercial areas despite cold weather. A patio heater is a type of heater that is built for use in open spaces. They're popular for use on patios and in outside dining areas.

• Patio heaters provide a circle of warmth and help raise outdoor temperatures 10 to 25 degrees.  Adjustable temperature settings allow for optimized control of outdoor activities such as barbeques.  You can get patio heaters in all different styles and power sources, but the two most popular power sources are propane and electricity.

• Fueled patio heaters usually run on propane or natural gas and require no electricity.  There are also electric patio heaters that simply plug in to an existing outlet with no need for wiring. You may also be able to find solar models as well.