Energy Saver Electrical Heaters

Central Electric Heating System

• It's hard to beat the efficiency of a modern forced-air electric furnace with ductwork and room vents. A heating element heats air, a fan forces the hot air through the furnace and the hot air circulates within ducts throughout the house.

Heat Pumps

• In moderate climates, heat pumps are the most efficient form of electric heating, providing three times more heat than the amount of energy they consume. Heat pumps collect heat from the air, water or ground outside a home and concentrate it for use inside. Heat pumps can also cool a home by collecting the heat inside a house and effectively pumping it outside.

Baseboard Heaters

• Baseboard heaters are inexpensive and require no ductwork. They spread heat using a combination of conduction (the transfer of heat from the heating element to the air around it) and convection (occurs when the heated air rises out of the heater and draws colder air in from below). Air currents resulting from this convection draw the heat up, into and around the room where the heaters are located. Baseboard heaters with a timer control or programmable thermostat can be real money savers.

Electric Space Heaters

• Electric space heaters are the only unvented space heaters that are safe to operate inside a home. Both convection and radiation electric space heaters are 100-percent energy efficient, except for those with a fan. The heaters can be placed in the area of a room where they are needed, but their effectiveness varies. The best types of convection space heaters incorporate a heat transfer liquid, such as oil, that is heated by the electric element. The fluid stores heat, allowing the heater to cycle less and providing a more constant heat. Convection models are best for heating an entire room because they spread their heat over a wide area. A fan can move the heated air in a particular direction and throughout the room. Radiant electric space heaters, which use an electric-ribbon element or a quartz tube, are ideal for spot heating. A radiative heater is a good choice for a cold room such as a garage or workshop, where just the specific area of the room being used must be heated. But beware of the risks -- a radiative heater can ignite an object if it is too close and the object is flammable.

Lower Heating Bills Wisely

• Sales of energy-saver electric heaters are sizzling as millions of homeowners buy into the promise of lower-cost heating in an era of soaring utility bills. Newer models tend to have the most current safety features. Choose a thermostatically controlled heater of the proper size for area to be heated, make sure the heater has the Underwriter's Laboratory (UL) label attached to it and follow the manufacturer's instructions.