How Do Electric Strip Heaters Work?

Identification

• Electric strip heaters are also referred to as electric panel heaters. These heaters are usually mounted on the wall and controlled by adjusting a thermostat to the desired temperature. Some electric strip heaters are small and portable, making them easy to move from room-to-room. Electric strip heaters work by heating elements inside the heater and blowing warm air into your home with the force of a fan.

Benefits

• Portability is one advantage of using a small electric heater. Homeowners who build additions onto their home that are not supplied by the existing heating system may opt to use electric heaters instead of reworking their entire heating and cooling system. Most electric strip heaters are easy to adjust and control the thermostat when more or less heat is needed.

Disadvantages

• Electric heaters are not as energy efficient as natural gas or heat pumps. According to the United States Department of Energy, heating your home with electric heaters costs more because of electricity generation and heat loss. Portable electric heaters pose a fire hazard and should be used with caution. Never leave electric heaters running in your home when you are not at home to reduce the risk of fire.

Considerations

• Most electric strip heaters and other types of portable electric heaters work best when using zone heating. This means you use electric heaters to heat individual rooms in your home, while allowing unoccupied rooms to be cooler. Zone heating can reduce your energy usage and save up to 20 percent on your heating bill compared with heating all rooms inside your home at once. You must keep unheated rooms above freezing to avoid problems such as frozen water lines and pipes.