With the onset of the cold season, a large assortment of home heaters appears on the shelves of equipment supermarkets. At this time, manufacturing companies rub their hands with a smile in anticipation of a good profit. There are a lot of models of such devices. But there are only a few principles on which they work. In accordance with them emit oil, gas heaters, convector, fan heater, infrared emitter.
All of them serve one purpose - to create warmth and comfort in the house. Looking at this or that modern "fire" for the house, many people ask themselves the question: "How to choose a heater for an apartment?"
Each type of heater has been specifically designed for specific conditions. But this does not mean that only one is suitable for an apartment. You just need the option that will cope with the task in the best way.
What's better
There is a rating of heaters on the market for certain parameters. Oil radiators are the leaders in terms of power , but fan heaters in terms of heating speed. Each of them represents the best combination of profitability, efficiency and price in its class. In fact, there are a lot of heat sources, but we will only talk about the most popular.
In most cases, electric energy is used as the main source. There are also natural gas heaters on the market. But, in the end, they all only turn one form of energy into another.
Oil heaters
Here, an electric coil heats the oil, which circulates in a closed system in the form of a battery. These heat sources have worked well. They are practical to use and do a great job. This option will be the first in the list of "Best heaters for the apartment." There are many positive reviews about this type of heaters due to its efficiency and safety in operation. Their price starts from 1500 rubles.
Advantages of the oil heater:
- No noise at work.
- Great power.
- It does not require installation of additional operations.
- Possibility of spot heating.
- Can be used as a dryer for things.
Disadvantages:
- It takes time to warm up the coolant.
- Big dimensions.
Subject to certain rules, this heater is able to properly warm the room in the apartment. It is well suited as an additional source of heat that can be turned on at night.
Convector electric heaters
This view with the help of a red-hot spiral heats the air. Heated gas rises naturally and fills the room with heat. This species is especially popular in offices. Sometimes they are made as decorations that can be hung on the wall. By virtue of their design, air flow in the lower part and an open top must be provided for them. The price of a good convector starts from 3000 r.
Advantages:
- A little time to warm up.
- Relatively small dimensions.
- Possibility of installation on the wall.
- No noise during operation.
Disadvantages:
- The smell of burnt dust when turned on.
- Requires free space around the enclosure.
- Risk of fire if foreign objects get on the spiral.
Subject to the specifics of the operation of this device, it is well suited for offices and offices. These are those heaters whose electrical parts glow red-hot during operation, but cool off quickly after shutdown.
Fan heaters
This is the most popular type of heaters due to their efficiency and low cost. It looks like a convector type, but it also has a fan for forced circulation. Manufacturing companies produce a lot. Prices are very affordable and start at 500 rubles. Reviews about these devices in most cases are positive due to the low cost and compactness.
Advantages:
- Quick warm-up of the room.
- Compact size.
- Low price.
Disadvantages:
- Noise at work.
- Burning oxygen.
- The smell of burnt dust at startup.
This is the heater whose price is the lowest on the market. It is suitable primarily for those who need to warm up the room in a short time. They are also often bought in order to take with them to work, a summer cottage or other places. But it is worth remembering that they make a lot of noise, which can distract and annoy.
Infrared emitter
These appliances heat surrounding objects near you. They are often used in offices and workplaces when directed heat is needed. Infrared heaters use special lamps for their work. They transfer heat to surrounding objects, and they - already to air. Due to their compact size, they are very popular. The initial price for such devices is 1000 rubles.
Advantages:
- Instant start from cold downtime to maximum power.
- The focus of heating.
- Compact size.
- Silent work.
- Energy saving.
- Does not burn oxygen.
Disadvantages:
- The inability to heat a large room.
- The glow of the lamps can be inconvenient.
- Burns dust at startup.
This view is most suitable for the workplace. It can also be used to quickly warm up after returning from the street.
Gas heaters
It can be both stationary and portable options. As you might guess by the name, they use energy from burning natural gas. As a result, an exhaust hood is needed for the products of combustion. Such devices are mainly used in private homes. They work both from the gas main and from the cylinder. Prices for such heat sources vary depending on the model and type. The initial cost is approximately 3,500 rubles.
Advantages:
- Quick warm-up of the room.
- Profitability of work.
- Lack of electrical parts.
Disadvantages:
- Requires special installation.
- Big dimensions.
- There is no possibility of moving.
A gas heater is well suited as additional heating for a private house. It has a short start time, and the outer surface does not heat up more than 60 degrees.
What to get
So, if you need to choose a heat source, you need to decide where it will work and how. Choosing a heater for an apartment is one thing, and for a sports hall is another. Therefore, first you need to evaluate the size of the room.
If this is a small room, then heaters are needed for the apartment. Cost-effective performance of such devices will play a big role in the selection. In this case, it is worth paying attention to oil or convective heaters. They can be turned on for a long time and programmed to maintain the required temperature.
They are also safe for children. The outer surface of these devices does not heat up to high temperature. Therefore, touching them is safe. The absence of noise during work creates the conditions for relaxation. Night work is normal for them.
Workplace heating
At the beginning of the day, when everyone comes to work, the temperature in the offices is usually minimal. Often it falls overnight due to savings on heating. Heating of office premises can be carried out by fan heaters or infrared radiators, which have proven themselves in such conditions. They quickly start working and warm up the room in a matter of minutes.
You can combine the operation of these devices. For example, to quickly heat up, use fan heaters, and then switch to another, less noisy option. It can be infrared heaters that will stand next to each employee. Thus, it is possible to create individual comfortable conditions for everyone.
In this case, the convective option is also suitable. But when using it, you will have to wait a bit until the heat disperses naturally.
Heat supply in country dachas
If you had to visit a summer house or other room in the cold season, you should bring a heating tool with you or install it there in advance. The easiest option would be a fan heater. But it is also worth paying attention to the gas heater. It can be mounted in advance in the wall and used only if necessary. In addition, there is not always electric energy in such buildings, so this option will be simply irreplaceable. Only a new gas cylinder will have to be connected to it periodically. If there is a gas pipeline, then this greatly simplifies the situation.
Security measures
Before choosing a heater for the apartment, you should find out the specifics of its work. If there are children and animals in the house, then it is necessary to prevent dangerous situations in advance. When using oil radiators, they must be well fixed to the floor. Installation of these devices from above near stairs, basements and other recesses is not allowed. The weight of such heaters is quite large, and if they fall, they can cause serious harm.
If possible, convective heat sources should be attached to the wall in a place inaccessible to children. If there are poultry, then you should additionally use a special cover so that they do not want to warm themselves inside the device where the red-hot spiral is located.
In the case of using floor fan heaters and infrared emitters, they should be placed in places where foreign objects will not touch them. Also, when buying, you should clarify whether they have a system that turns off the power of the device when it is capsized.
Keep track of quality
When buying, you should not try to choose the cheapest heaters possible. For an apartment, economical options can be with a big loss of quality. And this threatens a premature failure of the equipment or a possible fire. It is better to overpay once for a quality heater and be calm than to save a small amount and constantly fear for its work.
It also happens that a good manufacturer can make a product with a defect. To identify this, you need to turn on the heat source at full power after the purchase and observe it for several hours. Such a test will detect marriage.
Beneficial features
There are models of heaters with additional devices that increase comfort when using them. For example, a heating element and a device for humidifying air can be placed in one housing. Such combinations allow you not to spend extra money on other auxiliary devices.
A good addition to a heat source would be a timer with a programming function. With this, you can set the on and off times. It is convenient in that you can come after work to an already heated apartment, and at night not be afraid for a device that will work until the morning.
There are also models with automatic support for a given temperature in the room. For this purpose, the device turns on and off independently throughout the entire time only to maintain the temperature. Therefore, before choosing a heater for an apartment, it is worth taking a closer look at models with such properties. They will help to save the family budget by replacing other devices, and will not require attention during their work.
General recommendations
When choosing means for heating, preference should be given to proven manufacturers. Such companies protect their reputation and carefully monitor the quality of their products.
Heaters, the review of which the seller offers you, should be carefully studied and chosen by you. Otherwise, you can purchase what the seller needs, not you. Also, you should always be interested in the price of products of different brands. This will help you understand what you have to pay for.