Electric home heaters: classification and selection features

Heating of housing is an urgent issue for people living in areas with a seasonal climate. Today in Russia the urban population uses central heating, but even in cities it is not available to everyone. In addition, very often the presence of batteries in an apartment does not mean that the room will have a comfortable temperature, and people are forced to buy various household heaters.

Home heating methods

If we consider all the possible ways that people use to heat their home, then the following can be distinguished:

1. solid fuel stove;
2. autonomous heating on solid, liquid and gaseous fuels;
3. central heating;
4. autonomous on electricity;
5. portable electrical appliances.

They can be used individually or in combination.

Classification and features of heat transfer

There are three ways to transfer heat. These include:

1. thermal conductivity;
2. convection;
3. radiation.

In the first case, heat transfer is carried out by direct contact of two bodies of different temperatures. This happens, for example, when you lean a cold object against a warm one, and the cold one heats up. Such heat exchange is possible between solids, but gases and liquids conduct heat worse, especially gases.

But they perfectly transfer heat by convection, when warmer currents are directed upward, and colder ones - downward. This is due to the difference in pressure between warm and cold matter.

Finally, radiation carries heat even in a vacuum. The waves of the infrared part of the spectrum are responsible for this.

In household heating appliances, all three methods work to one degree or another, the only question is in what ratio.

Types of electric heaters

Currently, electric home heaters have gained particular popularity. This is due to their affordability and operational safety. There are several types of such devices, and each has its own advantages and disadvantages.

Oil radiator: has become the most common alternative heat source in the apartment. It is a device with a galvanized casing from the inside, into which mineral oil is poured. It is the heat carrier. The heating element is heated from the network, it gives off heat to the oil, through which it spreads in a convective way, and the oil already heats the body. The principle of heating the room is mixed: the radiator heats the air that goes up. The metal housing generates infrared radiation that can heat nearby objects. Sometimes radiators are equipped with a fan, and, as a rule, all modern models have an adjustable thermostat.

The power consumption of such a device ranges from 1 to 2 kW, which can hit the wallet if you turn it on every day. But most often it is used as a room heater irregularly, mainly in the evening.

Prices for oil coolers range from 1.5 to 3 thousand. rubles, but there are both cheaper and more expensive models.

Convector, as its name suggests, heats the updrafts. Most often these are wall-mounted appliances, although there are built-in options (baseboards and completely built into the floor). They are equipped with a heating element in an aluminum case, which heats the cold air entering from below. Then it goes up due to the effect of a wind tunnel created by the shape of the body.

Unlike radiators, they are safer: their case rarely heats up above 60 degrees.

Devices of different power are available - from 0.5 to 2.5 kW. On average, 0.04 kW per 1 cubic meter of room is required if the convector is used as the main source of heating.

The price of devices varies from 1.5 to 8 thousand. rubles.

Infrared household heaters it is not the room that heats up, but the objects in it. The radiation emitted by such a device can be reflected and absorbed - in the latter case, it turns into heat. The heating element in infrared heaters is halogen lamps, carbon spirals, ceramic elements, tungsten in a vacuum, flamentine and aluminum plates with heating elements. There are gas and diesel fueled models.

The undoubted plus of such devices is the heating of objects. The air temperature is raised not by the heater itself, but by the solids heated by it. Sometimes a strange effect is observed: the temperature in the room is low, and the person is warm, sometimes even hot. The effect does not disappear after turning off the device, if the housing is insulated: warm walls and furniture have thermal inertia, and can maintain a comfortable temperature for a long time. An ordinary wood-burning stove works according to the same principle, which is heated once a day, and this is enough until the next morning.

The form of production of infrared devices is varied. There are suspended (on the ceiling), wall, floor, built-in models of these electric heaters. The power range is from 300 W to 2 kW, the price is from 500 to 4 thousand. rubles.

Thermal fans widespread in cases where there are temporary interruptions in heat. It is convenient to direct them towards yourself if a person works at a desk, and to ensure a comfortable temperature. The principle of its operation is simple: the fan displaces air that is heated from a ceramic plate or nichrome spiral. Advanced models are equipped with a thermostat and adjustable flow rate. Also, in some cases, you can turn off the heating, and the device turns into a regular fan.

Such devices cannot be called economical: in addition to heating, energy is required to move the air mass. But they are inexpensive, you can buy it for 1-2 thousand rubles.

Ceramic and quartz panels combine all three heat transfer methods. A heating element in them it is made in the form of a nichrome spiral with good insulation (nichrome has a bad property to oxidize when overheated) or cermets. It heats both the air coming from the bottom of the wall and the panel itself, which gives off heat in an infrared way.

This is the most economical device in terms of energy consumption. With a power of 400 W, it is enough for a small room; for large rooms, you can choose a more powerful model. The disadvantage of ceramic panels is their price: the cheapest samples cost about $ 3,000. rubles, and the main segment - 6-10 thousand.

Comparative characteristics: table

Fireplaces, warm floors, and infrared films can be considered as heaters for an apartment, but this is a separate big topic. For clarity and comparison, you can use the following table:

oil coolers	convectors	IT heaters	fan heaters	ceramic panels
dimensions	height approx. 60 cm, length up to 50 cm, thickness up to 15 cm	flat, height up to 60 cm, length up to 1.5 m	various	like two irons	about the same as for convectors
the weight	within 10 kg	within 5 kg	different	no more than 2 kg	heavy, up to 40 kg
heating rate	up to 1 hour	5-10 min, faster in small rooms	seconds	1-2 minutes	about 5 min
life time	5-7 years	10-15 years old	10-15 years old	5-7 years	5-7 years
dignity	low price	fast heating	heats objects, the result is more inertial	compactness and fast heating	all the advantages of convectors and IT heaters, energy saving
limitations	dimensions, risk of burns and fire	uneven heating of large rooms, dust spread	danger of burns	burns out oxygen in the room, high energy consumption	high price
safety engineering	do not dry laundry, do not touch at maximum temperature, use only in an upright position	do not cover from above, do not place the device under power outlets, operate only vertically	choose the right power, correctly direct the radiation flux, do not use in rooms where explosive and flammable substances are stored	do not operate for a long time, avoid getting moisture inside, do not put near sockets	do not put near sockets, do not operate in fire-hazardous premises, do not dry things, do not connect to the network without grounding

if you need an electric heater for the house as the main source of heat, be sure to pay attention to thermal calculations before buying. The heat standard for central Russia is 0.038 W per cubic meter. For a room with a ceiling height of up to 2.7 m, this is about 100 W per square meter. In areas with a sharply continental climate, this figure can reach 200 W, and in the south, 70 W will be enough. Do not forget about those situations when heat demand may increase. These include the following cases:

1. corner room, where two walls communicate with the street;
2. large glazing area;
3. poor thermal insulation.