Table of Contents
Evaluating The Question – How Much Does It Cost To Run An Infrared Heater
Most people will do whatever is necessary to keep their energy bill to a minimum, during the cold winter months.
Although, this is nearly impossible, there are ways to reduce your energy usage.
Instead of running your heating and air conditioning unit, when only you are at home, you could turn to an infrared heater.
These heaters are capable of producing heat this is very similar to the heat produced by the sun.
There is an unlimited array of benefits of an infrared heater, but first we will need to answer the question, “How much does it cost to run an infrared heater”.
Used For Backup
Just like the traditional wood stove, infrared heaters can be utilized as an emergency backup.
For instance, if your heating and air conditioning unit breaks down in the middle of the winter, you are going to get it fixed immediately.
However, it does take a bit of effort to find a reputable HVAC company and schedule an appointment.
It may take 12 to 48 hours before the technician shows up. Well, if you have an infrared heater, you can utilize it as a backup.
The heat from the heater will absorb nicely into the items in your home and keep a fairly large room nice and cozy.
Of course, it will depend on how large and how much heat the unit can produce, but all in all it can help to ward off extremely cold temperatures.
Is An Infrared Heater Cost Efficient or Not?
Well, to answer this question, you must first understand that the infrared heater will only provide zone heating.
This is unlike your heating and air conditioning unit, which circulates heat throughout an entire home.
However, if you are a cold-natured person, you could actually benefit from the infrared heater, since it can warm up a room very nicely.
You will never be able to eliminate the HVAC unit altogether, but it can be utilized when the temperatures drop down into the 50s and 60s.
It will be much more energy efficient to utilize the infrared heater, instead of relying on the HVAC unit.
If you only need to warm a specific zone in your home, it is highly recommended by environmentalist to utilize an infrared heater.
If you are operating your HVAC unit around the clock on cool days, just by switching to the infrared heater, you will be able to reduce your energy bill by 30 to 50 percent.
Of course, you will need to take into consideration the age of your home, insulation and ceiling height.
Instant Relief
No one likes being cold, especially when they are inside their home.
When you return home and the indoor environment is cold, you would normally go straight to the HVAC thermostat.
It may take up to 45 minutes or an hour to warm the entire house.
With an infrared heater, you would receive instant heat, so there would be no waiting around.
The infrared heater is capable of producing infrared rays, which will immediately penetrate into nearby objects and human skin.
When you compare the infrared heater to a conventional heater, you will immediately notice the differences.
The conventional heater will only warm the air, not the objects in its path.
As you well know, heating the air is a huge waste of energy, without even providing the warmth that you need and desire.
Infrared rays radiate outwards, heating all the objects in its path and eventually producing a widespread effect.
Power Consumption
The best way to answer the question, “How much does it cost to run an infrared heater”, you will need to do a bit of calculating.
First, locate the energy rating, which can normally be found on the tag, attached to the electrical cable.
The rating may be as high as 1500 watts or as low as 300 watts.
Once you retrieve this number, you will need to find out how much your energy provider charges for each kilowatt of power.
This number should only be a few cents, but it will add up to a specific amount over time.
The best way to find out the precise costs, you will need to take the wattage rating and multiply it by the amount charged by the energy company.
For example, if the wattage rating is 1500 (1.5 kilowatts) and the cost is 0.17 cents, it will cost you about 0.25 cents an hours to operate an infrared heater.
You can also multiple this total by the number of hours the heater is utilized within a 24-hour time period and so on.
Environmental Friendly
Infrared heaters are extremely environmental friendly, which is why environmentalists prefer it to the conventional heater.
In fact, the infrared heater does not produce carbon combustion or other toxic by products.
If you decide to operate one of these heaters inside your home, you are ensured of a high air quality rating.
This is definitely important for asthma and allergy sufferers.
Safety Mechanisms
Infrared heaters have definitely changed over the last few decades.
Today, the modern heater is embedded with safety mechanisms that will activate, when the unit is flipped over.
While many people would not give much thought to this feature, it plays a huge role in safety, especially in a home with small children and senior citizens.
It is very important to note, when utilizing space heaters, you should never place it near any item or your body.
However, the infrared heater does not produce an open flame, which makes it a much safer option to the conventional heater.
Conclusion
An infrared heater is a great way to keep a specific zone in your home warm, during the cold months of winter.
Of course, it will never be able to take the place of your heating and air conditioning unit.
However, it will work efficiently on cool days, warming up the items in its path.
There are various types of infrared heaters, including natural gas, propane and electric, so be sure to keep this in mind, when you go shopping.