An electric panel heater is a heating device that is used to heat a large surface area by using electricity. They are available in wall-mounted and freestanding options. Panel heaters can either be portable or permanent fixtures and can be attached to a wall or even a ceiling. Mostly, they are used in small areas like bathrooms and small rooms. The heating operation of these heaters is almost silent. So, users do not need to face any type of irritating noise.
How do Panel Heaters work?
Panel Heaters work by circulating hot and cold air. Initially, it pulls cold air in the panel, and move it over a heating coil. After that, the air is pumped up out of the heater towards the ceiling. Through this process, the circulation of the air starts in the room. But it can’t say that electric panel heaters always heat a room properly until the fan that is using for moving the air through the heater isn’t powerful enough. But only one concern about the powerful fan is, it can make it hard to hear the details or whispers in your TV program.
How many types of Panel Heaters available in the market?
Basically, on the market, electric panels heaters are mostly used. But besides electric panel heaters, other options of panel heaters are available in the market, such as:
- Oil-filled panel heaters
- Mica thermic Panel heaters
- Electric Panel heaters
Oil-filled panel heaters are much bigger and heavier, so it is not suitable for small rooms and small areas, and the micathermic panels heaters use a mineral ‘mica’ that is not easily available in all the areas, so these types of panel heaters are not so user friendly.
Electric panel heaters are light in weight and conduct the heat all over the room evenly and use less energy. In comparison to other types of panel heaters, they are energy-efficient and cost-saving devices.
How much energy efficient are electric Panel heaters?
Panel heaters are generally inexpensive and energy-efficient heating devices. They are suitable for both the domestic and commercial uses, the adaptive start features and thermostatic characteristics makes it a cost-effective heating element. They are commonly used in caravans, mobile homes, and other small areas properties.
Are Electric Panel Heaters Expensive to Run?
When a person thinks about buying an electric panel heater, the most common question comes in his mind, is the running cost or costs to use the panel heaters are expensive? But you don’t need to worry about that, usually, panel heaters provide a cost-effective heating process for both the domestic and commercial uses. But you should always take care of one essential thing when you are going to purchase a panel heater, you should not go only with the cost price but you should get the proper information about its energy-efficiency so that you don’t have to face the too much electricity cost ahead.
How You Can Reduce Panel Heater Running Costs?
By using some simple steps, you can reduce your panel heater running cost. These steps are the following:
- You can reduce the thermostat by a few degrees
- by using a ‘built-in timer’ you can control when the heater comes on and off. It will help in wastage of energy if you forget to switch off the panel heater, it will automatically turn off.
- When you keep your room at the desired temperature all day long, it will minimize the running cost because the panel heater will keep heating up the room continuously throughout the day
Advantages of the Electric Panel Heater
- Panel heaters keep a more vigorous user control, such as setting the time, pre-set programming throughout the week when the heater goes on and off
- Child lock feature, by which it protects the heater from overheating of the outer casing
- It can be turned on and turn off with a short series of buttons
- Panel heaters give the access right at your fingertips, more influential control of the heating in your rooms and you can make changes without reprogramming the boiler and check out how to make changes
- Every panel heaters come with the option of being wall-mounted and free-standing position both. It always happens with other heating devices, they don’t suit the wet areas, but the panel heaters are ideal for any type of wet areas and your bathroom also.
- Panel heaters heat the surrounding fast and distribute heat evenly. If you compare the panel heaters with other heating devices, you will get that no other source is as good as the panel heaters.
- Ideal for both commercial and domestic uses
- The most important advantage is using a panel heater, it gives full control over the heating.
- Energy-efficient heating device for maintaining your electricity bill
What are Electric Radiators?
Electric radiators are the radiators which are used to heat up rooms and other areas, They are energy-efficient devices to heat the home. They use a thermodynamic fluid, generally oil, that speeds up the transfer of the heat energy which is produced by electricity. By the expanding of fluids, the radiator releases the heat to the surrounding air and heat-up the area. Electric radiators are easy to install because, for the installation, they only need a power outlet to work. They require less maintenance than conventional water-filled radiators as there is no need to bleed them. They come with a thermostat characteristic that controls the amount of energy efficiency to maintain the get the desired level of the temperature to heat the home.
How does an electric radiator work?
Electric radiators are very compact in design and can be fitted easily into any small and narrow areas. Some electric radiators use mineral oils to produce heat. The electric current heats up the heating component of the device after that the heating component continuously heats the mineral oil which is inside the radiator. It is completely safe to use oil-based radiators because the electric radiators are fitted tightly for preventing the oil leakage. The radiators are supplied with a proper safety system to protect overheating.
The thermostat property of the radiator controls the generated amount of heat by the electric heater. So, for the safety measures, it is better to purchase a radiator that comes with the thermostat features.
Types of Electric Radiator
There are basically four types of Electric Radiator depending on the technical characteristics and heat distributing properties.
These are the following:
- Fan heaters
- Convection radiators
- Infrared Radiators
- Oil-based Electric radiators
Fan Heaters- in this heating device the fan and the heater are the two main parts. The fan makes sure the constant airflow through its heating component that is spiral or tubular wires and heats the air. The built-in thermostat feature switches off the fan once it reaches the pre-set desired temperature. The fan also protects the heater from overheating during prolonged use.
Convection Radiators
This radiator uses a metal casing with a built-in heating component, which is controlled by a built-in timer or thermostat. The heating process of this heating radiator is completely safe because it does not reduce the oxygen level and does not dry the air. It maintains the moisture in the air.
Infrared Radiators
The infrared Radiators provide a new kind of heating process and year to year, its momentum becomes stronger than before. In this heating device, it does not heat the air in the room itself, the healing process operates by using electromagnetic waves of a certain frequency, at the same time keeps the radiator cold. The infrared heaters come with the safety sensors which automatically turn off the radiator after reaching the desired temperature.
Oil-Based Electric Radiators
This type of radiator uses mineral oil for heating up the area. The mineral oil is filled up in the inner space of the radiator. Its heating component heats the oil and passes the heat to the surrounding area through the radiator’s cover. These types of radiators prevent the burning of oxygen and maintain the oxygen level in the surrounding. Oil-based electric radiators keep fire safety features and silent operation. The only demerit of this radiator is the outer covering gets too hot, which is responsible for an uneven distribution of heat.
What are the benefits of using an Electric Radiator?
This is a common belief that the electric heating process is more costly than using other conventional fuels. But electric radiator proves this belief, false. Because, by using the electric radiator, you will get many benefits such as low-cost heating process, comfort, ease, and eco- friendly.
There are some benefits of using electric radiator:
- Energy-Efficient
Electric radiators are energy-efficient heating devices. There are no chances of wastage of energy, it uses 100% of the electricity without any wastage. It takes less energy to process the heating which ensures saving on long-term running costs. It can control the temperature in different rooms at the same time.
- Complete controllability
Electric radiator comes with built-in thermostatic control that allows users to pre-set temperature settings to their needs.
- Wall Mountable or Free-standing
Electric radiators are easily walled mountable, so it can be easily installed or detached.
- Easy Installation Process
Electric radiators can be installed simply by plugging into a standard wall socket or by spur wiring them into existing storage heater fuses. Without any restriction of pipework, installation can go with the design of your room and will not restrict you in the design of furniture.