Infrared Quartz Heaters

[dpg]

Does anyone use one of these to help warm a room or two and if so what do you think of them? They seem to get good reviews where I read about them. Wouldn't be a sole heat source just to get the chill out of the air in a sunroom.

[DickR]

Well, it depends on how you plan on using it, for warming up just you while you are sitting in one place or for warming up the whole room. It depends, too, on how big that sunroom is, how well it is insulated, and how cold and windy it is outside.

If you aim a hot infrared source at you, then it can warm mostly just you, much as being near an open fire will warm the side of you facing the fire. If you move around a lot in the room, the heater may not help much. If you want to heat up the room and its contents, then any electric heater of the same wattage will be as effective. If you can heat up the room with a hair dryer on full blast, then a more fancy infrared heater will work also, but a simple electric heater would cost less.

These things have been marketed as being able to save on your heating bill. Up here, where electric power is expensive, the only way to save on your heating bill overall is to stay in front of the heater to keep warm and let the rest of the house get quite chilly, to keep the heating system from coming on as often. Most folks don't want a house that chilly.

[Belmont Resident]

Originally Posted by DickR

Well, it depends on how you plan on using it, for warming up just you while you are sitting in one place or for warming up the whole room. It depends, too, on how big that sunroom is, how well it is insulated, and how cold and windy it is outside.

If you aim a hot infrared source at you, then it can warm mostly just you, much as being near an open fire will warm the side of you facing the fire. If you move around a lot in the room, the heater may not help much. If you want to heat up the room and its contents, then any electric heater of the same wattage will be as effective. If you can heat up the room with a hair dryer on full blast, then a more fancy infrared heater will work also, but a simple electric heater would cost less.

These things have been marketed as being able to save on your heating bill. Up here, where electric power is expensive, the only way to save on your heating bill overall is to stay in front of the heater to keep warm and let the rest of the house get quite chilly, to keep the heating system from coming on as often. Most folks don't want a house that chilly.

We had both and the infrared got tossed. Great to put under a desk and warm a person but I've found them to be useless for heating up more then a personal space.
We use and electric on a timer to warm the bathroom up before taking showers. We keep our temp down at 60-62 on the second floor because it is more comfortable to sleep but not to shower.
At least not for my wife.

[SAB1]

Have had good luck with them. Use it to extend life out in the 2 season room and my wife uses in the computer room which is at the other end of the house far away from the wood stove.

[ApS]

Like every infrared heater, you do have to be situated generally in front of the direction it's pointed.

Quartz infrared heaters don't offer any savings advantage over others that are powered by electricity. When the thermostat is set lower, they tend to startle the user, as they "engage" with a sudden rattle.

A few years ago, I considered mounting my Honeywell quartz infrared heater on our cathedral ceiling, where its coverage would extend to a much wider area. However, I couldn't find any site that would offer an opinion if the quartz infrared heater could be safely mounted other than vertically.

[Belmont Resident]

Originally Posted by Acres per Second

Like every infrared heater, you do have to be situated generally in front of the direction it's pointed.

Quartz infrared heaters don't offer any savings advantage over others that are powered by electricity. When the thermostat is set lower, they tend to startle the user, as they "engage" with a sudden rattle.

A few years ago, I considered mounting my Honeywell quartz infrared heater on our cathedral ceiling, where its coverage would extend to a much wider area. However, I couldn't find any site that would offer an opinion if the quartz infrared heater could be safely mounted other than vertically.

I could be wrong but don't most of them come with a switch that shuts then down if they are tipped over? Might be just the coil type I'm thinking of.

I thought of this after I'd posted earlier. A builder and myself were working on a job late in the season and we had some of the mentioned heaters.
They did almost nothing to take the chill out of the air, the builder invested in some electric heaters and they worked much better.
I'd say worst case get one and try it out, heck you can return anything to Walmart and they sell them.

[dpg]

Thanks to all for your opinions I was concerned about your exact comments. I want the thing to warm the room and know it's on when I walk in so the Infrared won't work for me. I currently use two of the "oil filled" type but was looking to replace them I see a Lasko Ceramic Heater I may look into further or else just use what I have. One other thing does anybody know what the life is of the oil filled type? Does the oil ever dry up or become low or anything like that? Just wonderin...

[Kamper]

I've used i/r, oil filled and regular space heaters. I prefer the small ceramic space heaters (cubes). The fan circulates the air so you don't have to wait for natural convection to heat the room from the top down. Also, you can get them with a fan-only setting to move a little air when you want to.

[ishoot308]

Originally Posted by dpg

Thanks to all for your opinions I was concerned about your exact comments. I want the thing to warm the room and know it's on when I walk in so the Infrared won't work for me. I currently use two of the "oil filled" type but was looking to replace them I see a Lasko Ceramic Heater I may look into further or else just use what I have. One other thing does anybody know what the life is of the oil filled type? Does the oil ever dry up or become low or anything like that? Just wonderin...

DPG;

If I were you I would look into a good ceramic heater. Ceramic heaters are extremely safe, energy efficient and very inexpensive. They are made to do exactly what you want, heat a small room or office. Unlike radiant heaters which just heat objects in front of them, ceramic heaters heat the air in the room.

Here's a pretty good article describing the different choices of space heaters. http://www.cbsnews.com/2100-500253_162-672592.html

Good Luck and stay warm!!

Dan

[dpg]

Thank you Dan...

[DickR]

Bear in mind that to keep a room at a certain temperature requires a certain amount of heat, which depends on the wall, floor, and ceiling area exposed to outside temperature, how cold it is outside, type of windows, and the degree to which that outer shell is insulated. If that heat comes from a device plugged into a wall outlet, then you're limited to what the circuit will provide without tripping the breaker, typically 1500-1800 watts, or about 5000-6000 BTU/hr. Any plug-in heater of a given wattage (on the label), regardless of type, will provide the same amount of heat, and the efficiency is the same, 100%. All the power input to the heater turns up as heat in the room.

[ApS]

I don't understand why the ceramic heaters are "preferred", as I'm now sitting by one—1000-watts—as I type. It takes a few minutes to warm up, "chills" in the meantime, and like oil-filled heaters, doesn't "project" heat very well.

They're all mostly limited to 1500-watts, anyway. The 1000-watt position doesn't trip any breakers.

'Guess I looked in the wrong places. There are plenty of horizontal quartz heaters! There are some horizontal dual-units for the bathroom, which I would think would be the perfect application. ...maybe put one in the corner, facing the shower...

This vertical heater is similar to mine:



The quartz heater—above—is actually pretty good at warming several people. The Honeywell heater has an even greater spread than the one pictured. 'Guess I'll have to schlep it back from Florida.

Originally Posted by Belmont Resident

I could be wrong but don't most of them come with a switch that shuts then down if they are tipped over? Might be just the coil type I'm thinking of.

The Honeywell doesn't have a switch.

[dpg]

APS - What everyone is getting at and my concern was that an Infrared Heater is much more efficient at heating your personal body and objects within a room and not necessarily the "core" room temperature. I wanted a heater that brings up the room temp and is reflected in this by the thermostat in the room, I don't believe the infrared is the best choice for my needs. I currently use the oil filled type and was just shopping around for anything better. I'm going to look at ceramic with a fan that can blow the warm air, mine also doesn't do that.

[ApS]

"Blowing warm air" by the ceramic heater is really just "turbulent-hot" on one side and "turbulent-chilly" on the other. It doesn't do a good job of heating a space. I doubt it'd come close to adequately heating even a tiny space like a bathroom.

This morning, after frost warnings, and clearly lower temperatures, I switched from the inadequate ceramic heater to a Presto "HeatDish" radiant heater:

Within a few minutes, I've already had to turn the thermostat down. (But when it's cold, I don't move around much).


At "Wolfeboro's Little Airport", the entire hanger was heated by a long row of ceiling radiant heaters fueled by natural gas—maybe propane—I forget.

While their tools, coffee, and aircraft were not heated, the mechanics continued working in warm comfort.

(Even with the hanger door open!)

My next New Hampshire house will have radiant heat in the floor—just like my family's house had in 1952—Rhode Island!

[DickR]

Originally Posted by Acres per Second

My next New Hampshire house will have radiant heat in the floor—just like my family's house had in 1952—Rhode Island!

Make the shell of your next NH house superinsulated, very tight, and with good windows. You won't have cold spots, and maybe you can pay for that shell with the money saved by skipping the radiant floor plumbing. With a shell like that, you wouldn't be able to run the floor temperature up more than a degree or two above room temperature, so it wouldn't feel warm on the piggies anyway. If you did, in no time at all the whole house would be overheated. Radiant floor heat is nice in an "ordinary" house, built just to pass code, because all that heat the floor generates has a place to go - outdoors in a hurry!

[Winnisquamguy]

Originally Posted by Acres per Second

My next New Hampshire house will have radiant heat in the floor—just like my family's house had in 1952—Rhode Island!

Radiant heat is really only good for bathrooms...not very efficient for the whole house if you are not going to live in full time.

[ApS]

Originally Posted by dpg

APS - What everyone is getting at and my concern was that an Infrared Heater is much more efficient at heating your personal body and objects within a room and not necessarily the "core" room temperature. I wanted a heater that brings up the room temp and is reflected in this by the thermostat in the room, I don't believe the infrared is the best choice for my needs. I currently use the oil filled type and was just shopping around for anything better. I'm going to look at ceramic with a fan that can blow the warm air, mine also doesn't do that.

These past few chilly days, I've been using an infrared heater outdoors on the front porch. It'll heat a row of people, but you may have to play with the seating to get everybody to their accustomed "core" temperature.

Even against the wind, there's an odor of rubber in the air, and my shoes seem to be getting hotter and softer!

If you really need a "forced air" heater, try the 1300 watts of a "dairy heater". This example doesn't have a thermostat like mine, but they're built along the same lines. Of the two that I have, the Peloris is far more substantial in build quality. (It's really heavy). In a moderately-sized room, you'll probably have to turn it down.



I've never used the 1500-watt setting that Peloris provided.

Can you tell how many seasons this cottage was built for?

[dpg]

Getting one or two Ceramic Heaters...

[ApS]

This morning, my ceramic heater didn't go on with the light switch, as usual.

This has happened before so I set it aside, thinking an internal overheat switch had tripped. The replacement infrared heated everything up just fine.

A week went by, but my ceramic heater still wasn't working. The following season—overwinter—it had restored itself.

This time, the failure appears to be the light switch itself. This has also happened before. Since this is the only electric item on this circuit, I'll be replacing the expired 15-amp switch with a 20-amp switch.

Originally Posted by dpg

Getting one or two Ceramic Heaters...

Get two.

[Lakegeezer]

Originally Posted by DickR

Radiant floor heat is nice in an "ordinary" house, built just to pass code, because all that heat the floor generates has a place to go - outdoors in a hurry!

Radiant heat works well for us. With cathedral ceilings and lots of windows, we are not looking to warm all the air space. The floor stays warm and the radiant effect extends about 6 feet above it. Just enough and all the furniture is warm too. We can leave the room thermostat at 66 and yet feel comfortable. In mid-winter, the floor gets to 80, which feels great on the feet.

[PaugusBayGal]

We have a Duraflame that we use to warm a room in our home during cold winter months and we also use it at the lake in early spring, summer and late fall it helps to warm the area so we can enjoy the camp. Our camp is only 450 or so square feet so it is not a large area, but it does work. We try to use as little oil as possible so our home is about 68 or 69 so when you sit for a time you need a blanket or some other kind of heat.

Hope this helps

[ApS]

Originally Posted by PaugusBayGal

We have a Duraflame

Duraflame makes a wide variety of heaters. Did you mean a propane heater?

One hobby that can help through those gray, cold days would involve a 120-volt (house-current) kiln, that heats by convection and radiation:



Used in pottery and cloisonné (enameling), kilns put out a lot of heat. Opened—as above—a kiln will dry your eyes in seconds.

No artist, I can neither sketch nor paint, but managed to surprise myself by bending a few pieces of wire into shapes and sprinkling some ground-up glass powder into the various forms. Enameling is an art-form that goes back two thousand years in the Middle East—and is a hobby that can heat and pay!

Enameled onto heavy copper plates, about a dozen examples of my "light switch art" grace a few homes in the area:

[PaugusBayFireFighter]

We bought a ceramic tower heater to use in our bedroom/bath as a way to break the chill and avoid heating the whole house when we don't have to. After researching customer reviews, etc., we ended up buying the Lasko 755320 ceramic tower with digital display AND remote control for under $50. on Amazon, we couldn't be happier. There are some great features but the most noticeable is the noise, it's VERY quiet. It also has a thermostat setting so it auto shuts off and turns on, keeping the desired room temp we set. It also oscillates, so that seems to spread the warmth evenly. Our bedroom and bath are toasty warm. In the morning I move it to the living room just to break the chill. I'm not sure that it's practical to heat the living room, dining, kitchen and hallways of our house, but for our bedroom, it works great.

[songkrai]

Originally Posted by Acres per Second

These past few chilly days, I've been using an infrared heater outdoors on the front porch. It'll heat a row of people, but you may have to play with the seating to get everybody to their accustomed "core" temperature.

Even against the wind, there's an odor of rubber in the air, and my shoes seem to be getting hotter and softer!

If you really need a "forced air" heater, try the 1300 watts of a "dairy heater". This example doesn't have a thermostat like mine, but they're built along the same lines. Of the two that I have, the Peloris is far more substantial in build quality. (It's really heavy). In a moderately-sized room, you'll probably have to turn it down.



I've never used the 1500-watt setting that Peloris provided.

Can you tell how many seasons this cottage was built for?

I got the same thing except mine is a Delonghi. Two heat settings. 850 watt and 1500 watt. I too only use the lower setting. The Delonghi cost $23.00 at Wallyworld but I think that this model is discontinued. All metal. Two settings with dial thermostat. Quiet fan. Works perfectly.

A small electric space heater with a remote control is an added bonus.

Remember, 1500 watts is 1500 watts. Whether you spend $400.00 or $25.00 for an electric heater the electricity usage is the same.
Granted some have fans that make some noise. Some are liquid filled that will still have heat after unit is turned off.

[bclaker]

After 10:00 PM we turn the heat down to 68°. I use this Holmes ceramic heater to heat my12X12 office after that. It does a fine job even on the coldest Winter days. It cost around $30.

[dpg]

Does in stay stationary and not oscillate if you don't want it too?

[ApS]

Surfing Who's Online again, I see the topic of infra-red heaters is hot again. Could it be the days of sub-zero weather?

Originally Posted by songkrai

"...Remember, 1500 watts is 1500 watts. Whether you spend $400.00 or $25.00 for an electric heater the electricity usage is the same. Granted some have fans that make some noise. Some are liquid filled that will still have heat after unit is turned off.

1) Ceramic heaters also retain heat after use; however, the "cost" is a slow warm-up.

2) At my place, what I remember is that the 1500-watt selection will sometimes cause a fuse to blow! ...and the fuse panel is outdoors—in the frigid crawl space...

[brk-lnt]

Originally Posted by Acres per Second

1) Ceramic heaters also retain heat after use; however, the "cost" is a slow warm-up.

Any heat they are retaining is coming from heat produced by the electricity they consume. You're not getting "free" heat just by using a ceramic heater. It's basically as you noted, they take longer to warm up, and longer to cool down. But for a given number of BTU's output the cost to operate will be the same as any other electric heater.

[ApS]

Originally Posted by dpg

Infrared Quartz Heaters: Does anyone use one of these to help warm a room or two and if so what do you think of them? They seem to get good reviews where I read about them. Wouldn't be a sole heat source just to get the chill out of the air in a sunroom.

In a sunroom, they might work just fine for one to three people. My choice (as indicated above), would be a forced-air heater with two heat settings. I use the low setting only, but may be able to test the 1500 watt setting soon with my new electric panel.

This thread is back due to a new price on the metal cabinet of the tough Patton "Milkhouse Heater" I prefer. It's $28.15 at Amazon.

Winnipesaukee.com can be supported by linking this site to Amazon purchases—although I've lost that link. Anyone have it?



.

[Loub52]

...though good if you want to warm a piece of toast from one foot away