The cold in winter is a fact; some endure it with just more layers, others with a lover, and I’ve even heard that gaining a little weight also helps. But what most of us mortals do is use some kind of heater. On this occasion, we will talk about electric ones.
There are many ways to achieve the happiness of the cat in the image above; there are also many myths and prices. Today we will discuss them.
I want to start by explaining some concepts. Heat is a form of energy, and it can be transferred by contact between two objects at different temperatures or by infrared radiation.
Infrared radiation is like light, but the human eye cannot see it. It passes through the air until it reaches a surface, which, when absorbing it, increases its temperature.
Watts are a unit of power, meaning they measure how much energy the electrical appliance is consuming over a period of time.
When we convert electrical energy into heat, we have 100% efficiency, but this heat can be radiated as infrared radiation or transferred by contact, raising the temperature of the surrounding air.
The temperature we perceive is the one in contact with us, in other words, the air temperature, while infrared light is only perceived if it "illuminates" us. In other words, what we want is to heat the air.
Any 1500-watt electric heater will consume the same current and generate the same heat, but depending on the technology, there will be a difference in how much the room temperature rises.
For example, the heater in the image below primarily emits infrared waves that will leave the heat on the walls or even escape through a window’s glass.
While fan-type heaters (photo below) transfer more heat to the air.
The one in the photo below is an oil-filled radiator. They are silent and have a large contact surface with the air.
The latest "mate gourd" are Far Infrared heaters. They are boxes where as much heat as possible is transferred to the air and then expelled.
There are other technologies, but I think the concept is clear. Other factors to consider are:
- Thermostat: a way to save energy is not to have the house "hotter than desired."
- Timer: Allows you to program the heater’s on and off times, thus avoiding overconsumption.
- Clock: We might want it to turn on in the morning before waking up.
- Noise: measured in dBA; a noisy heater can be annoying.
- Control from your phone: The salesperson said it was useful… (hehe)
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