It would be best to use a space heater of the right size to enjoy its benefits fully. If you heat a space with a vast space heater, the excess heat will go to waste.
Similarly, using a small heater for a large space is not a wise thing to do. The heater is likely to get damaged. Furthermore, you will not be able to maintain the ideal temperature in your space.
There is an interesting relationship between the wattage of a space heater and the space that it can heat. Generally, you can determine the right size of a heater by assessing the area of the space that you need to heat and then considering the heater’s wattage.
Here is a simple process that you can follow to size a space heater.
- Determine the area of the space that you intend to heat. This can be found by multiplying the length and width of the space. If you need to warm a large square space that measures 10 feet by 10 feet, the area would be 100 square feet.
- Convert the area into wattage needs. As a rule of thumb, 10 watts are needed to warm every square foot adequately. Therefore, from our example, we need 1,000 watts to sufficiently heat our small square space.
- Consider other factors. Our answer to 1,000 watts is entirely theoretical. In practice, several other factors affect a heater’s size that is ideal for warming any given space. These factors determine your final heater size.
Notably, the level of insulation of a room influences the degree of supplemental heating needed. If you have a poorly insulated space, you need to account for the heat loss by adding a small number of watts to the calculated answer.
The ceiling height also determines the amount of heat energy needed to maintain the temperature within an ideal range. If your room has a high ceiling, add a small number of watts to the answer to account for the increased space needed to be heated.
Things to Consider When Choosing a Space Heater
Choosing the right space heater can be a complicated process if you are uncertain of the features you are looking for. Besides, there are many brands with various features available on the market. One can quickly get confused and obtain a heater that does not meet their heating needs.
Here are a few things that you should prioritize when choosing a space heater.
Safety Features
Go for heaters that have the most advanced inbuilt safety features. Also, choose heaters that have industry-specific certifications for safety.
Such heaters are usually subjected to rigorous safety tests before being released to the market. Some of the most common inbuilt safety features in heaters include an overheat protection, tip-over protection, and cool to touch.
The overheat protection feature helps to prevent the outbreaks of fires if anything goes wrong while the heater is running. Heaters that have this feature automatically switch off if their internal temperature rises abnormally. High internal temperatures can cause fire outbreaks as well as damage the internal components of heaters.
Tip-over protection feature prevents the occurrence of fires of a heater falls accidentally. Your space heater can fall if it gets knocked when standing on the floor or on a flat surface. This feature keeps you and the heater safe by automatically switching it off.
Energy Efficiency
A space heater’s efficiency refers to how well the heater consumes electric power to produce heat energy. Energy-efficient heaters utilize little electricity to produce adequate heat. Energy-inefficient heaters use a lot of electricity to produce heat energy. It is expensive to run space heaters that are not energy efficient.
Some space heaters have the eco-mode option. The eco mode aims to minimize the amount of electricity that the heaters consume without compromising their heating performance. Go for heaters that have the eco mode to keep your heating costs under control.
Mounting and Installation Options
Space heaters can either be used when standing on the floor or mounted on the wall or ceiling. Heaters that can be mounted on the wall or ceiling come with all the needed hardware.
Some heaters have brackets that allow the direction of the devices to be changed. Such heaters are ideal for carrying out spot or zonal heating because you can turn their direction to any area in the room.
Some heaters that can be mounted either on the ceiling or the wall need some hard wiring to function correctly. Hardwiring a space heater is a job that requires a person with the right skills.
Noise Level
The noise level of heaters is determined by the type and size of the inbuilt fan. Heaters that have large and powerful inbuilt fans may provide effective and full-room heating.
However, such heaters tend to be quite noisy when operating. Consider your heater’s noise level if you intend to use it in a place where silence is critical.
Safety when Using a Space Heater
Using space heaters, as is the case with any other electrical device, comes with the risk of fires. However, you can get the best out of your heater by observing safety recommendations.
Here are a few things you can do to maintain high safety standards when using your space heater.
- Plug your heater directly into the socket. Heaters consume high wattage and amperage levels. Do not use extension cords because the cords’ cables are not designed to handle the level of wattage and amperage that heaters need.
- Shut off and unplug your heater when it is not in use. Avoid leaving your heater on when no one is in the room. Ensure that your device is off and out of the wall socket every time no one needs to use it.
- Keep your heater away from water. If your space heater is not specially designed to be used in damp conditions, keep it away from moisture completely. Do not place your space heater in the bathroom because of the risk of electric shocks.
- Carry out regular maintenance. Routine maintenance procedures for heaters entail checking them for any signs of damage and occasionally cleaning them. If you detect any damage, get a technician to help you assess the extent of the damage before using your heater.
Best Space Heater For 600 Sq Ft
1. NewAir Portable Garage Heater
The NewAir G56 is a sturdy and highly reliable space heater ideal for medium-sized spaces. It has a wide heating range from 45 degrees Fahrenheit to 95 degrees Fahrenheit.
You can conveniently select the ideal temperature using the easy-to-use thermostat and other controls. All the heater controls are located at the bottom of the front side for your ultimate comfort.
If you are worried about your safety when using a space heater, the NewAir G56 may be the right answer. This device has all the advanced inbuilt safety features that you would expect to find in a modern space heater. Notably, the overheat protection keeps you safe if any technical fault occurs and the internal temperature of the heater rises abnormally.
However, this space heater does not have remote control capability. You will have to bear the brunt of using manual controls every time the heater is used. Nevertheless, this is a small problem, considering the performance of the heater.
Pros
- It has an extensive temperature range of 45 degrees Fahrenheit to 95 degrees Fahrenheit for personalized heating
- The heater has inbuilt safety features and relevant industry-specific certifications
- The sturdy design and use of high-quality materials increase its durability
Cons
- It has manual controls only
2. Dr. Infrared Heater DR-975
One of the essential features of the Dr. Infrared Heater DR-975 is the remote-controlled thermostat. You can adjust this device’s heating temperature from 50 degrees Fahrenheit to 90 degrees Fahrenheit from a distance using the remote control.
Additionally, the heater is designed to be mounted either on the wall or the roof. The mounting brackets allow the heater to be turned so that it faces any direction in the space.
Similarly, you can use your Dr. Infrared Heater DR-975 for zonal heating. It has five louvers that can be adjusted easily. Adjusting the louvers changes the direction of airflow and the intensity of the heat that the heater produces.
Although the Dr. Infrared Heater DR-975 comes with all the hardware that one needs to have it mounted either on the roof or wall, the process is complicated and takes a long time. The device must be hard-wired to function correctly. This procedure may need the skills of a technician.
Pros
- It has a remote-controlled thermostat for your convenience
- Designed for wall or roof mounting with all the necessary hardware
- It has five louvers that can be adjusted for effective zonal heating
Cons
- The installation process is complicated and takes long
3. KING KB2410-1-B2-ECO KB ECO2S Garage Heater
The KING KB2410-1-B2-ECO is specially designed to minimize your heating costs without undermining the quality of your indoor environment.
It has a special eco-friendly 2-stage heating system that helps to keep the heating expenses within manageable levels. The heater automatically uses the least amount of electric power to warm your room and only increases the amount when you adjust its heating temperature upwards.
Operating this heater is a breeze. It comes with a remote control that you can use to change every aspect of its operation, for starters.
Additionally, it has a summer fan only and timer features. You can use it to improve the air quality in your space during summer and switch to heating when there is a need for supplemental heat.
If you have a large space that exceeds 600 square feet in area for heating, the KING KB2410-1-B2-ECO will not help you much. This device functions perfectly in small to medium-sized spaces only.
Pros
- The heater has smart energy-saving capabilities
- Effective and full-room heating, thanks to the work of the built-in fan delay system and a spiral steel fin heating element
- It comes with remote control for easy operation
Cons
- Limited to medium-sized spaces
4. Dura Heat Electric Forced Air Heater
The Dura Heat Electric Forced Air Heater is designed for providing heat in large commercial spaces, including garages, shops, and others.
It has various features that one can take advantage of to provide supplemental heating even in hard-to-heat areas. The heater’s cabinet’s inbuilt-turbo fan and tubular design help provide highly focused and intense heating solutions.
Moreover, the heater rests on a very stable base that can turn in all directions. Thus, you can comfortably carry out zonal heating in your space by turning the heater’s cabinet to face the direction in which additional heat is needed most.
However, this heater has two main drawbacks. First, it is quite heavy and large. This means that moving it from one place to another will be a big problem.
Second, the heater consumes 240 volts and must be connected to a line with at least 30 amps. This heavy power needs to translate into high heating costs.
Pros
- The tubular cabinet and built-in turbofan are useful in providing intense heat for zonal heating
- A high heating capacity of 17,000 BTUs is enough for heating large spaces
- It has a strong and adjustable stand
Cons
- High power needs: 240 volts and 30 amps
- The heater is quite bulky
5. Dura Heat Electric Garage Heater
If you are looking for an easy-to-operate, effective, and lightweight space heater, try using the Dura Heat Electric Garage Heater.
This heater has been designed for use in small to medium-sized garages. It has all the hardware that one needs to mount it either on the roof or the wall. However, the installation process requires that one hard-wires this device. The hard-wiring procedure may need someone who is highly experienced.
The heater has highly efficient spiral-wrapped steel heating elements. This type of heating element perfectly complements the 500CFM-rated inbuilt fan to provide full-room heating in your garage.
You will not worry about operating the Dura Heat Electric Garage Heater, thanks to its clear LED display and remote-control features.
The remote control gives you all the convenience that you need to operate it from a distance. You can use the LED display to ensure that you select the right temperature for the heater’s inbuilt thermostat.
Pros
- Easy to operate because of the LED display and remote control
- Wide heating range and a powerful 500CFM fan
- Wall or roof-mountable
Cons
- The heater is quite noisy
- The installation process is complicated because of the hard wiring