AdminA heater is an appliance that generates heat for a room, house or other building space. It can be electric or gas-fueled. Some heaters are small and portable; others are long and slim and may be mounted on a wall.
When sizing heating systems for entire homes, HVAC pros perform complex load calculations that consider the local climate, the home’s layout and construction type, insulation levels, windows and doors and even a bit of alchemy. Sizing a heater for a specific space, however, can be done on a much simpler basis.
Generally speaking, the amount of energy (or BTUs) required to raise a room’s temperature by one degree is used as a rough guide. This information is available on the manufacturer’s sizing charts for all types of heaters.
The basic rule of thumb is that 30 to 60 BTUs are required per square foot of a room’s floor area. This translates to the number of heaters you need for an average room size, depending on your climate.
For large spaces, a convector heater is the best choice because it heats the air and circulates it around the room. It takes a little longer to warm up than a space heater, but it stays hot for a long time and can be controlled with a thermostat or a timer. For a more directional blast of heat, use a radiant heater. The heating element in these models is covered with thin sheets of mica and, when energized, they produce electromagnetic rays that warm the room. heater