Convection Heaters: Do They Get Warm? (What You Need To Know)

by HVAC Contributor December 21, 2022, 8:00 am 1k Views

When it comes to adding extra heating to a house or workplace, convection heaters are frequently chosen. Convection heaters may have left you wondering if they are all created equal or how they operate in general.

Convection heaters do get hot to the touch, especially where the heat is being released. However, there are also contemporary types that don’t heat up on the outside. These models’ grills, from which the heat radiates, will be extremely hot, so avoid touching it.

Different types of convection heaters are frequently used to add additional heating to tiny rooms. Let’s examine convection heaters more closely and discuss the ideal applications for them. We’ll describe the workings of convection heaters in this article, along with the maximum temperature they can reach.

How Air Is Heated Using Convection Heaters

Convection heaters warm up an area by heating the air and transferring the heat there. The gas boiler heating system used in most homes is a good example of this type of convection-based heating technique.

The radiators in your home will start to warm up when the heater is turned on as the water moving in the heating system gets hotter. You can usually feel the rooms in your home warming up after anywhere between 10 and 20 minutes as the heat from the radiator’s surface is dispersed throughout the air.

Naturally, warm air will rise and go into cooler areas where it will start to sink and cool. As the air in the chamber warms back up, it will circulate back up to the top. Eventually, the entire volume of air in the room will warm up, providing warmth for everyone inside.

The use of convection heating does have drawbacks, too. The first is that air distribution and airflow depend entirely on convection heating. Although this heating approach encourages air circulation, it can be challenging to prevent cold areas from developing in a room if it is particularly large. As a result, you could not feel the appropriate temperatures in every area of a room, especially if the insulation is poor, the windowsills have gaps, or there are numerous outside openings.

Convection heaters also have the drawback of having poor heat retention, which leads to fluctuating temperatures and rapid heat loss.

Consider spending an hour alone in a room that is 75 degrees Fahrenheit during the winter. On a chilly day, a large quantity of heat will be lost if someone enters the room from the outside, which the heater will have to make up for. This results in a brief but significant dip in the room’s temperature.

Examples Of Convection Heating Frequently Used

Fireplaces

Heat is produced whenever fuel (such as gas, coal, or wood) is burned. Any nearby cold air will start to be sucked up by the fuel because it needs moving air to ignite. As a result, warm air will be produced as a byproduct.

Underfloor Heaters

Underfloor heaters, also referred to as radiant heat systems, use the same convection-based heating technique and are powered by either heat pumps or boilers. Convection still occurs whether the system is electric or hydroponic; warm air is produced, and as it begins to ascend and cool, it warms any surrounding physical space.

Electric Panel Heaters

This kind of heater works by alternately blowing hot and cool air. By drawing cooler air into its panel and passing it over a heating coil, it begins the warming process. The air is then forced upward and out of the heater toward the roof of a house. This procedure causes the room’s heat to circulate gradually and evenly.

Storage Heaters

Comparable to conventional central heating systems are storage heaters. They use power for a short period of time throughout the night and store it in a heat bank to be used the next day. Usually composed of clay or ceramic bricks, these heat banks.

Does Convection Heat Work Well?

Convection heat is often less efficient than radiant heat, yet it is an effective approach to heat a small room or area. Convection heat easily permeates its surroundings or disperses across a space, producing warmth. Energy will be squandered if this region is too huge. Why? The reason is straightforward: air does not transmit heat well.

The best uses for convection heaters should be considered when determining whether or not convection heating will be the most effective approach to warm specific rooms in your home. The optimal environments for these heaters are enclosed, airtight, well-insulated spaces with standard or low ceiling heights.

When using a convection heater, more heat will be needed to maintain the desired temperature in spaces with cold drafts, inadequate insulation, high ceilings (above 8 feet), or numerous windows. In other words, the heater will be more effective in a smaller space. If you’re searching for a reliable and lasting heat source, they’re a terrific choice.

For the most affordable heating solutions for the area you’re trying to warm, you can also check around for convection heaters with lower wattages (in the 400–500 watt range).

Energy-Saving Tips For Your Convection Heater

HVAC experts advise the following practices to get the most out of your heater while maximizing your energy savings:

Change the output parameters to precisely manage the amount of hatred being released. Keep your heater on a constant level.
The majority of convection heaters will have preset thermostats that include high, medium, and low settings. However, the best temperature control and adjustments are possible with models that have precise thermostats.
Timers: If you’re going to take a nap, for instance, make sure to set a timer or switch off your heater when it’s not in use.
Size: Choose the heater that is appropriate for the amount of space you need to heat. Electricity can be wasted by heaters that are either too small or too big for a space.

Do Various Kinds Of Convection Heaters Exist?

Furnaces , fan heaters, ceramic, oil, and water heaters are the five different types of convection heaters. The same concept underlies the operation of all heater types. The manner in which they produce and disperse the heat varies, though.

Fan Heaters

These heaters have a heating element that produces thermal energy by running electrical currents through a resistant, conducting element. The Joule effect subsequently causes the resistive, conductive element to heat up. These heaters’ fans circulate air throughout the room after passing it through the heating element.

A constant source of heat can be produced by fan heaters. If the area is properly insulated, it will be possible to maintain a comfortable temperature even after the HVAC system has been temporarily switched off.

Water Heaters

Unless they are tankless, water heaters work by storing a lot of water in a metal tank with a cylinder shape that is typically found in the attic, basement, or utility room of a house.

A portion of the water that will be heated by the water heater and used throughout the house will be powered by gas or electricity.

Electric and gas types are both available for water heaters. While the gas variants employ a flame under the tank to generate heat, the electric models use a heating element to warm the water.

Ceramic Heater

One of the newest possibilities for convection-based heaters is ceramic heating. Aluminum baffles and ceramic plates are used to carry electricity and produce heat. These little heaters have become extremely popular in the home renovation industry thanks to the ceramic plates that are utilized in them, which have shown to be incredibly effective heat conductors.

Furnace Heater

As they provide heat for the majority of conventional central heating systems, furnace heaters are the most prevalent type of convection heater in a home. Furnaces provide heat by burning gas or oil and forcing air through metal ducts and grates positioned all throughout the interior of a home. They are typically found in basements or attics.

Heaters That Use Oil (Or Radiators)

These heaters work by employing an electrical element to heat an oil reservoir. The electrical element heats up when it is completely submerged in oil. This heat then radiates warmth across the surface of the heater and into the surrounding liquid.

What Convection Heater Size Do I Require?

It’s crucial to first think about how many rooms you want to warm and how warm you want them to be before choosing the appropriate size convection heater for your home. Next, think about how your home’s rooms are organized and make a note of any circumstances that can make your convection heater use more energy:

A ceiling height of more than 8 feet
Several windows and/or doors in the heated space
Outdated or sloppy insulation

Convection heaters are sized according to their wattage, which is typically 1,500 watts. HVAC experts advise adding 10 watts of electric heat to each square foot of a space’s flooring.

If your living room is 200 square feet, for instance, a 2,000-watt heater should be adequate.

Conclusion

Convection heaters should only be handled after being turned off and given time to cool down because their surface is typically extremely hot to the touch. Hopefully, you now have a better understanding of the many kinds of convection heaters and how they operate in general.